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A Wonder Book for Girls & Boys [Hardcover, First Edition]
by Hawthorne, Nathaniel
- Used
- Fine
- Hardcover
- first
- Condition
- Fine/Fine
- ISBN 10
- 0195107187
- ISBN 13
- 9780195107180
- Seller
-
Roswell, Georgia, United States
Payment Methods Accepted
About This Item
New York, Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1996. [1996] FIRST EDITION HARDCOVER AND DUSTJACKET. Green/yellow quarter binding, gilt lettering, full-color frontispiece, beautifully illustrated throughout by Walter Crane, 254 pages plus two pages of information about the author, illustrator, etc. at end. Condition: Fine. Book acquired by collector in 1996 and kept in temperature-controlled book case. It was never read, in pristine condition. Here are the stories of King Midas, Pandora, Medusa, Hercules, and other inhabitants of Mount Olympus told by one of America's greatest authors, Nathaniel Hawthorne. His mastery of adventure and his command of narrative and character open a child's mind to the wondrous landscapes of ancient mythology in stories such as "The Gorgon's Head" and "The Three Golden Apples." A beautiful first edition children's book. Very collectible. Note: We are a well-established, well-respected, ethical book dealer in business since 1991. We describe the condition of our books thoroughly and honestly, so you'll know exactly what you will be receiving when you order. We ship promptly. . First Edition. Hard Cover. Fine/Fine. Illus. by Walter Crane.
Synopsis
Hawthorne made it his ambition to be a writer as a teenager, he graduated from Bowdoin College in Maine, where poet Longfellow was also a student, and spent several years traveling New England writing short stories before creating The Scarlet Letter. He wrote A Wonder-Book between April and July 1851, freely adapting six legends from Charles Anton's A Classical Dictionary . He set out deliberately to 'modernize' the stories, freeing them from 'cold moonshine' and using a romantic, readable style. This was criticized by adults but proved universally popular with children. The stories in A Wonder-Book for Girls and Boys are all stories within a story. The frame being that a Williams College student, Eustace Bright, is telling these tales to a group of children at Tanglewood, an area in Lenox, Massachusetts, where Hawthorne lived for a time. A Wonder-Book for Girls and Boys covers the myths of: The Gorgon's Head - the story of Perseus killing Medusa at the request of the king of the island, Polydectes. The Golden Touch - the story of King Midas and his "Golden Touch". The Paradise of Children - the story of Pandora opening the box filled with all of mankind's Troubles. The Three Golden Apples - the story of Heracles procuring the Three Golden Apples from the Hesperides' orchard, with the help of Atlas. The Miraculous Pitcher - the story of Baucis and Philemon providing food and shelter to two strangers who were Zeus and "Quicksilver" (Hermes) in disguise. Baucis and Philemon were rewarded by the gods for their kindness; they were promised never to live apart from one another. The Chimæra - the story of Bellerophon taming Pegasus and killing the Chimæra.
Read More: Identifying first editions of A Wonder Book for Girls & Boys [Hardcover, First Edition]
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Details
- Bookseller
- R. Siedlecki Vintage Books
(US)
- Bookseller's Inventory #
- 0010764
- Title
- A Wonder Book for Girls & Boys [Hardcover, First Edition]
- Author
- Hawthorne, Nathaniel
- Illustrator
- Walter Crane
- Format/Binding
- Hardcover
- Book Condition
- Used - Fine
- Jacket Condition
- Fine
- Edition
- First Edition
- ISBN 10
- 0195107187
- ISBN 13
- 9780195107180
- Publisher
- Oxford University Press
- Place of Publication
- New York, Oxford
- Date Published
- 1996
- Keywords
- A Wonder Book for Girls & Boys; Nathaniel Hawthorne; Walter Crane; Juvenile Literature; Mythology, Greek
Terms of Sale
R. Siedlecki Vintage Books
If any of our books are not as we described them, you may return for a full refund. Please contact us first before you make your return. Most orders are usually shipped within two business days. Shipping and handling costs are based on books weighing 2.2 lbs, or 1 KG. We will advise you of additional shipping and handling charges for books that are heavy, in sets, oversized, or are more expensive than normal. Also, we will advise you of charges regarding international shipments. Georgia residents add sale tax depending on the county you live in (6%, 7%, or 8%). Do not send cash or foreign checks.
About the Seller
R. Siedlecki Vintage Books
Biblio member since 2006
Roswell, Georgia
About R. Siedlecki Vintage Books
We are a well-established, well-respected dealer that is professional, honest, and ethical in our business dealings. We tend to describe each book in a reserved, conservative manner, rather than oversell a book or sidestep the responsibility of addressing its flaws. Book club editions and library books along with books without dustjackets (if they came with dustjackets) are pointed out in our descriptions. We describe our books in detail, pointing out the precise condition of each book based on our opinion. It's your assurance that the book we describe is as close as possible to the book you’ll receive. In business since 1991, we typically have five-star ratings on major web sites.
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...
- Gilt
- The decorative application of gold or gold coloring to a portion of a book on the spine, edges of the text block, or an inlay in...
- Fine
- A book in fine condition exhibits no flaws. A fine condition book closely approaches As New condition, but may lack the...
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