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The Bell Jar
by Sylvia Plath
- Used
- Acceptable
- Hardcover
- first
- Condition
- Acceptable/Very good
- Seller
-
Denver, Colorado, United States
Payment Methods Accepted
About This Item
Harper & Row Publishers, 1971. Hardcover. Acceptable/Very good. First American edition of Sylvia Plath's only novel, published posthumously. The first edition was published in the UK under Plath's pseudonym Victoria Lucas. Correct printed price of $6.95 and date code of 0471 on jacket. In back of the book is a biographical note by Lois Ames with 8 previously unpublished drawings by Sylvia Plath. Front free endpaper missing and a good portion of the pages have underlining or margin markings throughout in pink and blue pen. Else clean. Binding and hinges secure. Publisher's red top stain and deckled fore-edge and bottom edge. Jacket protected in mylar and remains bright. One 1-inch closed tear along top edge near author's name and moderate scuffing to spine ends. Faint soiling to top page edge and top edges of boards as well. Spine ends have started to soften and board corners are scuffed. Slight musty odor to book and some foxing present to fore-edge. Overall, a still a nice copy despite the markings.
Synopsis
The Bell Jar is a semi-autobiographical novel written by Sylvia Plath, published in 1963. It tells the story of Esther Greenwood, a talented and ambitious young woman who struggles with mental illness and societal pressures in the 1950s. The Bell Jar is a powerful and poignant portrayal of mental health and the pressures faced by young women. Plath's use of language and imagery captures the complexities of Esther's inner world, making the novel a powerful exploration of the human condition. It’s Plath’s only novel, and the book is often regarded as a roman à clef due to its parallelism with the author’s own experiences and her struggle with mental illness. Plath committed suicide a month after The Bell Jar was first published.
Read More: Identifying first editions of The Bell Jar
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Details
- Bookseller
- Sparrow's Bookshop
(US)
- Bookseller's Inventory #
- 07570
- Title
- The Bell Jar
- Author
- Sylvia Plath
- Format/Binding
- Hardcover
- Book Condition
- Used - Acceptable
- Jacket Condition
- Very good
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Publisher
- Harper & Row Publishers
- Date Published
- 1971
Terms of Sale
Sparrow's Bookshop
Note for all books: "First edition" also means first printing unless otherwise stated. All flaws are considered in pricing. Please reach out if you have questions about a particular book or want to see more photos and we will happily accommodate. All books are thoughtfully packed for safe shipment. Returns may be initiated within 10 days of receiving your order. Used books present a unique challenge in that each one, even ones identical in publication, are unique in their condition. We spend hours personally researching, cleaning, photographing, conditioning and transcribing all the information we believe is helpful in purchasing a book on a website. If there is an issue regarding a book you purchased (incorrect book / not as described / damaged), please contact us and we'll respond within 2 business days. Books sent back to us without first requesting a return will not be accepted. To be eligible for a return, the book must be in the same condition that you received it and in its original packaging. All returns must be securely packed and shipped similar to how they were received.
About the Seller
Sparrow's Bookshop
Biblio member since 2021
Denver, Colorado
About Sparrow's Bookshop
Sparrow's Bookshop is a Denver based vintage & rare bookstore specializing in hard-to-find items, unique titles and first editions. Member IOBA.
Glossary
Some terminology that may be used in this description includes:
- 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....
- 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...
- 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...
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