The Hustler by Walter Tevis - 1959

VERY GOOD — DUST JACKET: Wear & tear to top and bottom edges of spine, panels, folds and flaps. Chipping to top and bottom of spine and corresponding corners, primarily bottom. Chipping to all outside corners. One inch closed tears to left fold of spine, top and bottom. Light soiling/yellowing to both panels and flap folds. STAINING/YELLOWING TO REVERSE OF JACKET; TEARS DISCREETLY MENDED ON SAME WITH ARCHIVAL TAPE. In first 2 pics, paper insert placed inside for improved appearance. BOARDS: Some fading/discoloration to paper fronts, both. BOOK: Bookplate attached to front pastedown. Paper insert ghosting to front endpapers. Age toning/staining to both endpapers, primarily free. Lean to spine. Please inspect photos closely for condition details.

Here on offer is a very nice copy of Walter Tevis' debut novel, The Hustler, the story of young pool hustler, Edward "Fast Eddie" Felson, and the basis for the 1961 film starring Paul Newman, Jackie Gleason and Piper Laurie. It is a true 1st edition, 1st printing of the work published by Harper & Brothers in 1959. The dust jacket is protected from further wear by a Mylar sleeve.

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"The legendary novel from the bestselling author of The Queen's Gambit about an ambitious pool shark who discovers what it takes to make the big time. The basis for the acclaimed film starring Paul Newman.

To the strangers he plays in darkened pool halls, at first "Fast" Eddie Felson seems like a sloppy pool player with bright eyes and an extraordinary grin. But when real money is on the line, they see that Eddie is a hustler of the first order. But Eddie's got ambitions and wants to quit his two-bit hustling for the big time. And when he sets his sights on Minnesota Fats, the best pool player in the country, he knows this match will be a true test of his skill—and he knows he can win. But what Eddie doesn't know is that the game of pool isn't all about skill. It's about guts and stamina, and, above all, character."

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Walter Stone Tevis Jr. (February 28, 1928[4] – August 9, 1984[5]) was an American novelist and screenwriter. Three of his six novels were adapted into major films: The Hustler, The Color of Money and The Man Who Fell to Earth. A fourth, The Queen's Gambit, was adapted into a miniseries with the same title and shown on Netflix in 2020. His books have been translated into at least 18 languages. . . .

The above text taken from, respectively, Pan Macmillan publishing (via Google Books) and Wikipedia.