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Mardi: and A Voyage Thither
by Melville, Herman (1819–1891)
- Used
- very good
- Hardcover
- first
- Condition
- Very Good/Fine
- Seller
-
Fort Worth, Texas, United States
Payment Methods Accepted
About This Item
2 volumes. [xii]-365 pages; [xii]-387+[8 ad] pages. Small octavo (7 1/2" x 5 1/4") Original blind stamped plum cloth, gilt title to spines, Harpers gilt logo at base of spine with yellow coated end-papers in a three quarter leather in custom made half leather over marbled boards slipcase. (BAL 13658) First American edition.
Mardi (the Polynesian word meaning "the world") is Melville's first pure fiction work (while featuring fictional narrators, his previous novels were heavily autobiographical). It details (much like Typee and Omoo) the traveling's of an American sailor who abandons his whaling vessel to explore the South Pacific. Unlike the first two, however, Mardi is highly philosophical and said to be the first work to show Melville's true potential. The tale begins as a simple narrative, but quickly focuses upon discourse between the main characters and their interactions with the different symbolic countries they encounter. While not as cohesive or lengthy as Moby-Dick, it shares a similar writing style as well as many of the same themes.
Condition:
Plumb coloring has faded and spine sunned with gilt dulled, some foxing through out, corners bumped with some light rubbing, previous owner's name in pencil on title else about very good in a fine slipcase.
Mardi (the Polynesian word meaning "the world") is Melville's first pure fiction work (while featuring fictional narrators, his previous novels were heavily autobiographical). It details (much like Typee and Omoo) the traveling's of an American sailor who abandons his whaling vessel to explore the South Pacific. Unlike the first two, however, Mardi is highly philosophical and said to be the first work to show Melville's true potential. The tale begins as a simple narrative, but quickly focuses upon discourse between the main characters and their interactions with the different symbolic countries they encounter. While not as cohesive or lengthy as Moby-Dick, it shares a similar writing style as well as many of the same themes.
Condition:
Plumb coloring has faded and spine sunned with gilt dulled, some foxing through out, corners bumped with some light rubbing, previous owner's name in pencil on title else about very good in a fine slipcase.
Extended Description and Notes
Mardi: and a Voyage Thither is the third book by American writer Herman Melville, first published in London in 1849. Beginning as a travelogue in the vein of the author's two previous efforts, the adventure story gives way to a romance story, which in its turn gives way to a philosophical quest.
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Details
- Bookseller
- The Book Collector ABAA, ILAB, TBA
(US)
- Bookseller's Inventory #
- L0036
- Title
- Mardi: and A Voyage Thither
- Author
- Melville, Herman (1819–1891)
- Book Condition
- Used - Very Good
- Jacket Condition
- Fine
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Edition
- First
- Binding
- Hardcover
- Publisher
- Harper & Brothers Publishers
- Place of Publication
- New York
- Date Published
- 1849
- Pages
- 2 volumes
- Size
- Small octavo
- Weight
- 0.00
- Bookseller catalogs
- Literature;
- Note
- May be a multi-volume set and require additional postage.
Terms of Sale
The Book Collector ABAA, ILAB, TBA
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About the Seller
The Book Collector ABAA, ILAB, TBA
Biblio member since 2005
Fort Worth, Texas
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About The Book Collector ABAA, ILAB, TBA
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Glossary
Some terminology that may be used in this description includes:
- Marbled boards
- ...
- 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...
- 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....
- Octavo
- Another of the terms referring to page or book size, octavo refers to a standard printer's sheet folded four times, producing...
- Cloth
- "Cloth-bound" generally refers to a hardcover book with cloth covering the outside of the book covers. The cloth is stretched...
- Fine
- A book in fine condition exhibits no flaws. A fine condition book closely approaches As New condition, but may lack the...
- Sunned
- Damage done to a book cover or dust jacket caused by exposure to direct sunlight. Very strong fluorescent light can cause slight...
- Rubbing
- Abrasion or wear to the surface. Usually used in reference to a book's boards or dust-jacket.
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