The Loving Spirit
by Du Maurier, Daphne
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On Aug 20, 2013, feeney said
Daphne du Maurier's THE LOVING SPIRIT (1931) may well be the finest first novel that I have ever read. And Daphne was only 22 when she finished it in Bodinnick-by-Fowey, Cornwall, England in January 1930! ***The novel's dominant theme is this: if an ancestor or ancestress cares enough for her genetic downline, even a hundred years later, he/she will find a way to reach a great granddaughter and nephew, show them love, protect, communicate with and be seen or sensed by them. *** We know that Ms du Maurier read Sir Walter Scott and her novel's viewpoint is practically the same as that which Sir Walter embodied in his two novels of Scotland during the Reformation: THE MONASTERY and THE ABBOT (1820). Both Scott and du Maurier show a mysterious, loving guardian spirit protecting a family down the generations through literal wreckage: the destruction of a Scottish Benedictine monastery in Scott's novels and the wreck of the merchant sailing vessel The Janet Coombe in du Maurier's THE LOVING SPIRIT. Both Scott and du Maurier based their novels on real historical events and persons. *** Daphne du Maurier's THE LOVING SPIRIT tells the story of the intertwined lives of a large Cornwall England family from 1830 - 1930. It contains four "Books" entitled in sequence Janet Coombe (1830 - 1863), Joseph Coombe (1863 - 1900) , Christopher Coombe (1888 - 1912) and Jennifer Coombe (1912 - 1930). *** Janet Coombe is "the loving spirit" whom nothing can prevent from watching over her favorite -- not far from incestuously so -- but deeply troubled sea captain son Joseph; his sometimes cowardly, but in the end heroically self-sacrificing son Christopher; and Christopher's youngest child Jennifer. *** By novel's end Jennifer has married and had a son Bill by John Stevens. The couple are third cousins, great grandchildren of Janet Coombe. The "unloving spirit" of this four (or five if we include young Bill Stevens) generation saga is Janet Coombe's youngest never married son Philip Coombe (born 1859), great uncle of Jennifer Coombe and John Stevens, who loves only himself, lives to pile up his money and finds steady joy in doing harm to his kinsmen. He dies spectacularly mad in the novel's last few pages. *** Other elements of THE LOVING SPIRIT derive from Daphne du Maurier's own intense young life, beginning with her love of wild, rugged Cornwall, the sea and boats, her sense that families live on in spirit for generations in their ancestral homes, proceeding through du Mauriet's fascination with incest as a natural human inclination, her belief in the struggle of two souls within every human body, her love of the gothic in literature, her willingness to think outside the box of traditional Christianity, a flirtatious romance since age 14 with an older twice married actor cousin and more. *** Be it known that a real life Cornish seagoing family of the renamed fictional seaside village of Plyn, known personally to du Maurier, had a history much like that of the Coombes, with an ancestress for whom an ultimately wrecked sailing vessel was named, whose likeness was carved into a wooden figurehead for the ship, a figurehead that came into possession of Daphne herself. *** At novel's end in 1930 young mother Jennifer Coombe Stevens , image of her greatgrandmother Janet Coombe at the same age, is looking at the detached figurehead of The Janet Coombe, now mounted outside son Bill's nursery. "She leans beyond them all, a little white figure with her hands at her breast, her chin in the air, her eyes gazing towards the sea. High above the clustered houses and the grey harbour waters of Plyn, the loving spirit smiles and is free." These are the last words of Daphne du Maurier's grand first novel THE LOVING SPIRIT. -OOO-
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The Loving Spirit
by Daphne du Maurier
- Condition
- Used - Very Good+
- Jacket Condition
- Very Good
- Published
- 1932
- Binding
- Hardcover
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Seller
-
Portland, Oregon, USA
- Item Price
-
$500.00
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Description:
Garden City, New York: Doubleday, Doran & Company, Inc., 1932. Hardcover. Very Good+/Very Good. Early printing of du Maurier's first novel with rare dust jacket. Boards in green cloth stamped in dark green on spine and front cover. Head of spine pushed and sunned, else near fine. Internally very clean. The dust jacket is from 1932 and states… Read more about this item Item Price
$500.00
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The Loving Spirit (Inscribed Copy)
by Daphne Du Maurier
- Condition
- Used - Good+
- Jacket Condition
- Very Good
- Published
- 1960
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Seller
-
Tomball, Texas, USA
- Item Price
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$750.00
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First Edition Thus; A Good plus book in a Very Good dust jacket. SIGNED, inscribed, and dated by the author to the title page. A handsome copy of this reprint of Du Maurier's first published novel; as of this listing, the only signed copy available on the online market. This was Ms. Du Maurier's first novel, followed up by a… Read more about this item Item Price
$750.00
The Loving Spirit (Virago Modern Classics)
by Du Maurier, Daphne
- Condition
- Used - Very Good
- Binding
- Paperback
- ISBN
- 9781844080939
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Seller
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GORING BY SEA, West Sussex, GBR
- Item Price
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$4.00
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Paperback. Very Good. Item Price
$4.00
The Loving Spirit (Virago Modern Classics)
by Du Maurier, Daphne
- Condition
- Used - Good
- Binding
- Paperback
- ISBN
- 9781844080939
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Seller
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GORING BY SEA, West Sussex, GBR
- Item Price
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$4.00
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Paperback. Good. Item Price
$4.00
The Loving Spirit : a novel
by Du Maurier, Daphne (1907-1989)
- Condition
- Used
- Edition
- 1st edition, 2nd impression
- Published
- 1931
- Binding
- Hardcover
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Seller
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Galway, IRL
- Item Price
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$474.00
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London : William Heinemann, 1931. 1st edition, 2nd impression. Hardcover. Poor copy in the original gilt-blocked cloth. Spine bands worn; panel edges somewhat dust-toned and rubbed as with age. Text remains clear and without blemish. Provenance: W. H. Smith bookplate to front pastedown. Physical description: 399 pages; 18 cm. Subjects: Fiction; Novels; First Novels; Debut Novels; Ships, fiction;… Read more about this item Item Price
$474.00
The Loving Spirit
by Du Maurier, Daphne
- Condition
- Used - Acceptable
- Published
- 1958-12-01
- Binding
- Hardcover
- ISBN
- 9780434216017
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Seller
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Thetford, Norfolk, GBR
- Item Price
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$50.67
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William Heinemann Ltd, 1958-12-01. Hardcover. Acceptable. 2.7979 in x 18.9856 in x 12.9901 in. Ex-Library copy. Item Price
$50.67
The Loving Spirit
by Daphne Du Maurier
- Condition
- Used - Good
- Published
- 1948
- Binding
- Hardcover
- Quantity Available
- 1
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Goring-by-Sea, West Sussex, GBR
- Item Price
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$9.22
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A. Barker ltd., [etc.], 1948. Hardcover. Good. 1948. 320 pages. No dust jacket. Blue cloth with gilt lettering. Pages and binding are presentable with no major defects. Minor issues present such as mild cracking, inscriptions, inserts, light foxing, tanning and thumb marking. Overall a good condition item. Boards have mild shelf wear with light rubbing and corner bumping.… Read more about this item Item Price
$9.22
Loving Spirit, The
by Du Maurier, Daphne
- Condition
- Used - Poor to Fair
- Jacket Condition
- Not Applicable
- Edition
- Reprint
- Published
- 1975
- Binding
- Paperback
- ISBN
- 9780330242448
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Seller
-
Buttaba, New South Wales, AUS
- Item Price
-
$1.98
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Description:
London, England: Pan Books, 1975. Book. Poor to Fair. Small Paperback. Reprint. 12mo - over 6¾" - 7¾" tall. Small paperback, reprint, 190gms, 350 pages. Book is in poor to fair condition with general age-related wear and tear and heavy page discolouration/spotting throughout. There is a small pen marking from a previous owner on the inside front page. Front wrap… Read more about this item Item Price
$1.98
The Loving Spirit
by Du Maurier, Daphne
- Condition
- Used - VG
- Jacket Condition
- No Jacket
- Edition
- First Edition
- Published
- 1931
- Binding
- Hardcover
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Seller
-
New Harbor, Maine, USA
- Item Price
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$348.78
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New York: Doubleday, Doran, 1931. Book. VG. Hardcover. First Edition. First edition stated. A VG copy lacking the scarce dust jacket. Author's first novel. Scarce. . Item Price
$348.78
The Loving Spirit.
by du Maurier, Daphne.
- Condition
- Used
- Binding
- Hardback.
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Seller
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Alfriston, Aberdeen, GBR
- Item Price
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$380.04
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Description:
William Heinemann, London. 1931. First edition of the author's first novel.. Hardback.. Very Good, without dust jacket (spine professionally re-backed, retaining original cloth; new endpapers). Item Price
$380.04
The Loving Spirit
by Du Maurier Daphne
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- Used
- Quantity Available
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Morrinsville, NZL
- Item Price
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$3.00
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Published by Penguin, 1968.Paperback. Condition: Good. Moderate reading wear. Very clean interior.. Item Price
$3.00
The Loving Spirit
by Daphne Du Maurier
- Condition
- Used - Very Good
- Published
- 1973-04-26
- Binding
- Paperback
- ISBN
- 9780140020885
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Seller
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London, London, GBR
- Item Price
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$7.59
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Penguin, 1973-04-26. Paperback. Very Good. 2.0305 in x 18.0203 in x 10.9137 in. Item Price
$7.59
The Loving Spirit (Virago Modern Classics)
by Du Maurier, Daphne
- Condition
- Used - Acceptable
- Binding
- Paperback
- ISBN
- 9781844080939
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Seller
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GORING BY SEA, West Sussex, GBR
- Item Price
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$4.00
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Paperback. Acceptable. Item Price
$4.00
The Loving Spirit
by Maurier, Daphne Du
- Condition
- UsedGood
- ISBN
- 9781844080939
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Seller
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Rotterdam , New York, USA
- Item Price
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$5.83
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UsedGood. Shows minimal wear such as frayed or folded edges, minor rips and tears, and/or slightly worn binding. May have stickers and/or contain inscription on title page. No observed missing pages. Item Price
$5.83
THE LOVING SPIRIT
by Maurier, Daphne Du
- Condition
- Used - Very Good
- Jacket Condition
- Not Indicated
- Published
- 1968
- Binding
- Hardcover
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Seller
-
Brockport, New York, USA
- Item Price
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$26.96
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Description:
London, England: Heinemann, 1968. Hardcover. Very Good/Not Indicated. Hardcover Book Is Very Good / Jacket Is Not Indicated Very clean pages. Appears read very little. Negligible Shelf wear. X Library which may have a protective mylar covering on DJ from day 1 … Read more about this item Item Price
$26.96
The Loving Spirit
by Daphne du Maurier
- Condition
- Used - Good
- Published
- 1964
- Binding
- Paperback
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Seller
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Goring-by-Sea, West Sussex, GBR
- Item Price
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$4.92
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Penguin Books, 1964. Paperback. Good. 1964. Reprint. 343 pages. Paperback book with pictorial paper covers. Pages and binding are presentable with no major defects. Minor issues present such as mild cracking, inscriptions, inserts, light foxing, tanning and thumb marking. Overall a good condition item. Paper cover has mild edge-wear with light rubbing and creasing. Some light marking and… Read more about this item Item Price
$4.92
The Loving Spirit
by Daphne Du Maurier
- Condition
- Used - Good
- Binding
- Paperback
- ISBN
- 9780140020885
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Seller
-
GORING BY SEA, West Sussex, GBR
- Item Price
-
$2.06
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Paperback. Good. Item Price
$2.06
The Loving Spirit
by Du Maurier, Daphne
- Condition
- Used - Good
- ISBN
- 9781844080939
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Seller
-
Dunfermline, Fife, GBR
- Item Price
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$5.64
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Little, Brown Book Group Limited. Used - Good. Ships from the UK. Former library book; may include library markings. Used book that is in clean, average condition without any missing pages. Item Price
$5.64
The Loving Spirit
by du Maurier, Daphne
- Condition
- Used - Good
- Published
- 2003
- Binding
- Paperback
- ISBN
- 9781844080939
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Seller
-
Seattle, Washington, USA
- Item Price
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$6.01
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Time Warner Books UK, 2003. Paperback. Good. Pages can have notes/highlighting. Spine may show signs of wear. ~ ThriftBooks: Read More, Spend Less.Dust jacket quality is not guaranteed. Item Price
$6.01
The Loving Spirit
by du Maurier, Daphne
- Condition
- Used - Acceptable
- Published
- 2003
- Binding
- Paperback
- ISBN
- 9781844080939
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Seller
-
Seattle, Washington, USA
- Item Price
-
$6.01
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Description:
Time Warner Books UK, 2003. Paperback. Acceptable. Readable copy. Pages may have considerable notes/highlighting. ~ ThriftBooks: Read More, Spend Less.Dust jacket quality is not guaranteed. Item Price
$6.01