New York: Scribner's, 1952. First edition. 8vo, light blue boards. A fine copy, in first printing dust jacket, with the flaps printed in brown and no mention of the Nobel or Pulitzer prize. Tiny chip from jacket crown, else fine.

Synopsis

This novella, only 140 pages, was first printed in its entirety in Life Magazine on September 1, 1952. It inspired a buying frenzy - selling over five million copies of the magazine in just two days! The story about an aging Cuban fisherman wrangling a large marlin in the gulf stream was written in 1951 in Cuba and published in 1952. In 1953, it won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction and led to Hemingway's nomination for the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1954. Man's struggle against nature is the resounding theme throughout the book as Hemingway portrays Santiago's travails as an experienced fisherman facing a dry-spell of 85 days before finally wrangling a prized marlin. Hemingway also highlights the indomitable spirit of man while illustrating his ideal of manliness and character in the strong and determined fisherman facing danger and discomfort without complaint and with resolution, both in the days it takes Santiago to kill the marlin, and as he fights off the sharks that end up destroying his prized catch before he reaches the coast. Some say that Hemingway's tale is a reflection of his own determination to prove his writing career was not over, and the portrayal of the sharks may echo the critics who had been claiming for the ten years that his writing career, after the successful release of For Whom the Bell Tolls in 1940, was over. The book is dedicated "To Charlie Scribner And To Max Perkins," friends of Hemingway's that had passed away before the book came out. Max Perkins, who also edited F. Scott Fitzgerald and Thomas Wolfe, died in 1947 and Scribner, who was president of the publisher Charles Scribner's Sons, died in 1952.

Reviews

On Mar 6 2014, a reader said:

The Old Man and The Sea is an excellent novella for someone to read looking to get away from the troubles of life only to find that some troubles lead to the greatest reward of even though the reward is only a small amount.

(Log in or Create an Account first!)

Details

Bookseller: Thomas A Goldwasser Rare Books (US)
Bookseller's Inventory #: 32905
Title: The Old Man and the Sea
Author: Hemingway, Ernest
Book Condition: Used
Quantity Available: 1
Edition: First edition
Binding: Hardcover
Place of Publication: New York: Scribner's, 1952
Keywords: , AMERLIT, , ,
Bookseller catalogs: English and American literature;

Terms of Sale

Thomas A Goldwasser Rare Books

We accept checks (U.S. funds on a U.S. bank only), money orders, wire transfers (please contact us for details), major credit cards, Paypal. Libraries and known customers may be billed. All items are guaranteed to be as described. Member, Antiquarian Booksellers Association of America, International League of Antiquarian Booksellers, Professional Autograph Dealers Association.

About the Seller

Thomas A Goldwasser Rare Books

This seller has earned a 5 of 5 Stars rating from Biblio customers.

Biblio member since 2005

CHESTER, Connecticut

Ask Seller a Question

About Thomas A Goldwasser Rare Books

Specialized dealer in rare books and manuscripts, since 1975.

Glossary
Frequently asked questions

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...
Flap(s): The portion of a book cover or cover jacket that folds into the book from front to back. The flap can contain biographical...
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...