Slaughterhouse-Five
by Kurt Vonnegut
- Used
- very good
- Paperback
- first
- Condition
- Very Good
- Seller
-
Scotia, New York, United States
Payment Methods Accepted
About This Item
May 1970 Dell first mass market paperback edition.
This 1970 Dell first printing is very uncommon. It was preceded in 1969 by a Delta trade paperback, and followed in 1971 by another printing of a Dell mass market paperback, that has a different cover. The 1971 mass market paperback was also labeled as a Dell first printing. I have no idea why the 1970 and 1971 editions were both called first printings. That said, this 1970 version is very hard to find.
Condition of the book is Very Good. The binding is straight and sound. Inside pages are complete and unmarked. The wraps show light wear, with a reading crease on the front cover. The inside pages are lightly age toned.
Please message me with any questions.
Synopsis
Slaughterhouse-Five, or The Children's Crusade: A Duty-Dance with Death is a satirical novel by Kurt Vonnegut and is generally recognized as his most influential and popular work. Set around World War II, the novels tells of the story of Billy Pilgrim, a chaplain’s assistant, and his experiences and journeys through time. Billy sees when, how, and why he will die, resulting in his becoming fatalistic. The refrain “so it goes” is used when death, dying, and mortality occur and it appears in the book 106 times. Additionally, the novel can be read as semi-autobiographical: Vonnegut was present during the firebombing of Dresden, a central event in the novel. Shortly after publication, Slaughterhouse-Five was nominated for two best novel recognitions, a Nebula Award and a Hugo Award, though it lost both to Ursula K. Le Guin’s The Left Hand of Darkness. The Modern Library ranked Slaughterhouse-Five eighteenth on its list of the “100 Best” English-language novels of the 20th century in 1998. It is also listed in TIME’s “100 Best Novels” (since 1923). However, mainly due to its irreverent tone and obscene content, Slaughterhouse-Five has been the subject of many attempts at censorship. The novel treats one of the most horrific massacres in European history—the firebombing of Dresden—with mock-serious humor and clear antiwar sentiment. It also depicts sexuality to a revolutionary extent as one of the first literary acknowledgments that homosexual men, referred to in the novel as “fairies,” were among the victims of the Nazi Holocaust. Thus, Slaughterhouse-Five is listed in the American Library Association's list of the “Most Frequently Challenged Books of 1990–1999” as well as the ALA's “Most Frequently Challenged Books of 2000–2009.” The novel has been adapted more than a handful of times, most notably a film adaptation by the same name made in 1972. Although the film did poorly in the box office, it was critically praised, winning the Prix du Jury at the 1972 Cannes Film Festival.
Read More: Identifying first editions of Slaughterhouse-Five
Reviews
I very much enjoyed this novel. It was my first Vonnegut book, and have since ordered others.I felt it a very well written novel, with a great story, however made a horrible movie.
(Log in or Create an Account first!)
Details
- Bookseller
- Harpo Speaks Books (US)
- Bookseller's Inventory #
- 2450
- Title
- Slaughterhouse-Five
- Author
- Kurt Vonnegut
- Book Condition
- Used - Very Good
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Edition
- first paperback
- Binding
- Paperback
- Publisher
- Dell
- Date Published
- 1970
- Weight
- 0.00 lbs
- Bookseller catalogs
- Vintage Paperbacks;
Terms of Sale
Harpo Speaks Books
All sales are subject to availability of item at time of order.
Returns accepted for 30 days following your receiving the item. Full refunds issued, including shipping, if the item is not as described in the listing. Please contact me before initiating a return.
For orders exceeding standard weight, supplemental shipping costs may be required.
Biblio consolidated shipping is recommended for international orders. If you do not use Biblio's consolidated shipping, direct shipping charges are estimates only, and may require adjustment based on the actual shipping costs to your country.
About the Seller
Harpo Speaks Books
About Harpo Speaks Books
Glossary
Some terminology that may be used in this description includes:
- Mass Market
- Mass market paperback books, or MMPBs, are printed for large audiences cheaply. This means that they are smaller, usually 4...
- Trade Paperback
- Used to indicate any paperback book that is larger than a mass-market paperback and is often more similar in size to a hardcover...