The Old Man and the Sea [First Printing] by Hemingway, Ernest - 1952

New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1952. First printing in original jacket. Scribner's "A" and seal at copyright page. Ernest Kirschten is signed inside cover in pencil. Interestingly, his stylish signature is very similar to Hemingway's, and quite possibly as it appears, actually from Hemingway's own hand as this was an early issuing of the first printing for review. Sea blue full cloth boards, Hemingway's signature blind-stamped at front board, silver spine titles, moderate shelf wear, toning, spine rub. Pages generally very good; several w/corner crease, brief pencilling. Bind fine; hinges intact. Dust wrapper moderate edge wear, rub; unclipped 3.00, protected in new clear sleeve. "Jacket design by 'A'" at front flap. Good true first edition in near very good wrapper. The last novel Ernest Hemingway saw published, "The Old Man and the Sea" has proved itself to be an enduring work of American fiction. Celebrated in twentieth century fiction and in Hemingway's canon, reaffirming his worldwide literary prominence and significant in his selection for the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1954. The story of an old Cuban fisherman and his supreme ordeal: a relentless, agonizing battle with a giant marlin far out in the Gulf Stream. Using simple, powerful language of a fable, Hemingway takes the timeless themes of courage in the face of defeat and personal triumph won from loss, and transforms them into a magnificent classic. Ernest H. Kirschten, was a veteran reporter and editorial writer for The St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Mr. Kirschten wrote a history of St. Louis entitled "Catfish and Crystal" published by Doubleday & Co. in 1960. His editorials for The Post-Dispatch on smog or 'smoke control' in 1939 won a Pulitzer Prize. Mr. Kirschten published a review of The Old Man and The Sea on September 7, 1952, a day before its release. It appears this very book was read for the review as there are several short dog ear creases and lightly pencilled underscore, bracketing towards middle and latter pages. 5 3/4" x 8 1/4" design. Printed in the United States of America. 140 pages. Insured post. . First Edition. Hardcover. Good/Good. 8vo - over 7¾" - 9¾" tall. Book.