The Moon Is Down
by Steinbeck, John
- Used
- first
- Condition
- Very Good +
- Seller
-
Pasadena, California, United States
Payment Methods Accepted
About This Item
An immensely popular war-time novel, thinly disguised to garner hope and bolster resistance against the Nazis. "When The Moon is Down appeared in 1942, it ignited some of the most incendiary discourse among prominent literary critics that year" because of its anti-Reich stance and its thinly veiled criticism of American isolationism. (SITS). A great debate centered on Steinbeck's depiction of Nazis, which some found too humanizing and others saw as overly one-dimensional. "It was not until after the war that it became clear how realistic Steinbeck's portrayal of the occuppied town and its invaders had been" and in 1943 the Chicago Tribune announced that the book had been voted as the year's best fiction. Very Good +.
Synopsis
In this masterful tale set in Norway during World War II, Steinbeck explores the effects of invasion on both the conquered and the conquerors. As he delves into the emotions of the German commander and the Norwegian traitor, and depicts the spirited patriotism of the Norwegian underground, Steinbeck uncovers profound, often unsettling truths about warand about human nature. Nobel Prize winner John Steinbeck’s self-described celebration of the durability of democracy” had an extraordinary impact as Allied propaganda in Nazi-occupied Europe. Despite Axis efforts to suppress it (in Fascist Italy, mere possession of the book was punishable by death), The Moon is Down was secretly translated into French, Norwegian, Danish, Dutch, Swedish, German, Italian and Russian; hundreds of thousands of copies circulated throughout Europe, making it by far the most popular piece of propaganda under the occupation. Few literary works of our time have demonstrated so triumphantly the power of ideas in the face of cold steel and brute force. This edition features an introduction by Donald V. Coers.
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Details
- Bookseller
- Whitmore Rare Books (US)
- Bookseller's Inventory #
- 4096
- Title
- The Moon Is Down
- Author
- Steinbeck, John
- Book Condition
- Used - Very Good +
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Edition
- First edition
- Publisher
- The Viking Press
- Place of Publication
- New York
- Date Published
- 1942
Terms of Sale
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- 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...
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This Book’s Categories
- Bindings & Editions Modern First Editions
- Fiction & Literature Fiction by Region American Fiction
- Fiction & Literature Classic Literature
- Fiction & Literature Individual Authors John Steinbeck
- Fiction & Literature Literary Studies
- Fiction & Literature Modern Fiction
- Fiction & Literature Vintage Fiction