Scarlet Letter
by Hawthorne, Nathaniel
- Used
- Hardcover
- Condition
- See description
- Seller
-
Boulder, Colorado, United States
Payment Methods Accepted
About This Item
New York: Random House, 1928. ANGELO,VALENTI. This Edition Illustrated with Wood Blocks designed and engraved by Valenti Angelo has been printed by Edwin and Robert Grabhorn. First edition thus, limited to 980 numbered copies. (Heller & Magee no.112; Angelo Biblio. p.43). This book was picked as one of the 50 best designed books of the year by the AIGA in 1928. When George Macy, the founder of the Limited Editions Club, saw this book in Bennett Cerf's office, he vowed that he would hire Valenti Angelo to create such a beautiful book for his Club. Tall 8vo., original quarter leather over cloth. (viii), 362, (2) pages. Near fine with slight rubbing at the head and tail of the spine.
Synopsis
The Scarlet Letter: A Romance (1850) is considered the American author Nathaniel Hawthorne's 'masterwork.' A work of historical fiction set in the Massachusetts Bay Colony during the Puritan settlement of 1642-1949 itells the story of Hester Prynne, who after having a child as a result of an extra-marital affair attempts to live a life of repentance and dignity although she is marked by having to wear a Scarlett A on her person. Throughout the novel, Hawthorne explores themes of legalism, sin, and guilt. The Scarlett Letter was one of the first mass-produced novels in the United States, prior printing of books generally done by hand. The 2,500 copies first printed sold out in days, and the mass-production of books opened up conversation about books and authors to a wider-audience on a national level. The first edition of The Scarlet Letter sold out in ten days and “made Hawthorne’s fame, changed his fortune and gave to our literature its first symbolic novel a year before the appearance of Melville’s Moby-Dick” (Bradley). Although an instant best-seller, the books sales over fourteen years only brought the author $1500.
Read More: Identifying first editions of Scarlet Letter
Reviews
On Oct 4 2010, Erhanilhan said:
An absolute criticism of Puritan society. Hawthorne portrays the hypocritic sides of the society by pointing its discrepancies and ill-interpreted biblical sides deeds. He also shows that the society was not working in the name of god as stated; instead worked for a group of people (especially powerful) that keep the lines in hand.
(Log in or Create an Account first!)
Details
- Bookseller
- Four Rivers Books, LLC
(US)
- Bookseller's Inventory #
- 16561
- Title
- Scarlet Letter
- Author
- Hawthorne, Nathaniel
- Illustrator
- ANGELO,VALENTI
- Book Condition
- Used
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Binding
- Hardcover
- Publisher
- Random House
- Place of Publication
- New York
- Date Published
- 1928
- Keywords
- PRIV-TWE, US-CA, BKI-TWE, OK#22078
Terms of Sale
Four Rivers Books, LLC
14 day return guarantee, with full refund including original shipping costs for up to 14 days after delivery if an item arrives misdescribed or damaged. All orders are subject to prior sale.
About the Seller
Four Rivers Books, LLC
Biblio member since 2018
Boulder, Colorado
About Four Rivers Books, LLC
Member of the Antiquarian Booksellers' Association of America (ABAA), the International League of Antiquarian Booksellers (ILAB), the Rocky Mountain Antiquarian Booksellers Association (RMABA), Independent Online Booksellers Association (IOBA) and a founding member of the Fine Press Book Association.
Glossary
Some terminology that may be used in this description includes:
- Cloth
- "Cloth-bound" generally refers to a hardcover book with cloth covering the outside of the book covers. The cloth is stretched...
- Rubbing
- Abrasion or wear to the surface. Usually used in reference to a book's boards or dust-jacket.
- Tail
- The heel of the spine.
- Fine
- A book in fine condition exhibits no flaws. A fine condition book closely approaches As New condition, but may lack the...
- 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...
- 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....
- Biblio
- The Greek root for a variety of words referring to the book, such as bibliography, bibliomania, etc. Also, one of the world's...
This Book’s Categories
- Fiction & Literature Fiction by Region American Fiction
- Fiction & Literature Classic Literature
- Fiction & Literature Historical Fiction
- Fiction & Literature Literary Studies Literary Criticism
- Fiction & Literature Modern Fiction
- Fiction & Literature Mystery & Thrillers Mystery
- Children & Juvenile Juvenile & Young Adult Juvenile Fiction & Literature
Beat Poet Michael McClure
From the fateful reading at Six-Gallery in 1955 to his novels, poetry, and stage productions, Michael McClure was right in the thick of the Beat Generation as it was born. See his books and art and learn more about the works of Michael McClure.
Collecting The Beat Generation
The Beat Generation was born out of WWII, and it still continues to exert considerable influence on today’s literary scene. Biblio sellers have a fantastic collection of Beat Generation books and ephemera for browsing.
