Autobiography Of A Chinese Woman. Put Into English By Her Husband, Yuanren Chao. Chao, Buwei Yang.

First edition, second impression, one of the author's retained copies, later inscribed by her on the front free endpaper recto, "To Clement Galante, compliments of Buwei Y. Chao", with her accompanying Chinese signature. Chao (1889-1981) is also remembered for her writings on Chinese cookery, which helped delineate this cuisine as a specific aspect of culinary culture in the post-war US. Galante (1922-2017) was the proprietor of Maison Mendessolle, the California-based purveyor of elegant clothing for women, and in 1965 he was awarded Italy's Star of Solidarity Medal for his work in US-Italian commercial relations. His receipt of this copy likely occurred shortly after the award: loosely inserted is the addressed portion of the mailing envelope used to send Galante this copy, the stamp dating the envelope to no earlier than 1966. Chao's earlier ownership signature and address is written in ballpoint pen on the rear free endpaper recto. After the Second World War, Chao moved to Berkeley, California, with Chao Yuanren, where she spent the remainder of her life. Her first book, How to Cook and Eat in Chinese (1945, also published with the John Day Company) coined important parts of today's culinary lexicon including "stir fry" and "pot sticker". Octavo. Original brown boards, spine and front cover lettered in silver. With dust jacket. With 16 half-tone plates, maps and musical score in text. Extremities lightly bumped; jacket without price as issued, a little nicked and rubbed, offsetting on rear flap: a fine copy in near-fine jacket.