The Tables of the Law

New York: Alfred A Knopf, 1945. First edition. Cloth. Near Fine/Near Fine. 9.5" by 6.5". None . An excellent first US edition and printing of Thomas Mann's impressive novella, being a rewrite of the Biblical story of Moses in the Book of Exodus. The first US edition of this work.The story was commissioned to Thomas Mann by the original publisher Armin L. Robinson for a book titled The Ten Commandments: Ten Short Novels of Hitler's War Against the Moral Code; This publication had ten authors, one for each commandment. Mann's novella was paid $1000, and was meant to be the introduction of the book, but Robinson liked it so much that he made it the first story, under the title 'Thou Shalt Have No Other God Before Me.' The story first appeared in 1943. This edition, translated by H. T. Lowe-Porter being the first US edition and printing as its own work. The story told is that of the early life of Moses and of his preparations for leading his people out of Egypt, of the exodus itself and incidents at the oasis Kadesh, and of the engraving of the stone tables of the law "Sinai." The story takes on a new life and meaning with Thomas Mann's evocative prose. With the unclipped dust wrapper.  In the original publisher's cloth binding with decorations in gilt to the front board and a gilt-covered spine. Externally lovely with only minor shelf wear and a minor bumping to the head and tail of the spine. The dust wrapper is unclipped and excellent with only minor shelf wear and a minor closed tear to the rear wrap. Internally, firmly bound. The pages are bright and clean. Near Fine