Skip to content

Nineteen Eighty-Four: A 1984 Novel  [British First Edition]

Nineteen Eighty-Four: A 1984 Novel [British First Edition]

Click for full-size.

Nineteen Eighty-Four: A 1984 Novel [British First Edition]

by Orwell, George

  • Used
  • good
  • Hardcover
  • first
Condition
Good/Fine
Seller
Seller rating:
This seller has earned a 5 of 5 Stars rating from Biblio customers.
Rapid River, Michigan, United States
Item Price
A$1,390.92
Or just A$1,359.84 with a
Bibliophiles Club Membership
A$20.13 Shipping to USA
Standard delivery: 3 to 14 days

More Shipping Options

Payment Methods Accepted

  • Visa
  • Mastercard
  • American Express
  • Discover
  • PayPal

About This Item

7 John Street, Bloomsbury, London : Martin Secker & Warburg, Limited , 1950. Rare first edition, second impression in fine matching facsimile wrapper. Stated at copyright: "First published 1949, Second impression, 1950". Pallid green full cloth boards, red impressed fairly sharp spine titles, moderate cover wear, discoloration. Pages near very good, clean; no writing. Red top-stain. Bind good, moderate cant; hinges intact. Preserved in facsimile of the original first state dark green dust wrapper; protected in new clear sleeve. Rare good second impression in fine facsimile wrapper. Eric Arthur Blair (25 June 1903 - 21 January 1950) pseudonymously George Orwell, composed this narrative message in 1948 and juxtaposed the numbers to 1984 as its time and place. The novel was first published in 1949 and he would pass the following January of 1950 at the age of 46. 1984 is the year in which it happened! The world is divided into three great powers, Oceania, Eurasia, and Eastasia, each perpetually at war. Britain is part of Oceania and is known as Airstrip 1. Throughout Oceania, The Party rules through four ministries, whose power is absolute. The Ministry of Peace deals with war, the Ministry of Love, seat of the dreaded Thought Police, handles 'law and order,' the Ministry of Plenty deals in scarcities, and the Ministry of Truth doles out the propaganda. 'New-speak' is the 'modern' perversion of language ordained by the Party. It has installed such remarkable words as double-think (duplicitousness), thought-crime, and sex-crime or 'love' in standard English. In every room, a tele-screen is installed, which can never be switched off, and where 'authorities' spy on every action, word, gesture, and thought. On every hoarding a huge face is displayed - the face of Big Brother! Set within this nightmare is the drama of Winston Smith, possibly the last man alive to rebel against the Party's rule and doctrine, clinging to the belief in the individual and in those precious human feelings and values. With flawless craftsmanship, ingenuity and narrative power Mr. Orwell lays out a terrifying potential future. The love of Winston for the amorous and independent Julia, and the fate that befalls them, stirs the reader's emotions as the cautionary tale paces to a tremendous climax. When Mr. Orwell's 'Animal Farm' was published three years prior, critics hailed him as a new Jonathan Swift. The satirical passages in '1984' justify the critics' verdict. But, presented here is much more than satire. Bertrand Russell writes in summary at front flap: "...1984 depicts with great power the horrors of a totalitarian regime. It is important the western world is aware of these dangers, and not only in the narrow form of (Communist) Russia. Mr. Orwell contributes to this important purpose with skill and a force of imagination. I hope it will be widely read." Printed in Great Britain by the Alcuin Press, Welwyn Garden City, and bound by Key & Whiting, Ltd., London. 312 pages. Insured post.. First Edition. Hard Cover. Good/Fine. Illus. by Kennar, Michael (Wrapper Design). 12mo - over 6¾" - 7¾" tall. Book.

Synopsis

Nineteen Eighty-Four (1984) by George Orwell has become the definitive dystopian novel of the twentieth century. Originally published on June 8, 1949 by Secker and Warburg in the United Kingdom, the book follows the main character, Winston Smith, through his disillusionment with totalitarianism and a doomed struggle of resistance. George Orwell is a pen-name, Orwell's real name was Eric Blair. -

Read More: Identifying first editions of Nineteen Eighty-Four: A 1984 Novel [British First Edition]

Reviews

On May 19 2023, a reader said:
A good read very ahead of its time.
On Jun 18 2018, a reader said:
Prophetic

(Log in or Create an Account first!)

You’re rating the book as a work, not the seller or the specific copy you purchased!

Details

Bookseller
BiblioStax US (US)
Bookseller's Inventory #
021308
Title
Nineteen Eighty-Four: A 1984 Novel [British First Edition]
Author
Orwell, George
Illustrator
Kennar, Michael (Wrapper Design)
Format/Binding
Hardcover
Book Condition
Used - Good
Jacket Condition
Fine
Edition
First Edition
Publisher
Martin Secker & Warburg, Limited
Place of Publication
7 John Street, Bloomsbury, London
Date Published
1950
Size
12mo - over 6¾" - 7&
Weight
0.00 lbs

Terms of Sale

BiblioStax

Satisfaction is guaranteed. Refund will be negotiated and granted for sufficient reason.

About the Seller

BiblioStax

Seller rating:
This seller has earned a 5 of 5 Stars rating from Biblio customers.
Biblio member since 2005
Rapid River, Michigan

About BiblioStax

We specialize in modern rarities and other hard to find materials. Items are accurately and fully described. Open communication and satisfaction is our goal.

Glossary

Some terminology that may be used in this description includes:

First State
used in book collecting to refer to a book from the earliest run of a first edition, generally distinguished by a change in some...
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...
New
A new book is a book previously not circulated to a buyer. Although a new book is typically free of any faults or defects, "new"...
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....
Cloth
"Cloth-bound" generally refers to a hardcover book with cloth covering the outside of the book covers. The cloth is stretched...
Facsimile
An exact copy of an original work. In books, it refers to a copy or reproduction, as accurate as possible, of an original...
12mo
A duodecimo is a book approximately 7 by 4.5 inches in size, or similar in size to a contemporary mass market paperback. Also...
Fine
A book in fine condition exhibits no flaws. A fine condition book closely approaches As New condition, but may lack the...

Frequently asked questions

This Book’s Categories

tracking-