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Appointment in Samarra (Modern Library #42.3)
by O'HARA, John
- Used
- Hardcover
- Condition
- Very Good+ in Very Good+ dust jacket
- Seller
-
Littleton, Colorado, United States
Payment Methods Accepted
About This Item
New York: The Modern Library / Random House. Very Good+ in Very Good+ dust jacket. [c.1959]. Hardcover. A Modern Library edition of John O'Hara's first novel, originally published in 1934. This is the story of Julian English, a well-to-do car dealer whose self-destructive behavior makes him persona non grata in his town. With a foreword for this edition by the author "Appointment in Samarra" was named to the Modern Library list of the 100 best English-language novels of the 20th century. --- In Toledano spine 8 / blue cloth / gilt titling on red spine & cover blocks / red topstain / grey Kent endpapers / jacket style i, verso lists 388 titles in ML catalog. Likely published c.1959 (though 1953 date appears in book). ML #42.3. --- A well-preserved copy: tightly-bound and unmarked though with water spotting to front cover. Unclipped dust jacket with very slight chafing to extremities, remains bright and intact; wrapped in removable archival mylar protector.; 12mo - 7 to 7-1/2 in. tall; (20), 301 pages .
Synopsis
At the ripe age of twenty-eight, John O’Hara completed Appointment in Samarra, his first novel, in less than four months. At a similarly quick pace, the events of the book take place in a span of just three days. In this brief time, Appointment in Samarra tells of the increasingly impulsive and self-destructive acts that lead to the main character’s suicide. Julian English, once a high-ranking member of the community of Gibbsville, angers and alienates those close to him, resulting in the rapid decline of his social status. Specific explanations for Julian’s behavior are unclear in the text, though personal insecurities along with his alcoholism undoubtedly play a role. The small-town prejudices of Gibbsville (O’Hara’s fictionalized version of his hometown, Pottsville, Pennsylvania) greatly affect Julian’s demise as well. Omniscient narration works to expose these prejudices via the inner thoughts of various people in the town. The title, Appointment in Samarra, is a reference to W. Somerset Maugham's 1933 retelling of an old story in his play, Sheppey. In the story, which appears as an epigraph for the novel, Death speaks of meeting a merchant in Samarra, informing the reader from the beginning of the novel’s fatal ending. In his foreword to the 1952 reprint, O'Hara says that the working title for the novel was The Infernal Grove. It was not until fellow writer Dorothy Parker showed him the story in Maugham's play that he got the idea for the title Appointment in Samarra. Modern Library ranked Appointment in Samarra 22nd on its list of the “100 Best” English-language novels of the 20th century.
Read More: Identifying first editions of Appointment in Samarra (Modern Library #42.3)
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Details
- Bookseller
- Bluebird Books
(US)
- Bookseller's Inventory #
- 84472
- Title
- Appointment in Samarra (Modern Library #42.3)
- Author
- O'HARA, John
- Format/Binding
- Hardcover
- Book Condition
- Used - Very Good+ in Very Good+ dust jacket
- Publisher
- The Modern Library / Random House
- Place of Publication
- New York
- Date Published
- [c.1959]
Terms of Sale
Bluebird Books
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About the Seller
Bluebird Books
Biblio member since 2005
Littleton, Colorado
About Bluebird Books
Bluebird Books is the bookselling business of Eric Mayer, operating from my base in Littleton, Colorado. I specialize in classic fiction and literature, books on birds and natural history, railroadiana, biography, history and many other genres. Bluebird Books features publications by the Modern Library and Everyman's Library. I offer free shipping on books shipped within the US via USPS Media Mail. INTERNATIONAL ORDERS: I recommend that you use Biblio.com for your international orders because they have formed a partnership with Asendia to allow for much more affordable shipping on parcels weighing under 5 lb. (about 2.26 kg).
Glossary
Some terminology that may be used in this description includes:
- Gilt
- The decorative application of gold or gold coloring to a portion of a book on the spine, edges of the text block, or an inlay in...
- Cloth
- "Cloth-bound" generally refers to a hardcover book with cloth covering the outside of the book covers. The cloth is stretched...
- Good+
- A term used to denote a condition a slight grade better than Good.
- 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....
- Verso
- The page bound on the left side of a book, opposite to the recto page.
- 12mo
- A duodecimo is a book approximately 7 by 4.5 inches in size, or similar in size to a contemporary mass market paperback. Also...
- Jacket
- Sometimes used as another term for dust jacket, a protective and often decorative wrapper, usually made of paper which wraps...
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