Click for full-size.
The Scarlet Letter
by Hawthorne, Nathaniel
- Used
- near fine
- first
- Condition
- Near Fine
- Seller
-
Portland, Oregon, United States
Payment Methods Accepted
About This Item
Boston: Ticknor, Reed and Fields, 1850. First Edition. Near Fine. First edition, only printing with uncorrected errors: "reduplicate," "characterss" and "known of it." Contrary to popular belief, there are no points of issue for this title, but simple variations including two settings of gathering 21 which resulted in minute variations of no relevance in terms of "issue" in a proper sense.
Bound in publisher's original brown ribbed cloth decorated in blind with spine lettered in gilt; publisher's ads at front dated March 1, 1850. Near Fine with sharp gilt lettering, lean to binding, light rubbing to cloth, wear to corners and spine ends, pages toned, bookplate of noted writer Eugene Field to front pastedown. A bright and unrestored copy. One of the most widely printed and acclaimed American novels of all time, a historical revisitation of Puritan Massachusetts.
Synopsis
The Scarlet Letter: A Romance (1850) is considered the American author Nathaniel Hawthorne's 'masterwork.' A work of historical fiction set in the Massachusetts Bay Colony during the Puritan settlement of 1642-1949 itells the story of Hester Prynne, who after having a child as a result of an extra-marital affair attempts to live a life of repentance and dignity although she is marked by having to wear a Scarlett A on her person. Throughout the novel, Hawthorne explores themes of legalism, sin, and guilt. The Scarlett Letter was one of the first mass-produced novels in the United States, prior printing of books generally done by hand. The 2,500 copies first printed sold out in days, and the mass-production of books opened up conversation about books and authors to a wider-audience on a national level. The first edition of The Scarlet Letter sold out in ten days and “made Hawthorne’s fame, changed his fortune and gave to our literature its first symbolic novel a year before the appearance of Melville’s Moby-Dick” (Bradley). Although an instant best-seller, the books sales over fourteen years only brought the author $1500.
Reviews
On Oct 4 2010, Erhanilhan said:
An absolute criticism of Puritan society. Hawthorne portrays the hypocritic sides of the society by pointing its discrepancies and ill-interpreted biblical sides deeds. He also shows that the society was not working in the name of god as stated; instead worked for a group of people (especially powerful) that keep the lines in hand.
(Log in or Create an Account first!)
Details
- Bookseller
- Burnside Rare Books, ABAA
(US)
- Bookseller's Inventory #
- 140942342
- Title
- The Scarlet Letter
- Author
- Hawthorne, Nathaniel
- Book Condition
- Used - Near Fine
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Edition
- First Edition
- Publisher
- Ticknor, Reed and Fields
- Place of Publication
- Boston
- Date Published
- 1850
- Weight
- 0.00 lbs
- Bookseller catalogs
- Literature;
Terms of Sale
Burnside Rare Books, ABAA
30 day return guarantee, with full refund including shipping costs for up to 30 days after delivery if an item arrives misdescribed or damaged.
About the Seller
Burnside Rare Books, ABAA
Biblio member since 2010
Portland, Oregon
About Burnside Rare Books, ABAA
Burnside Rare Books specializes in literary first editions and works of cultural and historic significance. We are located in Portland, Oregon and welcome visitors by appointment.
Glossary
Some terminology that may be used in this description includes:
- Rubbing
- Abrasion or wear to the surface. Usually used in reference to a book's boards or dust-jacket.
- Cloth
- "Cloth-bound" generally refers to a hardcover book with cloth covering the outside of the book covers. The cloth is stretched...
- Points of Issue
- Points are physical attributes that are specific to a printing or edition of a book, such as a typo on a specific page that was...
- 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....
- Bookplate
- Highly sought after by some collectors, a book plate is an inscribed or decorative device that identifies the owner, or former...
- Fine
- A book in fine condition exhibits no flaws. A fine condition book closely approaches As New condition, but may lack the...
- 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...
- 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...
Frequently asked questions
This Book’s Categories
- Fiction & Literature Fiction by Region American Fiction
- Fiction & Literature Classic Literature
- Fiction & Literature Historical Fiction
- Fiction & Literature Literary Studies Literary Criticism
- Fiction & Literature Modern Fiction
- Fiction & Literature Mystery & Thrillers Mystery
- Children & Juvenile Juvenile & Young Adult Juvenile Fiction & Literature
Using and Collecting Bookmarks
Bern Marcowitz warns against paperclips and other inappropriate page-savers, and offers a bit of advice on using and collecting bookmarks.
Collecting The Beat Generation
The Beat Generation was born out of WWII, and it still continues to exert considerable influence on today’s literary scene. Biblio sellers have a fantastic collection of Beat Generation books and ephemera for browsing.
