The Way Of All Flesh

by Butler, Samuel

The Way of All Flesh by Samuel Butler is a semi-autobiographical novel that attacks Victorian-era hypocrisy. The story traces the history of the Pontifex family from the early eighteenth century until about 1880 and focuses, for the most part, on the life of young Ernest Pontifex, the novel’s protagonist. Yet Ernest isn’t born until 1835, in the book’s 17th chapter. Butler uses the first 16 chapters to provide a psychological portrait of the Pontifex family background as a means of allowing readers to understand what factors have gone into forming Ernest’s personality and the longevity of the chains of tradition he must break.

Upon publication in 1903, the book seemed very much of its time, an early 20th century groundbreaker alongside the work of Sigmund Freud and Pablo Picasso. The Way of All Flesh seemed to celebrate the end of the Victorian age just as it was decidedly over. But in fact, Butler had written the book decades earlier, between 1873 and 1884, though he deemed it too shocking for publication during his lifetime. As a result, Richard Alexander Streatfeild, a friend of Butler’s, arranged the publication — as the author requested of him — a year after his death. Streatfeild proved to be a good friend indeed as The Way of All Flesh was ranked twelfth on the Modern Library’s list of the 100 best English-language novels of the 20th century.

First Edition Identification

Grant Richards first published The Way of All Flesh in London in 1903. First editions are bound in dark red cloth with gilt-lettered titling on the spine and front cover. They also include a prefatory note by Streatfeild, who edited the book.

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The Way of all Flesh [Modern Library 13.1]
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The Way of all Flesh [Modern Library 13.1]

by BUTLER, SAMUEL

Condition
Used - Near fine. Light rubbing to extremities. Binding square & sound, text clean & bright.
Edition
First Modern Library Edition
Published
1917
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Hardcover
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New York: Boni and Liveright, 1917. First Modern Library Edition. Hardcover. Near fine. Light rubbing to extremities. Binding square & sound, text clean & bright.. 16mo. 4.5 x 6.75 in. [vi], 410 pp. ML Binding Style 1, brown leatherette ('limp croft leather'), with gothic Boni & Liveright device in gilt on upper cover, gilt title to spine; with… Read more about this item
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The Way of all Flesh
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The Way of all Flesh

by Samuel Butler

Condition
Used - Fine
Jacket Condition
Very Good+
Edition
No. 65/1000 Limited Edition signed by Illustrator
Published
1944
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Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
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HATFIELD BOOKS AND MEMORABILIA, a FIVE STAR SELLER, presents No. 65/1000 of the Doubleday Doran Limited Signed Edition of THE WAY OF ALL FLESH by SAMUEL BUTLER in its Original Labeled Slipcase. This copy is signed by the book's Illustrator, Famed American Artist ANDRE DURENCEAU. 6 3/4" x 9 3/4", with 429 pages, this book is FINE, and its… Read more about this item
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The Way of All Flesh

The Way of All Flesh

by Butler, Samuel

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Used - Fine
Edition
First Edition
Published
1903
Binding
Hardcover
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New York, New York, USA
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London: Grant Richards, 1903 First edition, first printing. Finely bound by Zaehnsdorf in full red morocco with five raised bands to spine, spine and front panel lettered in gilt, gilt turn-ins, top edge gilt. Spine a touch faded, else a very fine copy. This semi-autobiographical novel was written from 1873 to 1884, though not published until 1903, after the… Read more about this item
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The Way of All Flesh.

The Way of All Flesh.

by Butler, Samuel

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Used
Published
1903
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London: Grant Richards, 1903. First edition of Butler's classic semi-autobiographical Bildungsroman. Octavo, original cloth. In near fine condition. Housed in a custom half morocco clamshell and chemise box. An exceptional example. Written between 1873 and 1884, Butler's The Way of All Flesh was published posthumously in 1903, as Butler dared not publish the attack on Victorian-era hypocrisy during his… Read more about this item
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THE WAY OF ALL FLESH.
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THE WAY OF ALL FLESH.

by BUTLER. SAMUEL. ; FARLEIGH. JOHN. Illustrates

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Used
Edition
First edition.
Published
1934
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London, Greater London, GBR
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Collins. London. 1934. FIRST ILLUSTRATED EDITION. 8vo.(7.5 x 5.5 inches). Illustrated with 13 fine John Farleigh wood engravings, most full page. Five pages have a small tear to the fore edge of the page, without any loss, otherwise a lovely bright clean copy in a fine, attractive leather binding by Bayntun of Bath. Full red polished calf. Spine with five… Read more about this item
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The Way of all Flesh [Modern Library 13.1]
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The Way of all Flesh [Modern Library 13.1]

by BUTLER, SAMUEL

Condition
Used - Very good. Light rubbing to extremities, especially at crown & foot of spine; traces of soiling to covers. Contemporary ownershi
Edition
Early Printing
Published
1918
Binding
Hardcover
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New York: Boni and Liveright, 1918. Early Printing. Hardcover. Very good. Light rubbing to extremities, especially at crown & foot of spine; traces of soiling to covers. Contemporary ownership signature to front pastedown, pleasant bookseller's ticket to front free endpaper. Binding sound, text otherwise unmarked & bright.. 16mo. 4.5 x 6.75 in. [vi], 410 pp. ML Binding Style… Read more about this item
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The Way of All Flesh
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The Way of All Flesh

by BUTLER, Samuel

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Used - Very Good
Published
1920
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Hardcover
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New York: Boni and Liveright / Modern Library, 1920. Hardcover. Very Good. First Modern Library edition. Flexible cloth stamped in gilt. Moderate wear, small stains on a few pages, very good. With author Peter Taylor's early ownership signature: "Hillsman Taylor, Jr.
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THE WAY OF ALL FLESH

THE WAY OF ALL FLESH

by Butler, Samuel

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Used
Edition
First Edition Thus; Collector's Edition
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Hardcover
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CROTON-ON-HUDSON, New York, USA
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Norwalk: Easton Press. First Edition Thus; Collector's Edition. Hardcover. Book condition is Near Fine, bound in full, genuine leather with gilt accents, 22kt gold page edges and a hubbed spine. Smyth sewn, interior vaunts moire end papers, acid-neutral paper (won't yellow or become brittle over time) and silk ribbon page marker. Text is clean and unmarked, still in factory… Read more about this item
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The Way of all Flesh

The Way of all Flesh

by Butler, Samuel

Condition
Used - Near Fine
Edition
First Thus
Published
1939
Binding
Softcover
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Lake Elsinore, California, USA
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Pocket Books. Near Fine. 1939. First Thus. Softcover. #8. 4th printing, September 1939. Although the former owner neatly penned his name on the title page this book appears to have been unopened. Firm, solid binding, bright pictorial cover, red publisher edge stain. and bright red endpages. Minor wear on two corners and along the edges,… Read more about this item
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The Way of All Flesh
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The Way of All Flesh

by Samuel Butler

Condition
Used - Very Good-
Edition
First printing
Published
1954
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Colorado Springs, Colorado, USA
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The Way of All Flesh by Samuel Butler, Royal Giant 29, 1954, first paperback printing with uncredited cover art. Book is square with some cover and edge wear; not bad. Large size 4.75" x 7.875". Royal Giants are rarely found in nice condition. While there are probably pristine copies out there somewhere, I've never seen one.
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The Way of All Flesh
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The Way of All Flesh

by Butler, Samuel

Condition
Used - Very Good
Edition
First printing
Published
1903
Binding
Hardcover
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Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
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London: Grant Richards, 1903. First printing. Hardcover. Very Good. 8vo, publisher's red cloth gilt, about very good, some rubbing and light wear to binding -- spine ends a bit frayed, bookplate of Frederick H. Evans, possibly the well known photographer, amusing related small newspaper clipping tipped to flyleaf, has left a tan rectangle on facing page (pastedown); the… Read more about this item
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The Way of All Flesh

The Way of All Flesh

by Butler, Samuel

Condition
Used - Very Good
Jacket Condition
No Dustjacket
Edition
Modern Library.
Binding
Hardcover
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Stanley, New York, USA
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New York: Modern Library/Boni & Liveright Book. Very Good. Faux Leather. Modern Library.. New York: Modern Library/Boni & Liveright. Modern Library. Very Good/No Dustjacket. Toledano spine no. 2. Dark Blue/Black, faux leather boards with gilt lettering on spine, gilt Boni & Liveright symbol on cover. Introductory note by R.A. Streatfeild. Very little wear. Binding is tight, no cracking. Pages are… Read more about this item
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THE WAY OF ALL FLESH
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THE WAY OF ALL FLESH

by SAMUEL BUTLER

Condition
Used - Near Fine
Jacket Condition
n/a
Published
1969
Binding
Perfect
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West Vancouver, British Columbia, CAN
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The Way of All Flesh, which was completed in 1884, is a semi-autobiographical novel by the English writer Samuel Butler (1835-1902). It is a blistering attack on the hypocrisy of the Victorian age and Butler didn't dare publish it during his lifetime--it was finally published in 1903. In 1998, the Modern Library ranked it as #12 on its list of… Read more about this item
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The Way of All Flesh.

The Way of All Flesh.

by Butler, Samuel

Condition
Used
Published
1919
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Palm Beach, Florida, USA
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London: A.C. Fifield, 1919. Finely bound example of Butler's semi-autobiographical Bildungsroman. Octavo, bound in three quarters morocco over marbled boards by Sangorski and Sutcliffe with gilt tooling to the spine in six compartments within raised gilt bands, red morocco spine label lettered in gilt, top edge gilt, marbled endpapers. In very good condition. Written between 1873 and 1884, Butler's… Read more about this item
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The Way of All Flesh
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The Way of All Flesh

by Butler, Samuel

Condition
Used - Original burgundy cloth, t.e.g. Faint toning to spine, minor rubbing to extremities. Very good plus. Bookplate. Boxed
Edition
First edition
Published
1903
Binding
1 vols. 8vo
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New York, New York, USA
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London: Grant Richards, 1903. First edition. 1 vols. 8vo. Original burgundy cloth, t.e.g. Faint toning to spine, minor rubbing to extremities. Very good plus. Bookplate. Boxed. First edition. 1 vols. 8vo. The Author's Most Famous Book. Butler's posthumously-published semi-autobiographical novel, a satire of Victorian mores that ensured his lasting fame. A.A. Milne called it "the second-best novel in… Read more about this item
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The way of all flesh

The way of all flesh

by BUTLER, Samuel

Condition
Used
Edition
FIRST EDITION
Published
1903
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Sherman Oaks, California, USA
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London: Grant Richards, 1903. FIRST EDITION. Original red cloth with title in gilt on front board and spine, top edge gilt; minor soiling to bottom edge, otherwise an excellent copy preserved in a slipcase.
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The Way of All Flesh (The Modern Library, No.13)

The Way of All Flesh (The Modern Library, No.13)

by BUTLER, Samuel

Condition
Used - Very Good
Published
1925
Binding
Hardcover
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Gloucester City, New Jersey, USA
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New York: The Modern Library, 1925. Hardcover. Very Good. Reprint. Gilt-stamped limp brown leatherette. 16mo. 410pp. Small stain on bottom page edges, spine worn and cocked, very good lacking the dust jacket.
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Way of All Flesh, The

by Butler, Samuel

Condition
Used - Near Fine
Jacket Condition
No DJ
Edition
(unknown)
Binding
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Canon City, Colorado, USA
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Roslyn, New York: Walter J. Black, Inc. published for CLASSICS CLUB, wheat buckrum with red-black-& gilt stamping, beige endpapers, red printers ink on top edges, gilt CC in red oval on front cover, tight. History and philosophy.. (unknown). Hardcover. Near Fine/No DJ. 8vo - over 7¾" - 9¾" Tall.
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The Way of All Flesh

by Butler, Samuel

Condition
Used - Poor
Jacket Condition
fair
Edition
Later printing
Published
1944
Binding
Hardcover
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Richland Springs, Texas, USA
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€0.94

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Garden City: Doubleday, 1944. Later printing. Hardcover. Poor/fair. Andre Durenceau. Ex-library, has library stamps and handwritten notes. The inside back of the dust jacket has been cut and glued to the front flyleaf. Red cloth hardcover, with title and cover and spine illustrations in gold leaf. Heavy edge wear, broken hinges. Color illustrations throughout. Pages have deckled… Read more about this item
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THE WAY OF ALL FLESH
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THE WAY OF ALL FLESH

by Butler, Samuel

Condition
Used
Published
1944
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Melbourne, Victoria, AUS
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New York: Doubleday, Doran & Company, 1944. Illustrated by Andre Durenceau. Pp.[x]+430(last colophon), coloured frontispiece and 7 plates, black & white title page vignette and headpiece illustrations, the title printed in brown; roy. 8vo; red cloth, lettered and decorated in gilt; t.e.g., others uncut and largely unopened; within card slipcase with pictorial label, edges of slipcase worn and split;… Read more about this item
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