The Naked and The Dead

New York: Rinehart, 1948. 1st Edition. Hardcover. Dust Jacket Included. New York: Rinehart, 1948. 1st Edition. Hardcover. First Edition. First Printing, with the Rinehart logo on the copyright page as called for. Thick 8vo., 731pp. A fine, fresh extraordinary premium copy in dust jacket. The ersatz black cloth binding with a couple of very minor rubs, the DJ with only the barest signs of use. Rarely encountered in true collectible condition, this copy sets a high bar for condition. Mailer's important first book. A Burgess 99 Novel & WWII Classic.

New York: Rinehart, 1948. First. hardcover. fine/fine. 721pp., black cloth d.w. N.Y.: Rinehart, (1948). First Edition. Very fine copy with review slip announcing publication on May 6, 1948, and a glossy publicity photo of Mailer. Presentation copy, 1976.

Rinehart, 1948 First Edition, First Printing with R in a circle printed on the copyright page. A spectacular copy that is authentically SIGNED by Norman Mailer on the title page. This ORIGINAL dustjacket is rich in color with NO chips or tears. The book is bound in the publisher's black cloth and is in excellent condition. The binding is tight with NO cocking or leaning and the boards are crisp with minor wear to the edges. The pages are exceptionally clean with NO writing, marks or bookplates in the book. A superb copy of this TRUE FIRST EDITION SIGNED by the author.. Signed by Author(s). 1st Edition. Hardcover. Fine/Fine.

New York: Rinehart and Company Inc., (1948). First Edition. wraps. Significantly cocked with a vertical concave indent to the spine. Moderate edgewear, short tear to rear cover along spine. An above average copy of this advanced state of this book. Advance Reading Copy in self-wrappers identical to the first issue dustwrapper of Mailer's impressive first book. SIGNED by the author on the title page. Uncommon state of this important book, downright scarce when signed.

Rinehart, 1948 First Edition, First Printing INSCRIBED and SIGNED by Norman Mailer. A beautiful First Issue dustjacket with Mailer picture on the back panel of the dustjacket. This ORIGINAL dustjacket has the $4.00 price present on the front flap with light wear to the edges. The book is in wonderful condition. The binding is tight with no cocking or leans. The boards are crisp with slight wear to the spine. The pages are clean with no writing, marks or bookplates in the book. Overall, a superb copy SIGNED by the author. We buy SIGNED Mailer First Editions.. Signed by Author(s). 1st Edition. Hardcover. Fine/Fine.

Rinehart & Company, 1948 First Edition, First Printing with "R" printed on the copyright page. A stunning First Issue dustjacket with Mailer picture on the back panel. This ORIGINAL dustjacket has the $4.00 price present on the front flap without the common ubquitous fading to the spine. The book is in excellent condition. The binding is tight with no cocking or leans. The boards are crisp with slight wear to the edges. The pages are clean with no writing, marks or bookplates in the book. Overall, a superb copy in collector's condition.. 1st Edition. Hardcover. Fine/Fine.

New York: Rinehart and Company, 1948. First edition of the author's first book. Thick octavo, original black boards. Inscribed by the author on the front free endpaper to journalist Joe Haas, "For Joe Haas in Jamaica after our Lady Norman Mailer May 1969." Some of the usual rubbing to the boards, near fine in a very good first issue price-clipped dust jacket with light wear to the extremities. Norman Mailer claimed to have four books on his desk while he wrote The Naked and the Dead: Tolstoy's Anna Karenina, Wolfe's Of Time and the River, Dos Passos' U.S.A. and Farrell's Studs Lonigan. It was with this tongue partly in cheek that he asserted that the "overspirit is Tolstoy, the rococo comes out of Dos Passos, the fundamental slogging style from Farrell and the occasional overrich descriptions from Wolfe." The Naked and the Dead follows the story of an army platoon of foot soldiers fighting for the Japanese island of Anopopei. "The best novel to come out of the . . . war, perhaps the best book to come out of any war" (San Francisco Chronicle). "The narrative presents, with great accuracy and power, the agony of the American troops in the Pacific campaign It remains Mailer’s best, and certainly the best war novel to emerge from the United States" (Burgess, 42-43).

New York : Rinehart, 1948. 1st edition, 1st issue. Finely bound in modern aniline calf over marble boards. Raised bands with the title blocked direct in gilt. Spine compartments uniformly tooled in gilt. An exceptional copy - scans and additional bibliographic detail on request. ; 721 pages; Physical desc. : 721 p : map ; 22 cm. Subject: World War, 1939-1945 - Fiction. SIGNED, with a 4-line inscription by the author (dated 1968).

NY: Rinehart & Company; (1948) First printing of the author's first book, near fine in a near fine dust jacket. Small spots of wear to the black paper covered boards along the bottom edge of the boards. The spine of the book has a couple of short, light creases. The front endpaper is lightly tanned, as if something were laid in at one time. The first state dust jacket has small chips at the top and bottom of the front flap fold, and a couple of other tiny chips at edges. There is a little wear along the flap folds, but very little loss of color. A tight, square copy of this cheaply made book, with no names or other markings in the book. Signed by the author on the title page.. Signed by Author. First Edition. Hard Cover.

New York: Rinehart and Company, 1948. Softcover. Near Fine. Advance Reading Copy in self-wrappers. Slight split at the bottom of the rear wrapper, else a near fine copy that is tight, sound, and relatively square. A much nicer than usual copy of this fragile advance state of the author's first book, now seldom encountered. A stunning debut novel that ranks among the best American war novels ever written. *Burgess 99*.

New York: Rinehart and Company, 1948. SIGNED BY NORMAN MAILER. IN ADDITION THERE IS A SMALL WHITE INDEX CARD WHICH MAILER HAS WRITTEN "NOBODY COULD SLEEP. CHEERS NORMAN MAILER. AND AT THE BOTTOM OF THE CARD HE HAS WRITTEN FIRST SENTENCE OF THE NAKED AND THE DEAD. Mailer's first novel, an epic work about World War II. This is a later printing, as it is lacking the Rinehart colophon on the copyright page. The dustjacket is also a later printing and includes critical blurbs on the flaps and includes the photo of a very young Mailer on the back panel. The dustjacket has a small bit chipping and is priced clipped. There is also a faint soft corner crease to the front endsheet which is lightly mirrored to a few of the first pages and the corner crease is also on the back endsheet and is mirrored to a few of last pages, which makes me think that this happend in the binding. A notoriously fragile book in vg+ condition. Vg+/vg+. Later Printing. Cloth with Dustjacket.

New York: Rinehart, 1948. Very Good/Very Good. First edition. Light dampstaining to the bottom corners and edges of all pages, not affecting the text, thus very good in very good, internally tape repaired dustwrapper with edgewear. Inscribed by the author. The author's first book, a stunning debut which ranks among the best American war novels ever written. Burgess 99.

New York:: Rinehart and Company. (1948).. First edition of the author's first book, SIGNED by Mailer. Only 25,000 copies printed. Acclaimed as one of the best novels to come out of WWII. Fragile black paper boards nicked at bottom edge but otherwise near fine, which is unusual. In the first-issue dust jacket with introductory blurb by Stanley Rinehart comparing Mailer favorably with Hemingway and others (versus the second-issue jacket with reviews). The jacket shows minor edge wear and one small has small chip but is still very good to near fine. .

New York: Rinehart, 1948 First Edition. Rinehart circlular logo on copyright page. Author's first book. Black boards stamped in white. 721pp. Dust jacket has an eighth inch chip at top of spine, top edge is chipped a little, one inch closed tear near base of spine. A one inch by two inch New Orleans retailer's oval ink stamp on back of jacket. Clean. Bright and Tight. Overall an exceptionally very nice copy of a fragile binding. Near Fine/ Very good condition..

Allan Wingate, 1949 [ONE OF 13 copies only]. (19490 Allan Wingate, London. [x], 728pp; gilt-stamped pebbled wine leather, ribbon marker. English edition of the author's first book, deluxe issue, comprising 253 copies, of which this is number VI of 13 reserved for presentation. Inscribed by Mailer ("Cheers"), although not called for. Book near fine, some cracking along inner joints. No DJ, as issued. Comes in specially made custom cloth slipcase. We will provide a certificate of authenticity for this item.. Signed by Author(s). 1st Edition. Hardcover. Fine/No Jacket.

New York: Rinehart and Company, 1948. 1st Edition. Hard Cover. BOOK VERY GOOD+/JACKET VERY GOOD. 8vo - over 7¾"" - 9¾"" tall. Signed by Author. SIGNED BY THE AUTHOR on a decorative bookplate. A VERY CLEAN, ATTRACTIVE COPY WITH A BRIGHT DUSTJACKET IN NEW, GLOSSY BRODART. Dustjacket shows minor light wear. No previous owner markings. Author's first book. Rare first printing with first state dustjacket. Black and red graphic jacket designed by Karov. Rinehart colophon on copyright page. ""A Word from the Publisher to the Reader."" on the front dustjacket flap. 722 pages. A handsome, collectible copy.

Rinehart and Company, 1948. Hardcover. Very Good/Very Good. Rinehart and Company, New York 1948. First Edition / First Printing. Dated 1948 with the Rinehart logo on the copyright page. Signed by Norman Mailer on a tipped in page after the front endpaper. I guarantee the signature to be authentic. Book Condition: Very Good+, shelf wear, name at the endpaper. Dust Jacket Condition: Very Good, shelf wear, short tear.

New York: Rinehart and Company Inc., (1948). First Edition. Hardcover. Virtually no wear to the boards, the white spine lettering very sharp. The first issue dustwrapper is complete with very light wear to the spine tips light scratching to the rear panel. The red ink on the dustwrapper is a little faded, as usual, but usually not noted as such by other sellers. Spine slightly sunned. Nice copy of this fragile, bulky book. Near Fine in a close to Near Fine dustwrapper, increasingly uncommon in this condition. Mailer's first book, a Burgess 99 novel.

London: Allan Wingate, 1949. First British edition of the author's first book. Octavo, original cloth. Presentation copy, inscribed by the author on the half-title page, "For ________ ________, Spent a winter once in Jamaica, Vermont, back in 1949, Loved it. Cheers Norman Mailer." Very good in a very good dust jacket. Jacket design by James Holland. The Naked and the Dead follows the story of an army platoon of foot soldiers fighting for the Japanese island of Anopopei. "The best novel to come out of the . . . war, perhaps the best book to come out of any war" (San Francisco Chronicle). "The narrative presents, with great accuracy and power, the agony of the American troops in the Pacific campaign It remains Mailer’s best, and certainly the best war novel to emerge from the United States" (Burgess, 42-43).

New York: Rinehart and Co, 1948. First edition, first issue with Rinehart logo on copyright page, jacket without the Rinehart quote. 8vo, original black cloth printed in white on the spine, printed dustjacket with Mailer’s photograph on the rear panel. (8), 721 pp. Internally a very good and well preserved copy with only minor mellowing and some dusting to the page edges. The cloth good only with the spine panel loose from the front board but still whole and attached to the back, some wear to the board edges and corners, dustjacket in good order with very little wear or aging. NORMAN MAILER’S FIRST BOOK AND ARGUABLY STILL ONE OF HIS BEST. Long considered one of the best novels to come out of World War II, and the best to come out of America. It caused a sensation on its initial publication; critics compared the 25-year-old author to Tolstoy and catapulted him to instant literary celebrity. Mailer uses extensive flashbacks and brutally frank battle scenes to tell the story of General Cummings’ invasion of a Japanese-held island in the South Pacific. Believing that “the morality of the future is a power morality,” Cummings runs into opposition from Lieutenant Hearn, who refuses to fit into the general’s “fear ladder.”

Rinehart and Company, Inc., 1948 Very good in a very good dust jacket. SIGNED by the author on a tipped-in page. First Edition. Copyright 1948 stated on the copyright page with no mention of later printings. Book has some edge wear. Previous owner's name on front paste-down. Dust jacket has original price of $4.00 printed on the front flap. Some wear. A small piece is missing from the top spine end. Slight foxing and tanning. We will provide a certificate of authenticity for this item. Comes housed in a custom slipcase.. Signed by Author(s). 1st Edition. Hardcover. Very Good/Very Good.

Rinehart and Company, Inc., 1948 A very good copy in a very good second state dust jacket with blurb. SIGNED by Mailer on a tipped-in page. First issue. Copyright 1948 by Norman Mailer stated on the copyright page, with no mention of further printings. Moderate edgewear, very light tanning on the page edges. Dust jacket very good, chipping at the corners and spine ends. A closed tear extends 2/3 the length of the spine, beginning at the top. The edges of both flaps have pieces of tape adhered on. Comes housed in a custom slipcase. We will provide a certificate of authenticity for this item.. Signed by Author(s). 1st Edition. Hardcover. Very Good/Very Good.

NY: Rinehart and Company (1948)., 1948. First printing. Thick 8vo. 721 pp. Illustrated with a map. Original black cloth binding. Mailer's first book SIGNED by the author on the half-title page (NOT on a laid in bookplate). The book has a 3/4" tear crown of the spine and edge wear bottom and top edges of the fragile cloth, else very good minus in BOTH the first (Rinehart blurb) and second state DJs. The former is fair only, price intact ($4.00) with large chips spinal extremities, rubbing along spinal folds and small chips top of rear panel (see photo for details). The second issue is price intact ($4.00) very good with shallow chips at spinal extremities and some rubbing.. Signed by Author(s). 1st Edition. Hardcover. Good/Dust Jacket Included.

New York: Rinehart and Company, 1948. First printing. Hardcover. 721pp. Octavo [21.5 cm] Black cloth. Very good/Very good. Library company stamp of the verso of the rear free endsheet. The title, author, date (5/7/48 - the day after the official Rinehart release) and price ($4.00) by hand in ink filling in the appropriate blanks of the stamp. First issue jacket shows very subtle rubbing at the corners and minor toning to the spine. Signed by the author in blue ink on the front free endsheet. Overall a nice copy of this post war heavy. Signed first edition of the author's highly successful, and Pulitzer Prize winning, first book that was based on the author's own wartime experiences. Burgess 99 title. "I came out of the Army with an idea for a novel about a long patrol, an idea which had been bound in its origins to a mountain which was to serve as both an actual mass of stone and as a symbolic base for the book. The original conception was allegorical. The mountain was a consciously ambiguous symbol, something too complex, too tangible, to be defined by language." - Norman Mailer.

Rinehart and Company, Inc., 1948 Very good in a very god dust jacket. SIGNED by the author on a tipped-in page. First Edition with Rinehart seal present. Original price of $4.00 printed on the front flap of the dust jacket. Slight foxing to page edges; very minor rubbing to spine ends. Dust jacket has moderate chipping to the corners and spine ends. Flap hinges are also pitted with small holes. Slight soiling. We will provide a certificate of authenticity for this item.. Signed by Author(s). 1st Edition. Hardcover. Near Fine/Very Good.

New York: Henry Holt, 2005. First edition of the 50th Anniversary edition of the author's classic novel. Thick octavo, original boards. Fine in a fine dust jacket. Inscribed by the author who has transcibed the first line of this title as follows, "All over the ship, all through the convoy there was a knowledge that in a few hours some of them were going to be dead. The Naked and the Dead follows the story of an army platoon of foot soldiers fighting for the Japanese island of Anopopei. "The best novel to come out of the . . . war, perhaps the best book to come out of any war" (San Francisco Chronicle). "The narrative presents, with great accuracy and power, the agony of the American troops in the Pacific campaign It remains Mailer’s best, and certainly the best war novel to emerge from the United States" (Burgess, 42-43).

New York: Rinehart & Company, 1948. First Edition. Original Wraps. Very Good. Advanced Review Copy in self wrappers. A Very Good copy of this scarce edition of Mailer's first novel. Book appears gently read, with concave spine and gentle rubbing to edges of the wraps. Faint odor and mild soiling to book, but no internal markings or major blemishes. A high spot of military literature, the gritty account of a recon platoon scouting an enemy position during WWII. Raoul Walsh directed the 1958 film of the same name starring Aldo Ray, Cliff Robertson and Raymond Massey. Additional photos available upon request. Very Good.

New York: Rinehart and Company, 1948. First edition. Hardcover. His classic first novel which remains one of best war novels. A very near fine copy with some very minor wear to the bottom edge of the paper covered boards in an about near fine price clipped dust jacket that has some very minor wear and a small stain at the base of the spine that is only visible from the verso.

NY: Rinehart & Company; (1948) Advance reading copy of the author's first book. Very good in wraps that are the same as the jacket art for the first edition. The front cover has become detached where it joins the spine, but is still present. There is a small chip missing on the front cover, affecting the "d" in "Naked." There is also a closed tear (about 2") at the top of the front cover. Slight loss to paper at spine ends and edges. A very uncommon book in any sort of advance state.. First Edition. Soft Cover. Advanced Reading Copy (ARC).

New York: Rinehart and Company, 1948. First edition. Hardcover. Very Good/Good +. Hardcover in dust jacket. First printing of. First edition. Book is in very good condition; previous owner's name is written on front endpaper, and corners of boards are lightly bumped. There are a few small tears to bottom and top edge of spine. A tight crisp copy; bookseller's stamp on rear pastedown reads "Newbegin's San Francisco". Jacket is heavily worn at edges, corners are chipped, spine and edges are sunned, and there are several long tears along edges. Two small areas of jacket surface are peeled. 8vo. 721 pp. In protective Mylar.

Franklin Center: Franklin Library, 1979. 30th Anniversary Edition. Signed by Mailer as issued. Illustrated by Alan E. Cober. "Special Message" by Mailer for this edition. Gilt-stamped, leather-covered boards, all edges gilt, satin pagemarker and tissue insert for signed page. Issued without dustjacket. With stiff card case with gold foil label as issued in original mailing carton (which has been opened). Unread copy in Fine condition. The full monty so to speak. Signed by Author. Hardcovers. 8vo - over 7¾" - 9¾" tall. The images are of the book described and not stock photos.

Rinehart, 1948. Book. Fine. Cloth. First Edition. 8vo - over 7¾" - 9¾" tall. Fine copy in a near fine jacket. R on Copyright Page. First Edition. Second Issue jacket with reviews. Excellent Copy..

New York: Rinehart and Co, 1948. Hardcover. Near Fine/Very Good. A very solid copy of the 1948 1st edition (with the Rinehart circled 'R' at the copyright page). Clean and Near Fine in a bright, price-intact, VG dustjacket, with very light creasing along the panel edges and light chipping and creasing at the spine crown. Thick octavo, an attractive, presentable copy of Norman Mailer's celebrated first book.

Rinehart, 1948 A fine first edition in a fine second issue dust jacket, with a blurb at the top of the front flap and the original price of $4.00 still present on the front flap of the jacket. Signed by the author on a bookplate, laid-in. The correct Rinehart insignia of the letter R in a circle is on the copyright page, signifying a first printing. the black boards of the book itself are without the wear that is normal for this fragile book.. Signed by Author(s). 1st Edition. Hardcover. Fine/Near Fine.

New York: Farrar & Rinehart, 1948. First Edition of Mailer’s first book. Bookplate on the front free endpaper; some edge rubbing; very good in dust jacket.

Holt, Rinehart and Winston, NY, circa 1960. 2nd edition. Hardcover. Fine/Very Good. The book is based on Mailer's WWII experience in the Philippines. Owner's signature on flyleaf; a mild obscenity on the dedication page. [Mailer was married six times and had nine children - perhaps the dedication embellishment was done by someone who knew him.] There is a protective mylar cover. The second edition circa 1960 followed the merger of Rinehart with Holt and Winston. The true 1st edition was published by Rhinehart and had black cloth boards. This edition has red boards. 2ND EDITION.

New York: Rinehart, 1948. Book. Very Good. Hardcover. Signed by Norman Mailer. Written in gritty, journalistic detail, the story follows an army platoon of foot soldiers who are fighting for the possession of the Japanese-held island of Anopopei. Written in 1948, The Naked and the Dead is representative of the best in twentieth-century American writing. In 1998 the Modern Library ranked The Naked and the Dead 51st on its list of the 100 best English-language novels of the 20th century. It was adapted into a film of the same name by Warner Bros. in 1958. Directed by Raoul Walsh and filmed in Panama. .

New York: Rinehart & Co. Inc, 1948. First Edition. Hard Cover with Dust Jacket. Very Good/Very Good. Octavo. Mailer's first novel. SIGNED AND INSCRIBED BY NORMAN MAILER TO PAUL BARTEL. Distinguished director and actor Paul Bartel is the creator of such films as EATING RAOUL, DEATH RACE 2000, LUST IN THE DUST and Others. Mr. Bartel was a serious and diligent book collector. First edition with "R" Rinehart logo on copyright page in second issue dust jacket with $4.00 price, full page photo of the author on rear panel and reviews on rear flap. Boards and dust jacket show wear, very good in a very good dust jacket.

EB: Rinehart & Company. Very Good in Very Good dust jacket. 1948. First Edition; First Printing. Hardcover. Hardcover. 8vo. Rinehart & Co. Inc. 1948. 721 pgs. First Edition/First Printing. Signed by Norman Mailer on the title page. DJ has shelf-wear present (spine chipped at the spine ends). Bound in cloth boards. Boards have shelf-wear present to the extremities. No ownership marks present. Text is clean and free of marks. Binding tight and solid. Written in gritty, journalistic detail, the story follows an army platoon of foot soldiers who are fighting for the possession of the Japanese-held island of Anopopei. The Naked and the Dead is representative of the best in twentieth-century American writing. EB; 8vo 8" - 9" tall; 721 pages; Signed by Author .

New York:: Rinehart and Company, Inc. ,. G+/P. 1948. Hardcover. Hardback first edition bound in black with light wear, rubbing along edges, corners a tad bumped; white spine lettering remains bright. Rinehart "R" present on copyright page. Hinges and joints sound, uncracked; pages tight, clean with some corner tips creased; a few pages softly creased. Significant wear to first-state DJ ($4 price intact; no review comments) , with three inches missing from upper spine. DJ also shows chipping, tears, creasing. ; .

Rinehart, 1948 A very good first edition (R in circle on copyright page) in a very good second issue dust jacket (with blurb at top of front flap).. 1st Edition. Hardcover. Very Good/Very Good.

New York: Rinehart and Company, 1948. Hard Cover. BOOK VERY GOOD+/JACKET VERY GOOD. 8vo - over 7¾"" - 9¾"" tall. Signed by Author. SIGNED BY THE AUTHOR on a decorative bookplate. A VERY CLEAN, ATTRACTIVE COPY WITH A BRIGHT DUSTJACKET IN NEW, GLOSSY BRODART. NO PREVIOUS OWNER MARKINGS. Author's first book. 722 pages. A handsome copy. Not a bookclub.

New York: Rinehart, 1948 First Printing of the First Edition, with the Rinehart logo on the copyright page. Author's first book. Book with faint age-toning to page margins, corners lightly bumped, outer board edges rubbed/chipped, else fine; dust jacket with a ring stain to bottom front cover, shallow chipping to corners and spine ends, and age toning to spine and back cover margins.

Franklin Center, Pennsylvania: Franklin Library. 1979. First Edition; First Printing. Hardcover. Near Fine. Leather bound, Accented in 22kt gold. Printed on archival paper with gilded edges. The endsheets are of moire fabric with a silk ribbon page marker. Smyth sewing and concealed muslin joints. This book is in full leather with hubbed spines. A Limited Edition. ; Signed Limited First Edition. ; 8vo 8" - 9" tall; Signed by Author .

Rinehart & Co., January 1948. First Edition. Hardcover. Very Good/Good. First edition with the Rinehart symbol on the copyright page. First issue dustjacket. Not quite Very Good in a lesser dustjacket. Moderate shelf wear, corners and spine ends rubbed through, binding tight, no offsetting, but some residue where the DJ flaps were once taped to the pastedowns. The jacket is not price-clipped, moderate rubbing at the peripheries and gutters, two shallow chips at the top of the spine. First Edition Hardcover

New York (1948): Rinehart & Co. First Edition. Fine/About Fine. Octavo, Rinehart logo on copyright, in a second issue dust jacket. Owner name on FEP. An excellent, fine copy, in a very near fine dust jacket.

2008-05-06. New. Ships with Tracking Number! INTERNATIONAL WORLDWIDE Shipping available. Buy with confidence, excellent customer service!

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New York: Rinehart and Company, Inc.. Near Fine in Good+ dj. (c.1948). First Edition. Hardcover. [solid clean copy with some light shelfwear to the bottom edge (which appears to have been unobtrusively "touched up" just a teensy bit by some amateur restorationist, although you'd hardly notice unless you turned the book upside down and squinted hard at it, like I did); jacket is edgeworn, with shallow chipping at spine ends and at top of rear panel, light browning to spine and edges of flaps, modest wrinkling to spine and both front and rear panels (not really evident from the exterior), a few little nicks here and there]. Mailer's Important Debut Novel, notable for its (almost) no-holds-barred depiction of the ugliness of war, notable also for the introduction of "fug" and its many variants (including "mother-fuggin") as a substitute for a word that was, even then, pretty well known and widely used, albeit not in polite (or public) discourse. (Mailer's concession to his nervous publishers, it was also immortalized in the apocryphal -- and according to Mailer, completely made up by her press agent -- remark of actress Tallulah Bankhead, allegedly uttered upon being introduced to the author: "You're the young man that doesn't know how to spell 'fuck.'") In the somewhat watered-down 1958 movie version, directed by Raoul Walsh and starring Aldo Ray, Cliff Robertson and Raymond Massey, not only did nobody say "fuck," but (this still being the era of Hollywood's Production Code) they weren't even permitted to utter a single "goddam," an epithet which appears on pretty much every one of the book's 721 pages. (And to save you the trouble of asking: yes, it's the true first edition/first printing, with the "R" colophon on the copyright page, the $4.00 price showing on the unclipped first-issue dust jacket, and "A Word from the Publisher to the Reader" comprising the complete text of the front and rear flaps, over publisher Stanley Rinehart's printed signature.) .

New York: Rinehart and Company, 1948. Later printing. Hardcover. SIGNED. 721pp. Octavo [21.5 cm] Black textured paper covered boards with a white ink stamped title and 2 single ruled lines on the spine. Very good. The spine is rolled, and the edges of the spine and covers are abraded. There are several small splits in the backstrip at the foot. Tanned pages. The dust jacket is in fair condition. Age-toned and mildly rubbed. There are numerous small losses from the edges, and there are 4 pieces of tape backing long tears in the front panel and the jacket's spine. The rear inside flap is creased and has a small numerical notation. Price-clipped. Signed edition of the author's highly successful, and Pulitzer Prize winning, first book that was based on the author's own wartime experiences. Signed by Mailer on the title page. "I came out of the Army with an idea for a novel about a long patrol, an idea which had been bound in its origins to a mountain which was to serve as both an actual mass of stone and as a symbolic base for the book. The original conception was allegorical. The mountain was a consciously ambiguous symbol, something too complex, too tangible, to be defined by language." - Norman Mailer.