Mitchell S. (Mitchell Starrett) Buck

Born in 1887 and later identified in library and public-domain records as Mitchell Starrett Buck, he was an American poet, translator, and classical scholar. Reference sources describe his writing as deeply shaped by classical Greek and Roman literature, along with the aesthetic style of the 1890s.

One of his early noted books was Syrinx: Pastels of Hellas (1914), a volume associated with the small Claire Marie Press and remembered for its Hellenic atmosphere. He also translated The Songs of Bilitis, showing the same interest in literary re-creation and classical mood.

Many readers now know him best for Book Repair and Restoration: A Manual of Practical Suggestions for Bibliophiles (1918), a practical handbook for people who care for old and cherished books. That combination of literary sensibility and hands-on bibliophily gives his work a distinctive charm.