MAIN STREET, The Story of Carol Kennicott

New York: Harcourt, Brace and Howe, 1920. First edition, with 49 perfect, folio 54 complete and unbattered and the “y” in may imperfect. 8vo, publisher’s original blue cloth with orange lettering panels on the spine and upper cover lettered in blue and ruled in orange. (8), 451 pp. A very handsome copy, very well preserved, tight and in pleasing condition at the extremities. The cloth is dark and clean but for a bit of age to the rear cover, the orange panels and lettering are complete and especially fresh and well preserved, some old tape residue at the rear pastedown. Overall, a pleasing and very collectable copy. FIRST EDITION OF THIS IMPORTANT AMERICAN NOVEL OF THE 20TH CENTURY. A HANDSOME AND WELL PRESERVED COPY. MAIN STREET is important for a number of reasons — among them is the portrayal of a strong female protagonist, and what one might now call feminist themes by a male writer. MAIN STREET was initially awarded the 1921 Pulitzer Prize for literature, but was rejected by the Board of Trustees, who overturned the jury's decision. The prize went, instead, to Edith Wharton for The Age of Innocence. In 1926 Lewis refused the Pulitzer when he was awarded it for ARROWSMITH.