MELVILLE GOODWIN, USA

Boston: Little, Brown & Company, 1951. First Edition. Cloth. Fine/Fine. 8vo, beige cloth with blue label and blue & gold bands, Mylar-protected lettered dust jacket (unclipped), [x] + 596 pages. Finalist for the National Book Award. The behind-the-scenes story of Paton-like war hero Maj. Gen. "Mel"[ville] Goodwin, who becomes conflicted between his affection for Dottie, a woman whom he met in Europe after an act of bravery in Berlin, and his indispensible, though domineering wife Muriel, who fight for his affection. Marquand's novel Melville Goodwin (1951) was slated in 1956 for a movie starring Humphrey Bogart, but when throat cancer prevented Bogie from playing the leading role, Kirk Douglas then starred in the 1957 film "Top Secret Affair" with Susan Hayward and Jim Backus. John Philips Marquand is also well known for his "Mr. Moto" spy series, which were made into movies starring Peter Lorie during the 1930's. His other crime novels included Ming Yellow (1935); Don't Ask Questions (1941); Repent in Haste (1945, L: 1949); and It's Loaded, Mr. Bauer (1949); Stopover: Tokyo (1957). Marquand (1893-1960) was also a distinguished novelist who treated American society (often the upper classes) with sensitivity, respect, and satire. Thus, he won a Pulitzer for The Late George Apley in 1938. The author's literary novels included: The Unspeakable Gentleman (1922); The Black Cargo (1925); Waring Hill (1930); THE LATE GEORGE APLEY (1937) for which he won the Pulizer Prize in 1938; Wickford Point (1939); H. M. Pulham, Esquire (1942); So Little Time (1944); B. F.'s Daughter (1946); Point of No Return (1949); the aforesaid Melville Goodwin (1952); Sincerely, Willis Wayde (1955); as well as Women and Thomas Harrow (1958). Marquand also wrote several distinguished collections of short stories , essays, and articles, some of which included his perceptive analyses of sports. Exceptional Condition! No remainder marks; clean, bright, tight with superior dust jacket.