Duell, Sloan and Pierce - Little, Brown, 1953, 1953. F. Hardcover. Dust Jacket Included. New York, 1953. Author's first book. First Edition. Copyright page states "FIRST EDITION." Near fine (with slight wear at spine ends) in near fine dust jacket (slight rubbing at edges). DJ price reads "$2.00.

Synopsis

On November 18th of alternate years Mr Earbrass begins writing 'his new novel.' Weeks ago he chose its title at random from a list of them he keeps in a little green note-book. It being tea-time of the 17th, he is alarmed not to have thought of a plot to which The Unstrung Harp might apply, but his mind will keep reverting to the last biscuit on the plate." So begins what the Times Literary Supplement called "a small masterpiece." TUH is a look at the literary life and its "attendant woes: isolation, writer's block, professional jealousy, and plain boredom." But, as with all of Edward Gorey's books, TUH is also about life in general, with its anguish, turnips, conjunctions, illness, defeat, string, parties, no parties, urns, desuetude, disaffection, claws, loss, trebizond, napkins, shame, stones, distance, fever, antipodes, mush, glaciers, incoherence, labels, miasma, amputation, tides, deceit, mourning, elsewards. You get the point. Finally, TUH is about Edward Gorey the writer, about Edward Gorey writing The Unstrung Harp. It's a cracked mirror of a book, and it's dedicated to RDP or Real Dear Person.

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Details

Bookseller: Bookbid Rare Books (US)
Bookseller's Inventory #: 004010
Title: The Unstrung Harp
Author: Gorey, Edward
Format/Binding: Hardcover
Book Condition: Used
Jacket Condition: Dust Jacket Included
Quantity Available: 1
Edition: F
Publisher: Duell, Sloan and Pierce - Little, Brown, 1953
Date Published: 1953

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About Bookbid Rare Books

Bookbid Rare Books is a rare book dealer located in Beverly Hills, California. The family run company has sold modern literary first editions and children's books for over 20 years. Member of ABAA, ILAB.

Glossary

Glossary

Some terminology that may be used in this description includes:

New: A new book is a book previously not circulated to a buyer. Although a new book is typically free of any faults or defects, "new"...
Jacket: Sometimes used as another term for dust jacket, a protective and often decorative wrapper, usually made of paper which wraps...
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...
Rubbing: Abrasion or wear to the surface. Usually used in reference to a book's boards or dust-jacket.
Copyright page: The page in a book that describes the lineage of that book, typically including the book's author, publisher, date of...
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....
Fine: A book in fine condition exhibits no flaws. A fine condition book closely approaches As New condition, but may lack the...