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The Awkward Age.
by JAMES, Henry
- Used
- Hardcover
- first
- Condition
- See description
- Seller
-
London, United Kingdom
Payment Methods Accepted
About This Item
London: William Heinemann,, 1899. First edition of "one of James' major achievements" First edition in book form, published on 25 April 1899, a fortnight before the American edition. The Awkward Age was first serialized in Harper's Weekly between October 1898 and January 1899, with minor revisions to the text made for publication in book form. "The Awkward Age looks at two young women who are not quite ready to enter adult society but no longer young enough to be kept with the children. The novel develops its Blakean (Miltonic and Hawthornesque) theme of the importance of leaving Innocence, confronting the world of Experience bravely, and defining Evil clearly to oppose it and so achieve human maturity" (ANB). Octavo. Original blue diagonal fine-ribbed cloth, spine and front cover lettered in gilt, four irises blocked in blind on front cover, publisher's device in blind on rear cover, edges untrimmed. Housed in a custom blue quarter morocco box. Complete with the unopened 32-page publisher's catalogue (second variant, without "the latest fiction" listed on final page). Light rubbing at extremities and minor soiling, endpapers toned: a very good copy. Edel & Laurence A53a; Supino A53.1.0. Quote from F. R. Leavis.
Synopsis
Making her debut in London society, Nanda Brookenham is being groomed for the marriage market. Thrust suddenly into the superficial and immoral circle that surrounds her mother, the innocent but independent-minded young woman even finds herself in competition with Mrs Brookenham for the affection of the man she admires. Only an elderly bachelor, Mr Longdon, is immune to this world of greed and scheming, and determines to rescue Nanda from its corrupting influences out of loyalty to the deep love he once felt for her grandmother. In The Awkward Age (1899), Henry James explores the English character, and the clash between old and new money with a light and subtly ironic touch to create a devastating critique of society and its machinations.
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Details
- Bookseller
- Peter Harrington
(GB)
- Bookseller's Inventory #
- 166990
- Title
- The Awkward Age.
- Author
- JAMES, Henry
- Book Condition
- Used
- Binding
- Hardcover
- Place of Publication
- London: William Heinemann,
- Date Published
- 1899
Terms of Sale
Peter Harrington
All major credit cards are accepted. Both UK pounds and US dollars (exchange rate to be agreed) accepted. Books may be returned within 14 days of receipt for any reason, please notify first of returned goods.
About the Seller
Peter Harrington
Biblio member since 2006
London
About Peter Harrington
Since its establishment, Peter Harrington has specialised in sourcing, selling and buying the finest quality original first editions, signed, rare and antiquarian books, fine bindings and library sets. Peter Harrington first began selling rare books from the Chelsea Antiques Market on London's King's Road. For the past twenty years the business has been run by Pom Harrington, Peter's son.
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...
- Edges
- The collective of the top, fore and bottom edges of the text block of the book, being that part of the edges of the pages of a...
- Rubbing
- Abrasion or wear to the surface. Usually used in reference to a book's boards or dust-jacket.
- Device
- Especially for older books, a printer's device refers to an identifying mark, also sometimes called a printer's mark, on the...
- Unopened
- A state in which all or some of the pages of a book have not been separated from the adjacent pages, caused by a traditional...
- 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....
- Morocco
- Morocco is a style of leather book binding that is usually made with goatskin, as it is durable and easy to dye. (see also...
- Cloth
- "Cloth-bound" generally refers to a hardcover book with cloth covering the outside of the book covers. The cloth is stretched...
- Octavo
- Another of the terms referring to page or book size, octavo refers to a standard printer's sheet folded four times, producing...
- First Edition
- In book collecting, the first edition is the earliest published form of a book. A book may have more than one first edition in...
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