The Moon Is Down

VERY GOOD+ condition — DUST JACKET: Wear & tear to top and bottom edges of spine, panels, folds and flaps. Chipping to top and bottom of spine and outside corners, both panels. Scratches/stress rubbing to face of both panels, primarily in hinges and folds. Soiling to back panel, and folds of same. Soiling to top edge of flaps. Open/closed tears mended on reverse with archival tape. BOARDS: Good condition. Foot of spine soft. BOOK: Good condition. Age toning to endpapers at hinge. Insert ghosting on front flyleaf pages. Slight lean to spine. Please inspect photos closely for condition details. Any questions? Please ask.


Here on offer is a very nice copy of John Steinbeck's WWII resistance novel, The Moon is Down, his first work of fiction published after The Grapes of Wrath. This copy is a true 1st edition, 1st printing of the work published by Viking Press in 1942. The dust jacket is protected from further wear by a Mylar sleeve.

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" The Moon Is Down is a novel by American writer John Steinbeck. Fashioned for adaptation for the theatre and for which Steinbeck received the Norwegian King Haakon VII Freedom Cross, it was published by Viking Press in March 1942. The story tells of the military occupation of a small town in Northern Europe by the army of an unnamed nation at war with England and Russia (much like the occupation of Norway by the Germans during World War II).

A French language translation of the book was published illegally in Nazi-occupied France by Les Éditions de Minuit, a French Resistance publishing house. Furthermore, numerous other editions were also secretly published across all of occupied Europe, including Norwegian, Danish, Dutch, and Italian versions (as well as a Swedish version); it was the best known work of U.S. literature in the Soviet Union during the war. Although the text never names the occupying force as German, references to "The Leader", "Memories of defeats in Belgium and France 20 years ago" clearly suggest it. Written with the purpose of motivating resistance movements in occupied countries, the book has appeared in at least 92 editions across the world."

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"In March 1942, a desperate period for the allies in World War II, John Steinbeck published his propaganda novel The Moon is Down—the story of ruthless invaders who overrun a militarily helpless country. Throughout the novel, Steinbeck underscored both the fatal weakness of the 'invincible' unnamed aggressors and the inherent power of the human values shard by the 'conquered' people.

The Moon is Down created an immediate sensation among American literary critics; fierce debate erupted over Steinbeck's uncommonly sympathetic portrayal of the enemy and the novel's power as a vehicle for propaganda. . . . Clandestine translations of The Moon Is Down quickly appeared and were widely circulated under the noses of the Gestapo. . . ."



The above text was taken from, respectively, Wikipedia and University of Alabama Press (via Google Books).[Coers, Donald V.. John Steinbeck as propagandist : The moon is down goes to war. United Kingdom: University of Alabama Press, 1991.]



This handsome copy would be a worthy addendum to your 1st editions library.