'THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF LINCOLN STEFFENS, 2 VOLUMES'

The Autobiography of Lincoln Steffens was originally published in 1931, chronicling the life of the quintessential muckraking journalist whose investigative reporting in magazines like McClure's exposed municipal corruption across the United States at the turn of the 20th century. Steffens used the memoir to reflect on his career as a crusading reformer and his eventual disillusionment with traditional political systems, offering a profound, if controversial, look at the mechanisms of power and the transition into early 20th-century radicalism.

The 1958 Harvest Books edition, published by Harcourt, Brace and Company, served to reintroduce Steffens's work to a post-war audience interested in the roots of American progressive reform. As a mass-market paperback release, this two-volume set emphasized the accessibility of Steffens’s prose, stripping away the formality of the original hardcover editions. The design reflects the mid-century aesthetic of the Harvest imprint, which sought to curate essential intellectual literature for students and the general public, helping to cement Steffens's status as a foundational voice in the history of American journalism.