Mother Night by VONNEGUT, Kurt, Jr. (1922-2007) - 1968

London: Jonathan Cape, 1968. First UK Edition. Hardcover. Fine/Fine. First Impression of the author's third novel. 8vo: xvi,[2],202pp. Publisher's French blue cloth-effect paper-covered boards, spine lettered in gold, top edge stained yellow; illustrated dust jacket by Peter Gibberd, priced 22s / 6d, printed in blue, red, yellow, and black. Small faint stain to top edge, jacket's spine panel very lightly toned, else virtually pristine (and unread). Yet another example of the value to be found in the graphically superior designs of most UK editions of American authors's works. Pieratt, Huffman-klinkowitz and Klinkowitz AD6. Currey, p. 503. Mother Night—the title comes from a phrase uttered by Mephistopheles in Faust—is presented as the confession of Howard W. Campbell, Jr., an American playwright living in Germany with a German wife as World War II breaks out. "Campbell is persuaded to remain in Germany, cultivate the Nazis, and become an American agent. . . . At war's end he is spirited back to New York because his secret role cannot be revealed, and he is generally thought to be a Nazi. He is hunted by . . . the Israelis, to whom he eventually delivers himself. . . . In the end, Campbell commits suicide, condemning himself for 'crimes against myself.' . . . [The novel] takes a hard look at how people survive in such times as the Nazi reign, either believing themselves secretly aloof or escaping into narrow personal worlds, or by what Vonnegut calls 'schizophrenia'—simply obliterating a part of their consciousness." (enotes) N. B. With few exceptions (always identified), we only stock books in exceptional condition, with dust jackets carefully preserved in archival, removable polypropylene sleeves. All orders are packaged with care and posted promptly. Satisfaction guaranteed. (Fine Editions Ltd is a member of the Independent Online Booksellers Association, and we subscribe to its codes of ethics.).