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Pierre or the Ambiguities
by Herman Melville
- Used
- Fine
- Hardcover
- first
- Condition
- Fine/Near Fine
- Seller
-
BATH, Somerset, United Kingdom
Payment Methods Accepted
About This Item
New York: Harper Collins, 1995. First edition. Cloth. Fine/Near Fine. 7.5" by 6.5". Maurice Sendak. The Kraken Edition of this work is a reconstruction of the text that Melville delivered to Harper & Brothers in 1852. First edition. As the devastating reviews of 'Moby Dick' were written, the Harper Brothers tried to avoid publishing their latest manuscript from Melville, Pierre. Melville took self-destructive revenge and added the idea that his hero, Pierre, was a juvenile author, thus disparaging American literary life and the world of publishing. Illustrated throughout by Maurice Sendak, with 28 coloured plates. Collated complete. Written by Herman Mellville, an American novelist, short story writer, and poet of the American Renaissance period. In the original red cloth binding. Externally, excellent. Unclipped dust wrapper also excellent condition with minor shelf wear to the head and tail of the spine only. Internally, firmly bound. Pages are bright and clean throughout. Fine
Synopsis
Ambiguities indeed! One long brain-muddling, soul-bewildering ambiguity (to borrow Mr. Melville's style), like Melchisedeck, without beginning or end-a labyrinth without a clue - an Irish bog without so much as a Jack o'the'lantern to guide the wanderer's footsteps - the dream of a distempered stomach, disordered by a hasty supper on half-cooked pork chops." So judged the New York Herald when Pierre was first published in 1852, with most contemporary reviewers joining in the general condemnation: 'a dead failure,' 'this crazy rigmarole,' and "a literary mare's nest." Latter-day critics have recognized in the story of Melville's idealistic young hero a corrosive satire of the sentimental-Gothic novel, and a revolutionary foray into modernist literary techniques.
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Details
- Bookseller
- Rooke Books
(GB)
- Bookseller's Inventory #
- 840T63
- Title
- Pierre or the Ambiguities
- Author
- Herman Melville
- Illustrator
- Maurice Sendak
- Format/Binding
- Cloth
- Book Condition
- Used - Fine
- Jacket Condition
- Near Fine
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Edition
- First edition
- Binding
- Hardcover
- Publisher
- Harper Collins
- Place of Publication
- New York
- Date Published
- 1995
- Size
- 7.5" by 6.5"
- Keywords
- Melville Pierre Ambiguities Pierre
Terms of Sale
Rooke Books
Books are sent on approval and may be returned in like condition for any reason within 14 days of receipt. Responsibility of return to be with the purchaser.
About the Seller
Rooke Books
Biblio member since 2007
BATH, Somerset
About Rooke Books
Welcome to Rooke Books Antiquarian Bookseller
We are a small team dedicated to bringing you very scarce books at reasonable prices. We specialise in rare and hard to come by works on all subjects over the last 500 years, together with modern first editions and decorative sets and bindings. Our library has something for every interest and specialism. We deliver worldwide using a fully tracked and insured courier delivery service.
Where are We?
Based in the literary city of Bath, our offices are housed in the Eastern Dispensary. Built in 1845, the building originally existed as a charitable institution providing medical care. The building now houses our collection of over twenty thousand books and has five full time members of staff.
We are a small team dedicated to bringing you very scarce books at reasonable prices. We specialise in rare and hard to come by works on all subjects over the last 500 years, together with modern first editions and decorative sets and bindings. Our library has something for every interest and specialism. We deliver worldwide using a fully tracked and insured courier delivery service.
Where are We?
Based in the literary city of Bath, our offices are housed in the Eastern Dispensary. Built in 1845, the building originally existed as a charitable institution providing medical care. The building now houses our collection of over twenty thousand books and has five full time members of staff.
Glossary
Some terminology that may be used in this description includes:
- Tail
- The heel of the spine.
- Fine
- A book in fine condition exhibits no flaws. A fine condition book closely approaches As New condition, but may lack the...
- Shelf Wear
- Shelf wear (shelfwear) describes damage caused over time to a book by placing and removing a book from a shelf. This damage is...
- 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...
- Cloth
- "Cloth-bound" generally refers to a hardcover book with cloth covering the outside of the book covers. The cloth is stretched...
- 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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