Said the Fisherman

About this Item: Methuen & Co., London, 1903. Hardcover. Condition: Very Good. 1st Edition. Very good and very scarce FIRST EDITION First printing of a very important novel once owned by prolific (11 novels) historian and writer John Seargeant Cyprian Bridge ( 1877-1959) who stated on the front paste down, " One of the finest 'Oriental' novels" Baker? " Builds to the best fiction" The novel revolves around Said the fisherman, a low class Syrian deliquient and incorrigible scoundrel who today could be considered a con-artist. " The best place for Said in any culture is in this book" This first edition, went through 14 British edition in the first 25 years, and was much admired by the likes of D.M. Forrester, H.G. Wells, and D. H. Lawrence. Said is a devout Muslim and is fanatical about his religion "much like football fans are today". This is more than a yarn about an incorrigible Syrian peasant, it is a statement of what are the problems of Muslims at large (1903). The author Marmaduke Pickthall was considered one of the great novelist of the early 20th century but has been largely forgotten except for a few scholars and collectors of books of cultural significance. Pickthall, best known for his translation of the Holy Qur'an was an expert of the late 19th century Middle-East. Book is very scarce, rare and quite collectible. Book is trimmed on the top and fore edge and untrimmed on the bottom edge. The book is 302 pages plus a very interesting and impressive 40 page historically important Catalogue of books and announcements of Methuen and company publishers: London Feb. 1903 Book has a very fine custom slip case. Seller Inventory # 001732