The Catcher in the Rye by Salinger, J. D - 1951

Boston: Little, Brown and Company, 1951. First Edition. Hardcover. Very good/Very good. In original first issue dust jacket, octavo size, 283 pp. J.D. (Jerome David) Salinger's (1919-2010) first and only novel, the Holden Caulfield book he'd worked on for nearly a decade. This novel was a bestseller in its time and is still considered one of the classics of American literature, it continues to sell about a quarter-million copies per year. It endures as talismanic to discontented youth and perfectly captures the voice of the author, reflecting his own troubled school days. "What really knocks me out is a book that, when you're all done reading it, you wish the author that wrote it was a terrific friend of yours and you could call him up on the phone whenever you felt like it. That doesn't happen much, though." (N.B., quote from the Salinger.)___DESCRIPTION: Original black cloth covered boards with gilt lettering to backstrip, octavo size (8" by 5.5"), pagination: [i-vi] [1-2] 3-277, first edition, first printing, in original pictorial first issue dust jacket showing original price of $3.00, photo of author on back panel has the top of his head right at the top edge (no space).___CONDITION: A very good copy, the boards are clean and still a rich black hue, no sunning to backstrip with the gilt lettering still bright, very minimal shelfwear to the lower edges and only slightly bumped at lower corners, upper corners are straight; internally bright with only minimal age-toning to the outer edges and a few faint odd stains, endpapers with a few light stains, a square text block with solid hinges, no cocking to spine, and other than a small notation in ink at the top left of the verso of the rear free endpaper free of prior owner markings. The unclipped dust jacket is bright, the backstrip and covers are all of one tone with some light sunning to the upper approximately 2" of the front panel; the jacket has been lightly restored by a professional conservator (contact us for details or photos), the jacket is now near fine on the outside, with some toning inside; overall a very good copy in a very good jacket. An essential book for any collector of important American literature.___POSTAGE: International customers, please note that additional postage may apply as the standard does not always cover costs; please inquire for details.___Swan's Fine Books is pleased to be a member of the ABAA, ILAB and IOBA and we stand behind every book we sell. Please contact us with any questions you may have, we are here to help.