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Life on the Mississippi
by Twain, Mark
- Used
- first
- Condition
- See description
- Seller
-
Scottsdale, Arizona, United States
Payment Methods Accepted
About This Item
London: Chatto & Windus, 1883. First Edition. Octavo. The English edition preceded the American. 32 pages of ads dated March 1883. Frontispiece with tissue guard. Endpapers printed in brown and leaf pattern. It lists the St. Charles Hotel as does the second state of the American edition. Blanck 3411 notes that the first state has St. Louis Hotel as well as the urn flames head of Mark Twain which Twain's wife had removed which she considered too morbid. Note: While some state it was published several days before the American edition, it is clear that from internal evidence that it is the first English printing of the second state. The external evidence which Blanck cites as advertised on April 28, 1883 but published on May 12. The day of publication was listed as April 28 though the three copies deposited were on May 17. While there is an unsigned bookplate, the main point is this is a near fine copy of the first English edition and remarkably bright with just a bit of fading to spine and a couple of minute closed tear to head. A very nice sharp cornered copy. [Blanck 3410].
Synopsis
Life on the Mississippi is a memoir by Mark Twain detailing his days as a steamboat pilot on the Mississippi River before and after the American Civil War. The book begins with a brief history of the river from its discovery by Hernando de Soto in 1542. It continues with anecdotes of Twain's training as a steamboat pilot, as the 'cub' of an experienced pilot. He describes, with great affection, the science of navigating the ever-changing Mississippi River.
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Details
- Bookseller
- Alcuin Books, ABAA-ILAB
(US)
- Bookseller's Inventory #
- 027529
- Title
- Life on the Mississippi
- Author
- Twain, Mark
- Book Condition
- Used
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Edition
- First Edition
- Publisher
- Chatto & Windus
- Place of Publication
- London
- Date Published
- 1883
- Keywords
- Mark Twain First English Editon;
Terms of Sale
Alcuin Books, ABAA-ILAB
We accept Visa, MC, American Express and Discover. All books are carefully described and may be returned within ten day if the customer is not satisfied. Members ABAA, ILAB. Shipping is $5 for US orders based on books weighing 2 lbs. Worldwide shipping available.
About the Seller
Alcuin Books, ABAA-ILAB
Biblio member since 2006
Scottsdale, Arizona
About Alcuin Books, ABAA-ILAB
Alcuin Books located in Old Town Scottsdale is a store with 15,000 serious books for the collector or scholar. We have ample parking in front of the store for those who wish to browse our holdings.
Glossary
Some terminology that may be used in this description includes:
- Fine
- A book in fine condition exhibits no flaws. A fine condition book closely approaches As New condition, but may lack the...
- 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...
- Second State
- used in book collecting to refer to a first edition, but after some change has been made in the printing, such as a correction,...
- Octavo
- Another of the terms referring to page or book size, octavo refers to a standard printer's sheet folded four times, producing...
- 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....
- First State
- used in book collecting to refer to a book from the earliest run of a first edition, generally distinguished by a change in some...
- Bookplate
- Highly sought after by some collectors, a book plate is an inscribed or decorative device that identifies the owner, or former...
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