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.

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.

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Details

Bookseller: Abednego Book Shoppe (US)
Bookseller's Inventory #: mon0000846433
Title: The Scarlet Letter
Author: Hawthorne, Nathaniel
Format/Binding: Paperback
Book Condition: Used - Good
Quantity Available: 1
ISBN 10: 1569602077
ISBN 13: 9781569602072
Publisher: Book Essentials Promotions
Place of Publication: New York
Date Published: 1994-01-01
Size: 0.8000 in x 6.5000 in x 3.9000 i
Bookseller catalogs: Book;
X weight: 0.5500 lb

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Abednego Book Shoppe

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About Abednego Book Shoppe

We have 2, full-service bookstores in Ventura, CA. Bank of Books at 748 E. Main Street was voted #1 Bookstore for Ventura County 2003-2010. It is 2-stories and houses the Erle Stanley Gardner Museum opening in the Fall, 2010 and a local Art Museum. Abednego Book Shoppe at 2682 E. Main Street has large children, education and fiction sections. Both stores sell books in essentially all genre; new and used books. We also warehouse 2 million books from which we run our Internet business and restock our stores.