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The Old Man and the Sea
by Hemingway, Ernest
- Used
- good
- Hardcover
- first
- Condition
- Good/Good
- Seller
-
Albany, California, United States
Payment Methods Accepted
About This Item
New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1958. First US Edition/Early Printing. Hardcover. Good/Good. An early printing in light blue cloth with silver type to spine and debossed author signature to front board. A little spot of cloth lifting to bottom of front board and some spotting/discoloration in spine gutters and adjacent edges of boards. Ding to top rear corner, otherwise clean interior and solid binding with minimal edgewear. Jacket is unclipped ($3.00) with some small chips to head of spine and tiny chips to three corners. Some nicks to edges and very short tear to bottom of front panel. Abrasion to top of rear panel near head of spine, possibly from silverfish and a few punctures to same. General edgewear, scuffing, etc.
Synopsis
This novella, only 140 pages, was first printed in its entirety in Life Magazine on September 1, 1952. It inspired a buying frenzy - selling over five million copies of the magazine in just two days! The story about an aging Cuban fisherman wrangling a large marlin in the gulf stream was written in 1951 in Cuba and published in 1952. In 1953, it won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction and led to Hemingway's nomination for the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1954. Man's struggle against nature is the resounding theme throughout the book as Hemingway portrays Santiago's travails as an experienced fisherman facing a dry-spell of 85 days before finally wrangling a prized marlin. Hemingway also highlights the indomitable spirit of man while illustrating his ideal of manliness and character in the strong and determined fisherman facing danger and discomfort without complaint and with resolution, both in the days it takes Santiago to kill the marlin, and as he fights off the sharks that end up destroying his prized catch before he reaches the coast. Some say that Hemingway's tale is a reflection of his own determination to prove his writing career was not over, and the portrayal of the sharks may echo the critics who had been claiming for the ten years that his writing career, after the successful release of For Whom the Bell Tolls in 1940, was over. The book is dedicated "To Charlie Scribner And To Max Perkins," friends of Hemingway's that had passed away before the book came out. Max Perkins, who also edited F. Scott Fitzgerald and Thomas Wolfe, died in 1947 and Scribner, who was president of the publisher Charles Scribner's Sons, died in 1952.
Read More: Identifying first editions of The Old Man and the Sea
Reviews
On Mar 6 2014, a reader said:
The Old Man and The Sea is an excellent novella for someone to read looking to get away from the troubles of life only to find that some troubles lead to the greatest reward of even though the reward is only a small amount.
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Details
- Bookseller
- Lost Paddle Books, IOBA
(US)
- Bookseller's Inventory #
- LPB008269EH
- Title
- The Old Man and the Sea
- Author
- Hemingway, Ernest
- Format/Binding
- Hardcover
- Book Condition
- Used - Good
- Jacket Condition
- Good
- Edition
- First US Edition/Early Printing
- Publisher
- Charles Scribner's Sons
- Place of Publication
- New York
- Date Published
- 1958
- Bookseller catalogs
- American Literature;
Terms of Sale
Lost Paddle Books, IOBA
Books are unique in their ability to encompass lives, from the lives of their authors, to the characters or subjects they portray. They even have the capacity to take on a life of their own as they pass among us acquiring stories, artifacts and scars along the way. As such, they deserve to be treated with respect. We use only premium packaging materials and every attempt is made to be as accurate as possible in our listings. All books are supplied in protective mylar sleeves if applicable and additional photos are available on request for books offered at $50 at owner's discretion. If the book is not received as described, a return in like condition may be made within 14 days for a full refund. For CA residents: Sales tax will be processed as an additional charge. Please note that shipping rates are for an average sized book, supplemental shipping may apply if the book is heavy and/or oversize, or if there are multiple books in a shipment. Gift wrapping available upon request. PLEASE NOTE: Orders are still shipping quickly, but because of delays with the postal service due to the pandemic, please expect additional time to receive your book(s). Thank you.
About the Seller
Lost Paddle Books, IOBA
Biblio member since 2018
Albany, California
About Lost Paddle Books, IOBA
Founded by an avid collector with 30+ years experience in all facets of the book trade from bookselling and library science to publishing. We believe that books can lead to greater empathy and understanding in the world helping us open ourselves to other lives and experiences.
Additional services offered include appraisals for Bay Area residents and collection development for private individuals and institutions.
Additional services offered include appraisals for Bay Area residents and collection development for private individuals and institutions.
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....
- 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...
- Jacket
- Sometimes used as another term for dust jacket, a protective and often decorative wrapper, usually made of paper which wraps...
- 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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