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The Scarlet Letter

The Scarlet Letter

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The Scarlet Letter

by Hawthorne, Nathaniel

  • Used
  • near fine
  • first
Condition
Near Fine
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Seller rating:
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Portland, Oregon, United States
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About This Item

Boston: Ticknor, Reed and Fields, 1850. First Edition. Near Fine. First edition, with uncorrected errors: "reduplicate" for "repudiate" on line 20 of page 21; "characterss" page 41, line 5; "Chatechism" page 132, line 29; and "known of it" page 199, line 4. In a lovely, near-contemporary half-leather over marbled paper binding, bound without ads. One of the most widely printed and acclaimed American novels of all time, a historical revisitation of Puritan Massachusetts.

Synopsis

The Scarlet Letter: A Romance (1850) is considered the American author Nathaniel Hawthorne's 'masterwork.' A work of historical fiction set in the Massachusetts Bay Colony during the Puritan settlement of 1642-1949 itells the story of Hester Prynne, who after having a child as a result of an extra-marital affair attempts to live a life of repentance and dignity although she is marked by having to wear a Scarlett A on her person. Throughout the novel, Hawthorne explores themes of legalism, sin, and guilt. The Scarlett Letter was one of the first mass-produced novels in the United States, prior printing of books generally done by hand. The 2,500 copies first printed sold out in days, and the mass-production of books opened up conversation about books and authors to a wider-audience on a national level. The first edition of The Scarlet Letter sold out in ten days and “made Hawthorne’s fame, changed his fortune and gave to our literature its first symbolic novel a year before the appearance of Melville’s Moby-Dick” (Bradley). Although an instant best-seller, the books sales over fourteen years only brought the author $1500.

Read More: Identifying first editions of The Scarlet Letter

Reviews

On Oct 4 2010, Erhanilhan said:
An absolute criticism of Puritan society. Hawthorne portrays the hypocritic sides of the society by pointing its discrepancies and ill-interpreted biblical sides deeds. He also shows that the society was not working in the name of god as stated; instead worked for a group of people (especially powerful) that keep the lines in hand.

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Details

Bookseller
Burnside Rare Books, ABAA US (US)
Bookseller's Inventory #
140938294
Title
The Scarlet Letter
Author
Hawthorne, Nathaniel
Book Condition
Used - Near Fine
Quantity Available
1
Edition
First Edition
Publisher
Ticknor, Reed and Fields
Place of Publication
Boston
Date Published
1850
Bookseller catalogs
Literature;

Terms of Sale

Burnside Rare Books, ABAA

30 day return guarantee, with full refund including shipping costs for up to 30 days after delivery if an item arrives misdescribed or damaged.

About the Seller

Burnside Rare Books, ABAA

Seller rating:
This seller has earned a 5 of 5 Stars rating from Biblio customers.
Biblio.com member since 2010
Portland, Oregon
Ask Seller a Question

About Burnside Rare Books, ABAA

Burnside Rare Books specializes in literary first editions and works of cultural and historic significance. We are located in Portland, Oregon and welcome visitors by appointment.

Glossary

Some terminology that may be used in this description includes:

Marbled Paper
Decorative colored paper that imitates marble with a veined, mottled, or swirling pattern. Commonly used as the end papers or...
Fine
A book in fine condition exhibits no flaws. A fine condition book closely approaches As New condition, but may lack the...
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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