Blain, Mary E., 1872-

Mary E. Blain (1872– ) was an American author about whose life relatively little is publicly known. She worked mainly in the field of home entertainment and holiday game books, writing for ordinary families with an emphasis on practicality and participation. Two of her works are held in this collection—Games for All Occasions and Games for Hallow-e'en—both centered on games and activities for festive gatherings and home amusement. Her choice of subjects was close to everyday life, and her arrangements were easy to follow. Such books were fairly popular in the United States in the early twentieth century, offering convenient references for family and community celebrations. Given the limited sources available, her influence lies chiefly in the circulation of home-game and holiday-entertainment books, while fuller details of her life and work remain to be verified.