Twice Told Tales Paperback - 2005

Name: Twice Told Tales
Price: 51.00 USD
Availability: InStock
ISBN: 9781419164217

by Nathaniel Hawthorne

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About this book

Twice-Told Tales by Nathaniel Hawthorne is a collection of short stories, most of which are infused with a very New England gothic tone. The first was published in the spring of 1837, and the second in 1842. The stories had all been previously published in magazines and annuals. The title, Twice-Told Tales, was drawn from William Shakespeare's The Life and Death of King John (Act 3, scene 4): "Life is as tedious as a twice-told tale, / Vexing the dull ear of a drowsy man."

The piece is composed of sketches and tales, mostly allegories and moralistic fantasies including "The Gray Champion," "The Wedding Knell," "The Minister's Black Veil," "Mr. Higginbotham's Catastrophe," "Wakefield," "The Great Carbuncle," "The Prophetic Pictures," "The Hollow of the Three Hills," "Fancy's Show Box," and "Dr. Heidegger's Experiment."

First line

THERE was once a time when New England groaned under the actual pressure of heavier wrongs than those threatened ones which brought on the Revolution.

First Edition Identification

This book was first published in 1837 by American Stationers Co, Boston. This edition has the publisher’s circular device on the title page as well as the publisher’s rose cloth. The title is stamped in gilt to the spine, embossed with foil ornaments, and has 4 pages of ads at the front and 12-16 of ads pages at the rear.