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THE THIN MAN
by Hammett, Dashiell
- Used
- Hardcover
- first
- Condition
- See description
- Seller
-
Stephenson, Virginia, United States
Payment Methods Accepted
About This Item
London: Arthur Barker Ltd, 1934. First U.K. Edition. Hammett's fifth and final novel, a commercial success upon publication, selling more than 30,000 copies within a few months of its release on 8 January, 1934. The UK edition followed Knopf's four months later, with portions of the text revised by Hammett, and like all UK editions of Hammett books, it is considerably scarcer than its American counterpart. Basis for W.S. Van Dyke's film of the same name released later the same year, and spawning a successful series of subsequent films through 1947. Uncommon in dustjacket, with the last collectible example offered at the Rechler sale (Christies, 2002). Layman A6.3; Hubin, p.185. First Impression. Octavo (19.5cm); orange cloth, with titling and pictorial elements stamped in black on spine and front cover; dustjacket; [6],7-284,[4]pp. Pictorial bookplate and private library stamp of Italian bibliophile Giuseppe Orlando, with his holograph signature and date of acquisition (Feb.1935) at upper margin of title page. Base of spine gently nudged, some very faint adhesive residue surrounding the bookplate, else a fresh, Fine copy. Dustjacket is unclipped (priced 7/6 net), gently spine-sunned and lightly edgeworn, with some mild dustiness, and a few small edge tears and attendant creases; an unrestored, Very Good+ example.
Synopsis
Dashiell Samuel Hammett was born in St. Mary’s County. He grew up in Philadelphia and Baltimore. Hammett left school at the age of fourteen and held several kinds of jobs thereafter—messenger boy, newsboy, clerk, operator, and stevedore, finally becoming an operative for Pinkerton’s Detective Agency. Sleuthing suited young Hammett, but World War I intervened, interrupting his work and injuring his health. When Sergeant Hammett was discharged from the last of several hospitals, he resumed detective work. He soon turned to writing, and in the late 1920s Hammett became the unquestioned master of detective-story fiction in America. In The Maltese Falcon (1930) he first introduced his famous private eye, Sam Spade. The Thin Man (1932) offered another immortal sleuth, Nick Charles. Red Harvest (1929), The Dain Curse (1929), and The Glass Key (1931) are among his most successful novels. During World War II, Hammett again served as sergeant in the Army, this time for more than two years, most of which he spent in the Aleutians. Hammett’s later life was marked in part by ill health, alcoholism, a period of imprisonment related to his alleged membership in the Communist Party, and by his long-time companion, the author Lillian Hellman, with whom he had a very volatile relationship. His attempt at autobiographical fiction survives in the story “Tulip,” which is contained in the posthumous collection The Big Knockover (1966, edited by Lillian Hellman). Another volume of his stories, The Continental Op (1974, edited by Stephen Marcus), introduced the final Hammett character: the “Op,” a nameless detective (or “operative”) who displays little of his personality, making him a classic tough guy in the hard-boiled mold—a bit like Hammett himself.
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Details
- Bookseller
- Captain Ahab's Rare Books
(US)
- Bookseller's Inventory #
- 5271
- Title
- THE THIN MAN
- Author
- Hammett, Dashiell
- Book Condition
- Used
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Edition
- First U.K. Edition
- Binding
- Hardcover
- Publisher
- Arthur Barker Ltd
- Place of Publication
- London
- Date Published
- 1934
- Keywords
- NOEBAY
Terms of Sale
Captain Ahab's Rare Books
30 day return guarantee, with full refund including original shipping costs for up to 30 days after delivery if an item arrives misdescribed or damaged.
About the Seller
Captain Ahab's Rare Books
Biblio member since 2010
Stephenson, Virginia
About Captain Ahab's Rare Books
Founded in 2010, Captain Ahab's Rare Books specializes in first editions of literature, genre fiction, film-related books and ephemera, zines, manuscript and archival material.
Glossary
Some terminology that may be used in this description includes:
- Bookplate
- Highly sought after by some collectors, a book plate is an inscribed or decorative device that identifies the owner, or former...
- Good+
- A term used to denote a condition a slight grade better than Good.
- Fine
- A book in fine condition exhibits no flaws. A fine condition book closely approaches As New condition, but may lack the...
- Octavo
- Another of the terms referring to page or book size, octavo refers to a standard printer's sheet folded four times, producing...
- Title Page
- A page at the front of a book which may contain the title of the book, any subtitles, the authors, contributors, editors, the...
- 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...
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