Nineteen Eighty-Four: A 1984 Novel [First American Edition in First Edition Wrapper]
by Orwell, George
- Used
- good
- Hardcover
- first
- Condition
- Good/Good
- Seller
-
Rapid River, Michigan, United States
Payment Methods Accepted
About This Item
383 Madison Avenue, New York: Harcourt, Brace and Company, 1949. Stated "first American edition" at copyright page and "Printed in the United States of America." True first edition without mention of Haddon Craftsmen at copyright. Tan full cloth boards, bold red cover and spine titles, light shelf wear. Little dried residue from jacket adhesive at edge. Pages near fine, clean. Stylish antiquarian bookplate and printed owner details inside cover: "The Petersons." Pictorial plate depicts knight leading horse through forest. Bind fine; hinges intact. Original first state dust wrapper in blue, moderate edge wear, rub, toning, adhesive residue to edges; unclipped 3.00, protected in new clear sleeve. Flap corners clipped as is the norm for this first edition wrapper. Classic mid-twentieth century wrapper in blue with bold black titles. Caricature of Orwell at back panel by George Holland. Rare near very good first edition in same wrapper. Eric Arthur Blair (25 June 1903 - 21 January 1950) utilizing his pseudonym, George Orwell, composed this narrative message in 1948 and juxtaposed the numbers to 1984 as its time and place. The novel was first published in 1949 and he would pass the following January of 1950 at the age of 46. 1984 is the year in which it happened! The world is divided into three great powers, Oceania, Eurasia, and Eastasia, each perpetually at war. Britain is part of Oceania and is known as Airstrip 1. Throughout Oceania, The Party rules through four ministries, whose power is absolute. The Ministry of Peace deals with war, the Ministry of Love, seat of the dreaded Thought Police, handles 'law and order,' the Ministry of Plenty deals in scarcities, and the Ministry of Truth doles out the propaganda. 'New-speak' is the 'modern' perversion of language ordained by the Party. It has installed such remarkable words as double-think (duplicitousness), thought-crime, and sex-crime or 'love' in standard English. In every room, a tele-screen is installed, which can never be switched off, and where 'authorities' spy on every action, word, gesture, and thought. On every hoarding a huge face is displayed - the face of Big Brother! Set within this nightmare is the drama of Winston Smith, possibly the last man alive to rebel against the Party's rule and doctrine, clinging to the belief in the individual and in those precious human feelings and values. With flawless craftsmanship, ingenuity and narrative power Mr. Orwell lays out a terrifying potential future. The love of Winston for the amorous and independent Julia, and the fate that befalls them, stirs the reader's emotions as the cautionary tale paces to a tremendous climax. When Mr. Orwell's 'Animal Farm' was published three years prior, critics hailed him as a new Jonathan Swift. The satirical passages in '1984' justify the critics' verdict. But, presented here is much more than satire. Bertrand Russell writes in summary: "...1984 depicts with great power the horrors of a totalitarian regime. It is important the western world is aware of these dangers, and not only in the narrow form of (Communist) Russia. Mr. Orwell contributes to this important purpose with skill and a force of imagination. I hope it will be widely read." 314 pages. Insured post.. First Edition. Hard Cover. Good/Good. Illus. by Holland, George (Orwell Jacket Caricature). 8vo - over 7¾ - 9¾" Tall. Book.
Synopsis
Nineteen Eighty-Four (1984) by George Orwell has become the definitive dystopian novel of the twentieth century. Originally published on June 8, 1949 by Secker and Warburg in the United Kingdom, the book follows the main character, Winston Smith, through his disillusionment with totalitarianism and a doomed struggle of resistance. George Orwell is a pen-name, Orwell's real name was Eric Blair. -
Reviews
On May 19 2023, a reader said:
A good read very ahead of its time.
On Jun 18 2018, a reader said:
Prophetic
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Details
- Bookseller
- BiblioStax (US)
- Bookseller's Inventory #
- 022378
- Title
- Nineteen Eighty-Four: A 1984 Novel [First American Edition in First Edition Wrapper]
- Author
- Orwell, George
- Illustrator
- Holland, George (Orwell Jacket Caricature)
- Format/Binding
- Hardcover
- Book Condition
- Used - Good
- Jacket Condition
- Good
- Edition
- First Edition
- Publisher
- Harcourt, Brace and Company
- Place of Publication
- 383 Madison Avenue, New York
- Date Published
- 1949
- Size
- 8vo - over 7¾ - 9¾
- Weight
- 0.00 lbs
Terms of Sale
BiblioStax
Satisfaction is guaranteed. Refund will be negotiated and granted for sufficient reason.
About the Seller
BiblioStax
Biblio member since 2005
Rapid River, Michigan
About BiblioStax
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Glossary
Some terminology that may be used in this description includes:
- 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...
- Shelf Wear
- Shelf wear (shelfwear) describes damage caused over time to a book by placing and removing a book from a shelf. This damage is...
- 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....
- First State
- used in book collecting to refer to a book from the earliest run of a first edition, generally distinguished by a change in some...
- Bookplate
- Highly sought after by some collectors, a book plate is an inscribed or decorative device that identifies the owner, or former...
- 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"...
- Copyright page
- The page in a book that describes the lineage of that book, typically including the book's author, publisher, date of...
- Cloth
- "Cloth-bound" generally refers to a hardcover book with cloth covering the outside of the book covers. The cloth is stretched...
- Fine
- A book in fine condition exhibits no flaws. A fine condition book closely approaches As New condition, but may lack the...
- Jacket
- Sometimes used as another term for dust jacket, a protective and often decorative wrapper, usually made of paper which wraps...
- Plate
- Full page illustration or photograph. Plates are printed separately from the text of the book, and bound in at production. I.e.,...