BOSTON: TICKNOR, REED & FIELDS.. Good with no dust jacket. 1850. First Edition; First Printing. Hardcover. First edition. Re-cased 'First' issue in original brown cloth, stamped in gilt and blind. One of 2500 copies printed. A solidly good copy, with traces of shallow damping along upper upper & bottom edge of spine. Gilt on spine still reasonable bright. Wear appparent at corners & edges. Contents essentially clean, with some discernable soiling at margins. Publisher's March 1st. , 1850 ads at front of text. All 'First' issue points present. (P.21-line 20: "reduplicate" for "Repudiate" p.41/5 "Characterss" p. 100/2: "mortal" for "moral" p. 102/22: "tobelieve" p.132/29: "catechism" for "catechisms" p.142/23: "heaven" for "heavenly" p. 189/23: "said" for "answered" 199/4: "known of it". Number "21" printed below "there" at foot of page. A few instances of light underlining. ) An acceptably nice copy of an American classic. (B); 322 pages .

Synopsis

The Scarlet Letter: A Romance (1850) is considered the American author Nathaniel Hawthorne's 'masterwork.' A work of historical fiction set in the Massachusetts Bay Colony during the Puritan settlement of 1642-1949 itells the story of Hester Prynne, who after having a child as a result of an extra-marital affair attempts to live a life of repentance and dignity although she is marked by having to wear a Scarlett A on her person. Throughout the novel, Hawthorne explores themes of legalism, sin, and guilt. The Scarlett Letter was one of the first mass-produced novels in the United States, prior printing of books generally done by hand. The 2,500 copies first printed sold out in days, and the mass-production of books opened up conversation about books and authors to a wider-audience on a national level. The first edition of The Scarlet Letter sold out in ten days and “made Hawthorne’s fame, changed his fortune and gave to our literature its first symbolic novel a year before the appearance of Melville’s Moby-Dick” (Bradley). Although an instant best-seller, the books sales over fourteen years only brought the author $1500.

Reviews

On Oct 4 2010, Erhanilhan said:

An absolute criticism of Puritan society. Hawthorne portrays the hypocritic sides of the society by pointing its discrepancies and ill-interpreted biblical sides deeds. He also shows that the society was not working in the name of god as stated; instead worked for a group of people (especially powerful) that keep the lines in hand.

(Log in or Create an Account first!)

Details

Bookseller: Waverley Books (US)
Bookseller's Inventory #: 313227
Title: THE SCARLET LETTER.
Author: Hawthorne, Nathaniel
Format/Binding: Hardcover
Book Condition: Used - Good with no dust jacket
Edition: First Edition; First Printing
Publisher: TICKNOR, REED & FIELDS.
Place of Publication: BOSTON
Date Published: 1850
Keywords: American Literature/books Into Films/nathaniel Hawthorne/214

Terms of Sale

Waverley Books

TERMS: All items are offered subject to prior sale. Any book may be returned within 10 days, providing prompt notice is given. Scans available upon request. SHIPPING: Shipping is by USPS/Priority/Insured at $11.50 for the first book, $1.00 for each additional book. USPS/Media Mail/Insured for $7.50 for the first book, $1.00 for each additional book. Priority Mail/Insured at actual cost. Overseas shipping is via Air Parcel Post/Insured at actual cost. First Class Mail International shipped at actual cost.(Insurance not available for this rate,and we will ship only with customer's waiver for loss or damage) PAYMENT: We accept: VISA, MasterCard, American Express,PayPal and Checks. California residents, please add 9.25% sales tax to your order.

About the Seller

Waverley Books

This seller has earned a 5 of 5 Stars rating from Biblio customers.

Biblio member since 2005

Santa Monica, California

Ask Seller a Question

About Waverley Books

Waverley Books is a mail order operation.We conduct business from our home. Lists of books for sale are issued regularly during the year. Customers are welcome by appointment to view the inventory.

Glossary
Frequently asked questions

Glossary

Some terminology that may be used in this description includes:

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...
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...
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...
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...
Jacket: Sometimes used as another term for dust jacket, a protective and often decorative wrapper, usually made of paper which wraps...