ELLERMAN (John Reeves), later Sir John, 2nd Baronet, as &
E.L. BLACK.
Why do they like it?
A pseudonymous account of an unhappy childhood at English public school by John Ellerman, younger brother of Winnifred Ellerman, aka “Bryher”. Heirs to their father’s shipping fortune, the Ellerman children devoted themselves to philanthropy, culture and rodents. Bryher was an important proselytiser for cinema as art, a popular author, and benefactor of Sylvia Beach; both were active in aiding Jewish refugees in the 1930s, and John in particular was an energetic donor to charities - the John Ellerman Foundation currently distributes over six million pounds a year. John avoided personal publicity, working away at natural history, producing, among other titles The Families and Genera of Living Rodents. This appears to be his only non scientific work, and was produced by Sylvia Beach of Shakespeare and Company, doubtless at his expense. The imprint “Educational Documents” was not used again, and the lower cover bears the note “This book can be obtained at Shakesepare & Co.” It was printed by Darantiere in Dijon.
