CompulsióN
by Levin, Meyer
The 20th century was not very old when Chicago played host to what was freely billed "the crime of the century." It happened in 1924, when two rich young men kidnapped and murdered a boy simply to exercise what they believed to be their superior intellectual skills. Both Nathan Leopold and Richard Loeb were sons of wealthy Jewish families in Chicago, arrogant in their sense of entitlement, sure they were above the law. Their vicious kidnapping and killing of Bobby Franks horrified the world, and the two were spared the death penalty only as the result of an extraordinary appeal by their defense attorney, the legendary Clarence Darrow.Novelist Meyer Levin covered the Leopold-Loeb trial as a student reporter and, some 30 years later, returned to the subject -- and the reporter's perspective -- in novelized form in Compulsion, published in 1956. Fiction allowed Levin to project himself inside the heads of the murderers (Leopold was still alive and in prison at the time), to explore elements in their behavior -- such as their homosexual tendencies -- not easily confronted at that time. The novel transforms Leopold and Loeb into Judd Steiner and Artie Strauss, their victim into Paulie Kessler and their defense attorney into Jonathan Wilk. Levin's novel is in two parts, "The Crime of the Century" and "The Trial of the Century." It explores the reasons the young men chose to commit a "perfect" crime -- a crime that was otherwise meaningless -- and it dramatizes the remarkable summation by their attorney that saved them from the gallows.Interestingly, the publication (and subsequent film adaptation) of Compulsion angered one person -- Nathan Leopold, who had been an exemplary and even heroic prisoner, and was paroled in 1958, after Erle Stanley Gardner and Carl Sandburg testified at his parole hearing. (Loeb, who had become surly and violent in prison, was murdered there in a knife fight in 1936.) Leopold was offended by the novel and film, and he sued both Meyer Levin and the film's producer Richard Zanuck for invasion of privacy. The case dragged for over a decade; when it was decided in 1970, Leopold was ruled to be a public figure and not entitled to the protection of privacy. He died the following year.
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COMPULSION
by Levin, Meyer
- Condition
- Used
- Edition
- First Edition; First Printing
- Published
- 1956
- Binding
- Hardcover
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Seller
-
Pomona, New York, USA
- Item Price
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$127.80
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New York: Simon & Schuster. 1956. First Edition; First Printing. Hardcover. Very Good in a Very Good dust jacket. Jacket has several small tears, minimal edge wear. ; 8vo 8" - 9" tall . Item Price
$127.80
Compulsion: A Play
by Levin, Meyer
- Condition
- Used - Very Good
- Jacket Condition
- Very Good
- Edition
- 1st Edition 1st Printing
- Published
- 1959
- Binding
- Hardcover
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Seller
-
Woodlawn, Illinois, USA
- Item Price
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$49.99
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New York, New York: Simon And Schuster, 1959. 1st Edition 1st Printing. Hardcover. Very Good/Very Good. 8vo - over 7¾" - 9¾" tall. First Edition (Stated First Printing). The Book Is Bound In Orange With Black Lettering On The Spine. The Top Edges Are Dyed Black. The Pages Have Tanned Because Of Age And Paper… Read more about this item Item Price
$49.99
Compulsion - A Play
by LEVIN, Meyer
- Condition
- Used - Near Fine
- Jacket Condition
- Near Fine
- Edition
- First Thus
- Published
- 1959
- Binding
- Hardcover
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Seller
-
Springtown, Pennsylvania, USA
- Item Price
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$125.00
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New York: Simon & Schuster, 1959. Light toning to type on spine of d.w. First Play edition; foreword by the author; previous owners stamp on ffep.; 132pp. Scarce. Based on the best selling novel of the 1950's. . First Thus. Hard Cover. Near Fine/Near Fine. Item Price
$125.00
Compulsion: A Play
by LEVIN, Meyer
- Condition
- Used - fine
- Jacket Condition
- near fine
- Edition
- First
- Published
- 1959
- Binding
- Hardcover
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Seller
-
New York, New York, USA
- Item Price
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$450.00
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New York: Simon & Schuster, 1959. First. hardcover. fine/near fine. Small 8vo, orange cloth, d.w. New York: Simon & Schuster, (1959). First Edition. Fine.<br/> <br/> Meyer's dramatization of his 1956 novel. The pages are tanned, as usual, due to bad quality paper. Signed and dated 1959 by Levin on the half-title.<br/> <br/> Item Price
$450.00
Compulsion
by Levin, Meyer
- Condition
- Used - Good
- Jacket Condition
- No Jacket
- Edition
- Reprint
- Published
- 1964
- Binding
- Paperback
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Seller
-
Georgetown, South Australia, AUS
- Item Price
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$8.50
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Description:
London: Transworld Publishers, 1964. some wear to covers and edges, otherwise book clean and tight. Reprint. Paperback. Good/No Jacket. 12mo - over 6¾" - 7¾" tall. Item Price
$8.50
Compulsion
by LEVIN, Meyer
- Condition
- Used - Near Fine
- Jacket Condition
- Very Good
- Published
- 1957
- Binding
- Hardcover
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Seller
-
Gloucester City, New Jersey, USA
- Item Price
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$40.00
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London: Frederick Muller, 1957. Hardcover. Near Fine/Very Good. First British edition. Spine slightly cocked, foredge with a small stain, near fine in a lightly soiled very good dust jacket with slight toning to the spine, rear panel and extremities, and a few small chips and tears. A novel based on the Leopold-Loeb murder case, and the basis for… Read more about this item Item Price
$40.00
Compulsion
by Meyer Levin
- Condition
- Used - Very Good-
- Edition
- First Thus
- Published
- 1990
- Quantity Available
- 1
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riverdale, New York, USA
- Item Price
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$70.00
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Levin, Meyer. [1956]. 1990. Compulsion. (Franklin Mystery). Reprint. Frontispiece by Jarmila Maranova. Franklin Center, PA: Franklin Library, 1990. Printed in the United States of America. 474p. 6.40x1.50x9.40. Green full-leather binding with gilt decorations, spine titles, and page edges; green satin ribbon bookmark. Collectible hardcover book in VERY GOOD condition. Clean, unmarked pages. Slight wear to the case exterior, including a… Read more about this item Item Price
$70.00
Compulsion
by Meyer Levin
- Condition
- Used - Very Good
- Jacket Condition
- Good
- Published
- 1967
- Binding
- Hardcover
- ISBN
- 9780584310115
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Seller
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Wellington, NZL
- Item Price
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$4.79
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Description:
Frederick Muller Ltd. Very Good. Hardcover. 1967. 412 pages. Dj rpped at rear<br> . Item Price
$4.79
Compulsion
by Levin, Meyer
- Condition
- Used - Near Fine
- Jacket Condition
- Very Good
- Edition
- First American Edition
- Published
- 1956
- Binding
- Hardcover
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Seller
-
SANTA BARBARA, California, USA
- Item Price
-
$108.00
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Description:
New York: Simon & Schuster, 1956. Nice copy with First Printing stated on copyright page. Unmarked, tight and square. Basis for excellent film done in 1959 with Bradford Dillman, Dean Stockwell and Orson Welles. Book is bound in read and black cloth with gold stamping and red topstain. Sharp tips, light soiling to small part of… Read more about this item Item Price
$108.00
Compulsion.
by LEVIN, MEYER.
- Condition
- Used
- Edition
- FIRST EDITION
- Published
- 1959
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Seller
-
San Francisco, California, USA
- Item Price
-
$150.00
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Description:
New York: Simon and Schuster, 1959. FIRST EDITION. Text slightly browned from poor quality paper used. A fine copy in a fine dust jacket. Meyer's highly successful dramatization of his 1956 novel about the 1920s Leopold-Loeb murder.
Item Price
$150.00
Compulsion
by Levin, Meyer
- Condition
- Used - Good
- Jacket Condition
- Good
- Edition
- First Edition
- Published
- 1956
- Binding
- Hardcover
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Seller
-
Salem, Oregon, USA
- Item Price
-
$50.00
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Description:
Simon and Schuster, 1956. First Edition. Hardcover. Good/Good. Stated first printing. 495 pages. Red quarter-cloth, black boards, gilt titles. Covers show light to moderate edgewear, cloth stained at spine. Spine square. Binding sound. Dust jacket foxed, toned, stained, with light general edgewear, large chip from spine foot. DJ protected in Mylar. Cover price $5.00. Bottom edge of textblock… Read more about this item Item Price
$50.00
COMPULSION.
by Levin, Meyer.
- Condition
- Used - Near Fine in Very Good dust jacket
- Edition
- First Edition; First Printing
- Published
- 1959
- Binding
- Hardcover
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Seller
-
Santa Monica, California, USA
- Item Price
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$75.00
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Description:
SIMON & SCHUSTER. NY 1959. Near Fine in Very Good dust jacket. 1959. First Edition; First Printing. Hardcover. First edition. Near fine in very good dust jacket. (Cheap paper stock has darkened as usual with this title. 1/4"-inch chip at crest of spine on jacket. Previous owner's name inked at head of front paste-down, obscured by jacket… Read more about this item Item Price
$75.00
Compulsion
by Levin, Meyer
- Condition
- Used - VG
- Jacket Condition
- No Jacket
- Edition
- First UK
- Published
- 1957
- Binding
- Hardcover
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Seller
-
Castlemaine, Victoria, AUS
- Item Price
-
$13.07
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Description:
London: Shakespeare Head, 1957 8vo. original red and black boards gilt (rubbed & a little worn at extremities, slight spine slant, relevant newspaper clipping pasted to front pastedown; lacks dustwrapper); pp. 412. A very good copy. . First UK. Hard Cover. VG/No Jacket. Item Price
$13.07
Compulsion
by Levin, Meyer
- Condition
- Used - Poor
- Jacket Condition
- No Jacket
- Edition
- First Edition
- Published
- 1957
- Binding
- Hardcover
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Seller
-
Johannesburg, ZAF
- Item Price
-
$5.00
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Description:
Frederick Muller, 1957. First Edition. Hardcover. Poor/No Jacket. boards are worn, chipped and knocked. thorough foxing, staining and marks. gift inscription. a rather worn reading copy.[SK]. Our orders are shipped using tracked courier delivery services. Item Price
$5.00
Compulsion
by Levin, Meyer.
- Condition
- Used - Fine
- Jacket Condition
- Near Fine
- Edition
- 1st Edition
- Published
- 1956
- Binding
- Hardcover
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Seller
-
Highland Park, Illinois, USA
- Item Price
-
$35.00
Show Details
Description:
New York: Simon and Schuster., 1956, 1956. 1st Edition . Hardcover. Fine/Near Fine. Photos of book emailed upon request
Item Price
$35.00
Compulsion
by LEVIN Meyer
- Condition
- Used - Very Good
- Jacket Condition
- Good
- Edition
- Second Impression
- Published
- 1957
- Binding
- Hardcover
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Seller
-
Christchurch, Canterbury, NZL
- Item Price
-
$10.78
Show Details
Description:
London: Muller, 1957 unclipped DW has heavy handling soiling (dust) but is otherwise tidy, book is tidy, novelisation based on the Leopold-Loeb case, also of note is that Ian Brady gev Myra Hindley a copy of this book to 'train' her for her part in what became known as the 'Moors Murders', second impression of UK edition. Second Impression. Hard… Read more about this item Item Price
$10.78
Compulsion
by Meyer Levin
- Condition
- Used - CollectibleGood
- ISBN
- 9789997412263
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Seller
-
Wantage, New Jersey, USA
- Item Price
-
$62.50
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Description:
CollectibleGood. **First Edition/First Printing** Hardcover copy is in good, solid, condiiton,DJ has some wear with minor tearing,unmarked text, a good copy. We take great pride in accurately describing the condition of our books and media, ship within 48 hours, and offer a 100% money back guarantee. Customers purchasing more than one item from us may be entitled to… Read more about this item Item Price
$62.50
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Compulsion ((Franklin Mystery))
by Levin,Meyer
- Condition
- Used - Good
- Published
- 1990
- Binding
- Hardcover
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Seller
-
Seattle, Washington, USA
- Item Price
-
$68.00
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Description:
Franklin Library, 1990. Hardcover. Good. Pages can have notes/highlighting. Spine may show signs of wear. ~ ThriftBooks: Read More, Spend Less.Shelf and handling wear to cover and binding, with general signs of previous use. Wear commensurate with age and use. Clean unmarked copy. Light bending and bowing to boards and pages near fore… Read more about this item Item Price
$68.00
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Compulsion ((Franklin Mystery))
by Levin,Meyer
- Condition
- Used - Very Good
- Published
- 1990
- Binding
- Hardcover
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Seller
-
Seattle, Washington, USA
- Item Price
-
$68.00
Show Details
Description:
Franklin Library, 1990. Hardcover. Very Good. May have limited writing in cover pages. Pages are unmarked. ~ ThriftBooks: Read More, Spend Less.Minor shelf and handling wear, overall a clean solid copy with minimal signs of use. Secure packaging for safe delivery.Dust jacket quality is not guaranteed. Item Price
$68.00
Compulsion
by Levin, Meyer
- Condition
- Used - Fair
- Jacket Condition
- No Jacket
- Edition
- 3rd Edition
- Published
- 1957
- Binding
- Hardcover
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Seller
-
Johannesburg, ZAF
- Item Price
-
$5.00
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Description:
Frederick Muller, 1957. 3rd Edition. Hardcover. Fair/No Jacket. boards are shelf rubbed, edge worn and marked. tanning. mild foxing. ownership inscriptions. light marks. well bound. fair copy.[S.K]. Our orders are shipped using tracked courier delivery services. Item Price
$5.00