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The Wings of the Dove
by Henry James
- Used
- very good
- Hardcover
- Condition
- Very good/Good
- Seller
-
Denver, Colorado, United States
Payment Methods Accepted
About This Item
The Modern Library, 1937. Hardcover. Very good/Good. All pages are bright, clean and unmarked. Binding secure, but front hinge cracked with webbing visible at title page. Jacket shows moderate wear and chipping throughout. Price clipped. Spine slightly sunned.
Synopsis
Set in turn-of-the-century London, Henry James’ The Wings of the Dove tells the story of Mildred “Milly” Theale, an orphaned American heiress, and the mixed motives of those around her, namely Kate Croy. Kate is a scheming young woman in love with Merton Densher, a man too poor to offer her a “fashionable marriage.” Thus, she conspires to push Merton towards Milly, who has an unnamed fatal illness, with the hope of eventually enhancing her lover’s financial status. Like much of James’ earlier works, The Wings of the Dove involves the universal themes of selfishness, greed, conspiracy, love, and betrayal. It also addresses the Victorian tradition and pitches American innocence against European cunning. However, the novel, written later in the author’s life, deals with deeper psychological aspects than his earlier works. While it does include social commentary, the central conflict of the novel regards moral character as opposed to cultural background. There have been many adaptations of The Wings of the Dove. Perhaps most notable is director Iain Softley’s 1997 film version starring Alison Elliott as Milly Theale, Helena Bonham Carter as Kate Croy, and Linus Roache as Merton Densher. The film was a box office hit that won several prizes and award nominations, including Bonham Carter’s Academy Award nomination for Best Actress. The Wings of the Dove is ranked 26th on Modern Library's list of the “100 Best” English-language novels of the 20th century.
Read More: Identifying first editions of The Wings of the Dove
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Details
- Bookseller
- Sparrow's Bookshop
(US)
- Bookseller's Inventory #
- 07748
- Title
- The Wings of the Dove
- Author
- Henry James
- Format/Binding
- Hardcover
- Book Condition
- Used - Very good
- Jacket Condition
- Good
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Publisher
- The Modern Library
- Date Published
- 1937
Terms of Sale
Sparrow's Bookshop
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About the Seller
Sparrow's Bookshop
Biblio member since 2021
Denver, Colorado
About Sparrow's Bookshop
Sparrow's Bookshop is a Denver based vintage & rare bookstore specializing in hard-to-find items, unique titles and first editions. Member IOBA.
Glossary
Some terminology that may be used in this description includes:
- Cracked
- In reference to a hinge or a book's binding, means that the glue which holds the opposing leaves has allowed them to separate,...
- 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....
- Jacket
- Sometimes used as another term for dust jacket, a protective and often decorative wrapper, usually made of paper which wraps...
- Price Clipped
- When a book is described as price-clipped, it indicates that the portion of the dust jacket flap that has the publisher's...
- Title Page
- A page at the front of a book which may contain the title of the book, any subtitles, the authors, contributors, editors, the...
- Sunned
- Damage done to a book cover or dust jacket caused by exposure to direct sunlight. Very strong fluorescent light can cause slight...
- Hinge
- The portion of the book closest to the spine that allows the book to be opened and closed.
- Chipping
- A defect in which small pieces are missing from the edges; fraying or small pieces of paper missing the edge of a paperback, or...
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