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THE BIG SLEEP
by Chandler, Raymond
- Used
- first
- Condition
- Near fine in restored jacket.
- Seller
-
Silver Spring, Maryland, United States
Payment Methods Accepted
About This Item
New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1939. First edition. Near fine in restored jacket.. First printing of Chandler's first novel, the inimitable book that marks the apex of noir. An existential confusion pervades this Los Angeles novel, kept at bay only by the sheer stoic will of detective Philip Marlowe, who is first introduced here. Chandler is a master prose stylist, subtly building atmosphere with deceptively simple prose. (In a 1948 letter, Chandler described his goal as "the creation of emotion through dialogue and description" [May 7, to Frederick Lewis Allen]). It is the perfect tone for the American-born subgenre of mystery called noir. An unforgettable work of craft and grit. 7.5'' x 4.5''. Original full orange cloth, stamped in blue on spine and boards. Original unclipped blue and red dust jacket designed by Hans J. Barschel. Blue topstain. pages. [8], 277, [1] pages. Housed in a custom clamshell box. Toning to front pastedowns and hinges, old tape marks expertly repaired with archival Japanese paper on verso of jacket, and minimal, careful restoration to recto of jacket: presents beautifully.
Synopsis
The Big Sleep is a crime novel by Raymond Chandler, the first in his acclaimed series about hardboiled detective Philip Marlowe. The work has been adapted twice into film, once in 1946 starring Humphry Bogart and Lauren Bacall, and again in 1978 starring Robert Mitchum. The story is noted for its complexity and is heavily influenced by classic Greek tragedy, with many characters double-crossing each other and many secrets being exposed throughout the narrative. -
Read More: Identifying first editions of THE BIG SLEEP
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Details
- Bookseller
- Type Punch Matrix
(US)
- Bookseller's Inventory #
- 1116
- Title
- THE BIG SLEEP
- Author
- Chandler, Raymond
- Book Condition
- Used - Near fine in restored jacket.
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Edition
- First edition
- Publisher
- Alfred A. Knopf
- Place of Publication
- New York
- Date Published
- 1939
- Keywords
- Mystery,Books to Film
Terms of Sale
Type Punch Matrix
We work hard to meet our ethical responsibility to describe material accurately. All items are guaranteed as described and may be returned for any reason within 30 days. Please notify us before mailing a return.
We guarantee the authenticity of our items. All items are original (meaning not facsimiles or reproductions), first editions (i.e. first printings), unless otherwise noted.
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About the Seller
Type Punch Matrix
Biblio member since 2020
Silver Spring, Maryland
About Type Punch Matrix
Type Punch Matrix is a rare book firm founded by Rebecca Romney and Brian Cassidy. TPM is a member firm of the Antiquarian Booksellers Association of America and upholds their Code of Ethics.
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...
- Clamshell Box
- A protective box designed for storing and preserving a bound book or loose sheets. A clamshell box is hinged on one side, with...
- Fine
- A book in fine condition exhibits no flaws. A fine condition book closely approaches As New condition, but may lack the...
- Recto
- The page on the right side of a book, with the term Verso used to describe the page on the left side.
- Verso
- The page bound on the left side of a book, opposite to the recto page.
- Cloth
- "Cloth-bound" generally refers to a hardcover book with cloth covering the outside of the book covers. The cloth is stretched...
- Jacket
- Sometimes used as another term for dust jacket, a protective and often decorative wrapper, usually made of paper which wraps...
- 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....
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