Click for full-size.
Tropic of Cancer
by HENRY MILLER
- Used
- Hardcover
- first
- Condition
- First American edition of this modern classic published after the ban was lifted, first published in Paris in 1934. Lawrence Dur/As New
- Seller
-
Potomac, Maryland, United States
Payment Methods Accepted
About This Item
First American edition of this modern classic published after the ban was lifted, first published in Paris in 1934. Lawrence Durrell wrote that this title stands beside Moby Dick and that American literature today begins and ends with what he [Miller] has done. Basis for the 1970 film starring Rip Torn. A virtually Fine copy in a near fine dust jacket. A lovely copy of this classic.
Synopsis
Henry Miller’s Tropic of Cancer is one of the most notoriously and frequently censored books in the history of American literature. In a combination of autobiography and fiction, the novel centers of Miller’s own life as a struggling writer in Paris in the late 1920s and early 1930s. Tropic of Cancer is written in the first person and lacks linear organization, two of Miller’s most favored techniques. Some chapters are narratives about Miller’s friends and workplaces, and others are stream-of-consciousness-style reflections, but all of the chapters touch on the sexual exploits and general low-life ruthlessness in which the author had engaged at the time. Tropic of Cancer was first published by Obelisk Press, a French publisher of soft pornography, in Paris in 1934. Shortly thereafter, the novel was banned in the US and later tried for charges of obscenity, a trial that challenged American pornography laws at the time. In 1961, the ban of Tropic of Cancer was lifted, and later that year, Grove Press published the first US edition of the novel, but only after the firm’s Barney Rosset offered Miller a sizeable advance and promised to defend the author in any future legal battles regarding the publication. Grove Press’s edition of Tropic of Cancer sold over 1 million copies by the end of 1961… and was the subject of about 60 lawsuits as well, one of which involved the American Civil Liberties Union. All of this hullabaloo makes one wonder what the reactions might have been if Miller had decided to go with the novel’s working title, Crazy Cock — which was, ironically, far more modest than the published version. Regardless, the novel’s 1970 film adaptation, directed by Joseph Strick, received an X rating (meaning no one 17 and under admitted). Today, Tropic of Cancer finds itself ranked 50th on Modern Library’s “100 Best” English-language novels of the 20th century and 59th on The Guardian’s list of the 100 best novels.
Reviews
(Log in or Create an Account first!)
Details
- Bookseller
- Grinning Cat Books
(US)
- Bookseller's Inventory #
- 31472
- Title
- Tropic of Cancer
- Author
- HENRY MILLER
- Format/Binding
- Hardcover
- Book Condition
- Used - First American edition of this modern classic published after the ban was lifted, first published in Paris in 1934. Lawrence Dur
- Jacket Condition
- As New
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Edition
- First Edition
- Publisher
- Grove Press
- Place of Publication
- New York
- Date Published
- 1961
- Weight
- 0.00 lbs
- Keywords
- AMERICAN LITERATURE
- Bookseller catalogs
- LITERATURE;
Terms of Sale
Grinning Cat Books
Fourteen (14) day return guarantee, for any reason, and we pay return shipping costs if an item arrives misdescribed or damaged.
About the Seller
Grinning Cat Books
Biblio member since 2020
Potomac, Maryland
About Grinning Cat Books
Jump down the rabbit hole with us and check out our amazing collection of rare and unique books and literary inspired art! Our mission is to make rare book collecting an engaging, fun, and accessible experience for everyone. All too often collecting can be an intimidating, bewildering, and seemingly "exclusive" past time. It shouldn't be! Our store and "Cheshire's Club" community is as welcoming to curious first-timers as to seasoned collectors, and we reward you for purchases and many other activities. So, whether you're adding to a large library, starting your first collection, investing, searching for a special gift, or simply buying for personal pleasure, you'll find the help, information you need, and wonderful options for every budget and occasion!
Glossary
Some terminology that may be used in this description includes:
Frequently asked questions
This Book’s Categories
Learn about Bayntun-Rivière Binders
Are you enchanted by books clad in fine bindings? This is the gallery for you to peruse! Learn more about Bayntun, Rivière & Sons, and their combined work as Bayntun-Rivière.
Beat Poet Michael McClure
From the fateful reading at Six-Gallery in 1955 to his novels, poetry, and stage productions, Michael McClure was right in the thick of the Beat Generation as it was born. See his books and art and learn more about the works of Michael McClure.
