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Frankenstein
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Frankenstein Paperback -

by Mary Shelley; Afterword by Harold Bloom; Introduction by Douglas Clegg


About this book

Frankenstein; or, the Modern Prometheus is a Gothic novel written by Mary Shelley in 1818. The story revolves around Victor Frankenstein, a scientist who creates a monstrous creature and immediately regrets his actions, abandoning the creature to its own devices. The creature, seeking acceptance and revenge, terrorizes Victor and those he loves. Themes of ambition, ethics, humanity, and loneliness are explored through Shelley's vivid descriptions of the natural world and her characters' psychological torment. Frankenstein remains a classic of Gothic literature and a seminal work of science fiction.

Mary Wollstonecraft Godwin wrote the first draft of her groundbreaking novel in 1816, while on a trip to Lake Geneva with her soon-to-be husband, poet Percy Bysshe Shelley, and poet Lord Byron. They were stuck indoors during famously known as the Year Without a Summer.




First Edition Identification

A small London publishing house, Lackington, Hughes, Harding, Mavor & Jones, first printed Frankenstein: or, the Modern Prometheus in a limited series of just 500 copies on January 1, 1818. By then, Mary was just 20 years old. The first edition was published anonymously in 1818, with a preface by Percy B. Shelley and a dedication to Mary’s father, philosopher William Godwin. Mary Shelley didn’t publicly claim her novel until years later, and her name appears in the second edition, published in 1823. First edition original pasteboards were in blueish gray.

First editions are very scarce and exceptionally rare on the market. In 2021 one of the first 500 copies of the novel was sold at auction for $1.17 million. It was the first Frankenstein first edition copy to be auctioned since 1985.


Details

  • Title Frankenstein
  • Author Mary Shelley; Afterword by Harold Bloom; Introduction by Douglas Clegg
  • Binding Paperback
  • Pages 272
  • Volumes 1
  • Language ENG
  • Publisher Signet Classics (Tr)
  • ISBN 9780593438503 / 0593438507
  • Weight 0.46 lbs (0.21 kg)
  • Dimensions 7.97 x 5.15 x 0.76 in (20.24 x 13.08 x 1.93 cm)
  • Ages 00 to 03 years
  • Grade levels P - P
  • Dewey Decimal Code FIC

About the author

Born in London, Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley (1797-51) was the daughter of William Godwin, a noted social theorist, and Mary Wollstonecraft, one of the leading literary women of the day. Her mother died soon after her birth, and Mary was raised first under the care of servants, then by a stepmother, and finally in the rarefied intellectual atmosphere of her father's circle. In May 1814, she met Percy Bysshe Shelley and, in July of the year, moved with him to the Continent. Two years later, after the death of Shelley's wife, the poet and Mary were able to wed. It was in Switzerland in 1816, as a result of a story-writing competition among the Shelleys and Lord Byron, that Mary began Frankenstein, her first and most famous novel. Published in 1818, it was followed by such works as Valperga (1823), The Last Man (1826), and Falkner (1837). In 1822, after the death of her husband, she devoted herself to the upbringing of her son and the securing of his right to the Shelley family title.

Douglas Clegg is the award-winning author of more than twenty-five books, including Neverland, Isis, and The Vampyricon trilogy. His fiction encompasses gothic, suspense, fantasy, and horror themes. An e-book pioneer, he created the internet's first e-serial novel, Naomi, which was released in 1999.

Harold Bloom, the country's preeminent literary critic, is Sterling Professor of the Humanities and English at Yale University. He is the recipient of numerous honors and awards, including the Gold Medal of the American Academy of Arts and Letters. Among his most important books are The Anatomy of Influence: Literature as a Way of Life and How to Read and Why.

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Frankenstein: Or, the Modern Prometheus
Stock Photo: Cover May Be Different

Frankenstein: Or, the Modern Prometheus

by Mary Shelley, with an Introduction by Douglas Clegg and an Afterword by Harold Bloom

  • New
  • Paperback
Condition
New
Binding
Paperback
ISBN 10 / ISBN 13
9780593438503 / 0593438507
Quantity Available
2
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Fort Worth, Texas, United States
Seller rating:
This seller has earned a 4 of 5 Stars rating from Biblio customers.
Item Price
A$5.74
A$19.79 shipping to USA

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A$5.74
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Frankenstein
Stock Photo: Cover May Be Different

Frankenstein

by Shelley, Mary

  • Used
Condition
UsedGood
ISBN 10 / ISBN 13
9780593438503 / 0593438507
Quantity Available
1
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Spokane, Washington, United States
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UsedGood. Condition: GOOD - Used with some wear from use. May include stickers on cover, missing or wear to dustcover, inside cover, spine, slight curled corners, stains, and wear to the fore edge. All orders ship via UPS Mail Innovations - can take up to 14 business days from first scan to be delivered.
Item Price
A$12.19
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Frankenstein: Or, the Modern Prometheus
Stock Photo: Cover May Be Different

Frankenstein: Or, the Modern Prometheus

by Shelley, Mary/ Bloom, Harold (Afterword)/ Clegg, Douglas (Introduction by)

  • New
  • Paperback
Condition
New
Binding
Paperback
ISBN 10 / ISBN 13
9780593438503 / 0593438507
Quantity Available
1
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Exeter, Devon, United Kingdom
Seller rating:
This seller has earned a 4 of 5 Stars rating from Biblio customers.
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A$33.24
A$19.45 shipping to USA

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Description:
Signet Classic, 2021. Paperback. New. reprint edition. 257 pages. 8.00x5.00x0.50 inches.
Item Price
A$33.24
A$19.45 shipping to USA
Frankenstein
Stock Photo: Cover May Be Different

Frankenstein

by Shelley, Mary

  • Used
  • Good
  • Paperback
Condition
Used - Good
Binding
Paperback
ISBN 10 / ISBN 13
9780593438503 / 0593438507
Quantity Available
1
Seller
Newport Coast, California, United States
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This seller has earned a 5 of 5 Stars rating from Biblio customers.
Item Price
A$58.34
FREE shipping to USA

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Description:
paperback. Good. Access codes and supplements are not guaranteed with used items. May be an ex-library book.
Item Price
A$58.34
FREE shipping to USA