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Turnabout

Turnabout

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Turnabout

by James Thorne Smith (1892-1934) signed

  • Used
  • near fine
  • Hardcover
  • Signed
  • first
Condition
Near Fine/Near Fine
Seller
Seller rating:
This seller has earned a 3 of 5 Stars rating from Biblio customers.
Fort Worth, Texas, United States
Item Price
NZ$5,912.20
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About This Item

312 pages with illustrations. Small octavo (7 3/4" x 5 1/2") bound in original publisher's black cloth with front board and spine stamped in turquoise in original publisher's pictorial jacket. Signed by the author on the front free end paper. First edition.

Though Thorne Smith's most popular works involve elements of fantasy and science fiction, the clever novel Turnabout takes his penchant for incorporating supernatural and magical themes in his work and puts one such plot twist to use as a comedic tool. An ancient Egyptian idol grows weary of the seemingly never-ending spats between the Willows, a young married couple, and forces them to switch bodies. As you might expect, hilarious hijinks ensue. Sally Willows envied her adman husband his glamorous work; Tim Willows felt Sally lived in ease and luxury while he was sweating to pay the bills. So an ill-tempered minor god, tired of their bickering, worked a modest miracle, and Sally Willows, now occupying her husband's body, experienced the full horrors of the Nationwide Advertising Agency, while Tim, now outwardly Sally, dealt with the amorous advances of a local Lothario. It was a toss-up whether Sally/Tim's well-earned dismissal or Tim/Sally's bizarre attempt at murder was more spectacular - but both seemed insignificant when Tim found he was pregnant!

Turnabout was made into a 1940 comedy film directed by Hal Roach and starring Adolphe Menjou, Carole Landis and John Hubbard. Based on the 1931 novel of the same name by Thorne Smith, the screenplay was written by Mickell Novack, Bernie Giler and John McClain with additional dialogue by Rian James. It was also a an American television situation comedy that first aired on NBC in 1979, based on the 1931 novel of the same title by Thorne Smith. The plot was about a husband and wife who found themselves inhabiting each other's bodies, similar to the plot of Freaky Friday. The series.

Condition:

Signed on front free end paper, lightly rubbed and soiled. Jacket restored and repaired at edges, jack spine lightly sunned, some rubbing and thumb soiling to jacket still a near fine copy in like jacket.

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Details

Bookseller
The Book Collector ABAA, ILAB, TBA US (US)
Bookseller's Inventory #
L:0522
Title
Turnabout
Author
James Thorne Smith (1892-1934) signed
Book Condition
Used - Near Fine
Jacket Condition
Near Fine
Quantity Available
1
Edition
First
Binding
Hardcover
Publisher
Doubleday, Doran & Company, Inc
Place of Publication
Garden City
Date Published
1931
Pages
312 pages with illustrations
Size
Small octavo
Weight
0.00 lbs
Keywords
Fantasy, Humor
Bookseller catalogs
Literature;

Terms of Sale

The Book Collector ABAA, ILAB, TBA

All items are guaranteed as described. If an item is not as described, it is returnable within seven days of receipt, unless other arrangements are made. Full refunds given only when items are received in the same condition in which they were sent. We require new customers to send payment with their order. Customers known to us will be invoiced with payment due in thirty days, unless prior arrangements are made. Institutions will be billed to meet their requirements. All items subject to prior sale. We accept Visa, Mastercard, and American Express Please be advised that we can only ship to your billing address. We accept checks, but may require that the check clears before we ship an order. Prices of books do not include shipping. We use UPS domestically and internationally. Other shipping arrangements can be made. Shipping is always charged at cost. Texas residents must add 8.25% sales tax.

About the Seller

The Book Collector ABAA, ILAB, TBA

Seller rating:
This seller has earned a 3 of 5 Stars rating from Biblio customers.
Biblio member since 2005
Fort Worth, Texas

About The Book Collector ABAA, ILAB, TBA

The Book Collector specializes in the finest collections of Chess, Anthropology, Americana and American Literature. Visit our website at www.bookcollectorshop.com

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...
Jacket
Sometimes used as another term for dust jacket, a protective and often decorative wrapper, usually made of paper which wraps...
Fine
A book in fine condition exhibits no flaws. A fine condition book closely approaches As New condition, but may lack the...
Octavo
Another of the terms referring to page or book size, octavo refers to a standard printer's sheet folded four times, producing...
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....
Soiled
Generally refers to minor discoloration or staining.
Edges
The collective of the top, fore and bottom edges of the text block of the book, being that part of the edges of the pages of a...
Sunned
Damage done to a book cover or dust jacket caused by exposure to direct sunlight. Very strong fluorescent light can cause slight...
Rubbing
Abrasion or wear to the surface. Usually used in reference to a book's boards or dust-jacket.

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