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U.S.A. Trilogy: The 42nd Parallel, Nineteen Nineteen, The Big Money

U.S.A. Trilogy: The 42nd Parallel, Nineteen Nineteen, The Big Money

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U.S.A. Trilogy: The 42nd Parallel, Nineteen Nineteen, The Big Money

by Dos Passos, John

  • Used
  • near fine
  • Hardcover
  • Signed
  • first
Condition
Near Fine
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Seller rating:
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Woodstock, Illinois, United States
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About This Item

Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1946. First Edition. Hardcover. Near Fine. Limited to 365 sets signed by Dos Passos and illustrator Reginald Marsh. Very Good in a Good slipcase, generally rubbed and worn but all in one piece. Cream buckram, generally toned but with some uneven spots at the heads and feet of the spine, with maroon pastedowns and gilt lettering. Square and firmly bound with gilt top edges, clean internally. Dos Passos's experimental trilogy that captures the developing culture of 20th-century United States. Named by the Modern Library as one of the 100-best English-language novels of the 20th century.

Synopsis

John Dos Passos’s USA Trilogy covers the historical development and evolution of American society during the first three decades of the twentieth century. Originally published individually, the trilogy includes The 42nd Parallel, covering the period from 1900 up to World War I; 1919 (or Nineteen Nineteen), dealing with the war and the critical year of the Treaty of Versailles; and The Big Money, which moves from the boom of the 1920s to the bust of the 1930s. Dos Passos uses an experimental technique in portraying the everyday situations of the characters around WWI with special attention to the social and economic forces that drive them. In a complex format, he incorporates four narrative modes: fictional narratives with free indirect speech telling the life stories of the twelve main characters; fragments of Dos Passos’ own autobiographical stream-of-consciousness (often referred to an “The Camera Eye”); collages of blaring newspaper headlines and article clippings along with some song lyrics  (“The Newsreel”); and biographies of various public figures of the time, including Woodrow Wilson and Henry Ford. The 42nd Parallel, what would become part one of the trilogy, was first published by Harper and Brothers in February 1930. Dos Passos intended for Harper to publish 1919 as well; however, the publisher rejected the book when the author refused to cut a satirical portrait of J.P. Morgan, who had recently financially assisted Harper. Thus, Harcourt, Brace published 1919 in March 1932 and The Big Money in August 1936. The next summer, Harcourt, Brace agreed to published Dos Passos’s three works in a single volume edition, for which the author selected the name USA. The USA Trilogy is ranked 23rd on Modern Library’s list of the “100 Best” English-language novels of the 20th century.

Read More: Identifying first editions of U.S.A. Trilogy: The 42nd Parallel, Nineteen Nineteen, The Big Money

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Details

Bookseller
Carpetbagger Books, IOBA US (US)
Bookseller's Inventory #
5191
Title
U.S.A. Trilogy: The 42nd Parallel, Nineteen Nineteen, The Big Money
Author
Dos Passos, John
Format/Binding
Hardcover
Book Condition
Used - Near Fine
Quantity Available
1
Edition
First Edition
Publisher
Houghton Mifflin
Place of Publication
Boston
Date Published
1946
Keywords
Modern Literature, American Literature, 20th Century Literature

Terms of Sale

Carpetbagger Books, IOBA

All items are returnable for a refund within 30 days of receipt.

About the Seller

Carpetbagger Books, IOBA

Seller rating:
This seller has earned a 5 of 5 Stars rating from Biblio customers.
Biblio member since 2018
Woodstock, Illinois

About Carpetbagger Books, IOBA

Based in the far northwest reaches of the Chicago suburbs, Carpetbagger Books specializes in literary fiction and modern firsts. Inventory is updated weekly, if not more frequently, so browse often. If you are after something particular, don't hesitate to communicate: not all inventory is uploaded online.

Glossary

Some terminology that may be used in this description includes:

Buckram
A plain weave fabric normally made from cotton or linen which is stiffened with starch or other chemicals to cover the book...
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...
Fine
A book in fine condition exhibits no flaws. A fine condition book closely approaches As New condition, but may lack the...
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...
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...
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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