Click for full-size.
JR.
by GADDIS, William
- Used
- Hardcover
- first
- Condition
- See description
- Seller
-
London, London, United Kingdom
Payment Methods Accepted
About This Item
1975. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1975. Large 8vo., original black cloth, spine lettered in gilt; upper edge red, outer untrimmed; dust jacket designed by Janet Haverson; pp. [x], 5-725, [v]; the binding a little discoloured and rubbed to edges; slightly shaky; else a very good copy; the jacket with some vertical creases to panels, two small closed tears (one to each panel, not exceeding 1.5cm in length); spine lightly sunned, but very good, regardless. First edition, as stated. With publisher's note card tipped in to ffep, warmly inscribed by the author: "Otto- / You are still ahead pound:wise but I may catch up yet, W.G." Winner of the National Book Award for Fiction in 1976, JR tells the story of a schoolboy who secretly amasses a fortune in penny stocks. Gaddis claimed that the concept came from an idea of satirising the American dream, or turning it "inside out". It is told almost solely through dialogue, and with no chapter separations within its 725 pages. The setting is, for the most part, a desolate, nightmarish version of Massapequa, New York and features a ludicrously dysfunctional school board. Indeed Gaddis, who in real life spent many years in Massapequa and had much of his property seized by the school board there, said, half in jest, that he "wrote J R in revenge against Massapequa."
Synopsis
William Thomas Gaddis, Jr. was an American novelist. He wrote five novels, two of which won National Book Awards. JR won the National Book Award in 1976. This ingenious, thought-provoking book is written entirely without the use of chapters. The narration is a funny critique of capitalism and is meant to mimic contemporary society. Written mostly in dialogue, one of the stories is of an 11 year old boy, who utilizes payphones and money orders to obscure his true identity and turn his penny stock into a fortune. A thought- provoking, collaborative style makes this novel unique, spectacular and well worth the time.
Reviews
(Log in or Create an Account first!)
Details
- Bookseller
- Henry Sotheran Ltd.
(GB)
- Bookseller's Inventory #
- 2117547
- Title
- JR.
- Author
- GADDIS, William
- Book Condition
- Used
- Binding
- Hardcover
- Date Published
- 1975
Terms of Sale
Henry Sotheran Ltd.
30 day return guarantee, with full refund including original shipping costs for up to 30 days after delivery if an item arrives misdescribed or damaged.
About the Seller
Henry Sotheran Ltd.
Biblio member since 2018
London, London
About Henry Sotheran Ltd.
Founded in York in 1761 and established in London on 1815, Henry Sotheran Limited has a long and distinguished history.For over 250 years we have been offering unsurpassed opportunities to collectors. Throughout our history we have prided ourselves on the quality and condition of our books and our friendly service.Our premises just off Piccadilly in the heart of London's West End are spacious and elegantly appointed and we welcome regular clients and passers-by alike to wander in and browse in a relaxing and convivial atmosphere.
Glossary
Some terminology that may be used in this description includes:
- New
- A new book is a book previously not circulated to a buyer. Although a new book is typically free of any faults or defects, "new"...
- FFEP
- A common abbreviation for Front Free End Paper. Generally, it is the first page of a book and is part of a single sheet that...
- Inscribed
- When a book is described as being inscribed, it indicates that a short note written by the author or a previous owner has been...
- Sunned
- Damage done to a book cover or dust jacket caused by exposure to direct sunlight. Very strong fluorescent light can cause slight...
- First Edition
- In book collecting, the first edition is the earliest published form of a book. A book may have more than one first edition in...
- Tipped In
- Tipped In is used to describe something which has been glued into a book. Tipped-in items can include photos, book plates,...
- Cloth
- "Cloth-bound" generally refers to a hardcover book with cloth covering the outside of the book covers. The cloth is stretched...
- Jacket
- Sometimes used as another term for dust jacket, a protective and often decorative wrapper, usually made of paper which wraps...
- Spine
- The outer portion of a book which covers the actual binding. The spine usually faces outward when a book is placed on a shelf....
Frequently asked questions
May the Fourth Be With You!
As the Star Wars franchise continues to grow, change, and churn out money-making film after film now under the control of Disney, we can bet that the desire to own Star Wars collectibles will also continue to grow. Check out our gallery of goodies from a galaxy far, far away...
Collecting BiblioMysteries
Want to get meta? Bibliomysteries are mystery stories which deal in some significant way with books and the world associated with books. Browse this fascinating subgenre of mystery novels.
