The Big Sleep

by Chandler, Raymond

The Big Sleep is a crime novel by Raymond Chandler, the first in his acclaimed series about hardboiled detective Philip Marlowe. The work has been adapted twice into film, once in 1946 starring Humphry Bogart and Lauren Bacall, and again in 1978 starring Robert Mitchum. The story is noted for its complexity and is heavily influenced by classic Greek tragedy, with many characters double-crossing each other and many secrets being exposed throughout the narrative. -

First Edition Identification

 First edition published by Alfred A. Knopf in 1939. Stated first edition on the copyright page and $2.00 price point on the dust jacket. The initial edition barely sold 13,000. It was not until after the 1946 film that the novel gained in popularity. 

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The Big Sleep

The Big Sleep

by Chandler, Raymond

Condition
Used - Very Good
Jacket Condition
Very Good
Edition
First Thus
Published
1946
Binding
Hardcover
Quantity Available
1
Seller
Rockville, Maryland, USA
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$200.00

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Description:
Cleveland: The World Publishing Co., 1946. First Thus . Hardcover. Very Good/Very Good. 1946 World Publishing Co. First "Motion Picture Edition." States First Printing June 1936 on the copyright page. Contains great black and white photos of Bogey, Bacall and the movie. This book is in VG+/VG condition . The HB is still dark green with vivid black… Read more about this item
Item Price
$200.00
THE BIG SLEEP
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THE BIG SLEEP

by CHANDLER, RAYMOND

Condition
Used
Edition
First edition
Published
1939
Quantity Available
1
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Greencastle, Pennsylvania, USA
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$22,500.00

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Description:
New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1939., 1939. First edition. First edition. Author's first book. Fine, bright square copy with top edge dark blue and un-faded in dust jacket with a tiny (1/8") closed tear to top edge of rear panel and a tiny (1/8") closed tear and one inch wrinkle to bottom edge of the rear panel. A Haycraft/Queen… Read more about this item
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$22,500.00
The Big Sleep
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The Big Sleep

by Raymond Chandler

Condition
Used - Very Good Minus
Jacket Condition
Fine
Edition
1st Edition
Published
1939
Quantity Available
1
Seller
Tarrington, Herefordshire, GBR
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$638.55

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Description:
London: Hamish Hamilton, 1939. 1st Edition . Very Good Minus/Fine. 5.25 x 7.5 inches (13 x 19 cm). Dust jacket: New facsimile jacket. Preserved in a removable jacket protector. Overall jacket condition is Fine. Book: First printing of the first UK edition. Black cloth binding with red border to boards, red lettering to spine. Rubbing and a few… Read more about this item
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$638.55
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The Big Sleep

by Chandler, Raymond

Condition
Used - Good
Edition
First Edition
Published
1943
Binding
Softcover
Quantity Available
1
Seller
Northridge, California, USA
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$74.99

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Description:
NY: Avon. Good. 1943. First Edition. Softcover. Mass market paperback. First thus. Covers very creased/soiled. Edge soiled. Sound copy. ; 16mo 6" - 7" tall .
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$74.99
THE BIG SLEEP

THE BIG SLEEP

by Chandler, Raymond

Condition
Used
Edition
First Black Widow Thriller Edition
Published
1945
Quantity Available
1
Seller
Stephenson, Virginia, USA
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$2,500.00

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Description:
New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1945. First Black Widow Thriller Edition. Chandler's first and best-known novel, and the debut of Philip Marlowe - perhaps the most imitated character within the mystery genre. "On one level, this is a complex murder mystery with its fair share of clues and corpses. On another level, it is a serious novel concerned (as… Read more about this item
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$2,500.00
The Big Sleep.

The Big Sleep.

by CHANDLER, Raymond.

Condition
Used
Published
1939
Quantity Available
1
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LONDON, GBR
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$574.69

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Description:
Hamish Hamilton, London., 1939. First U.K. edition. Octavo. 302 pages.Contemporary (1939) ownership signature on front free endpaper. Free endpapers tanned. Edges spotted. Covers a bit rubbed. Good. No dustwrapper.
Item Price
$574.69
The Big Sleep
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The Big Sleep

by Raymond Chandler

Condition
Used - Very Good+
Jacket Condition
Very Good
Edition
1st Edition 1st Printing
Published
1939
Binding
Hardcover
Quantity Available
1
Seller
London, Greater London, GBR
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$3,639.73

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Description:
USA: Alfred A. Knopf, 1939. 1st Edition 1st Printing. Hardcover. Very Good+/Very Good. The Big Sleep by Raymond Chandler First Edition Alfred A. Knopf 1939. No inscriptions. Very small bookseller's label to ffep. Covers are VG+ in a near VG price clipped dust jacket.
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$3,639.73
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The Big Sleep

by Raymond Chandler

Condition
Used - Very Good Indeed
Published
1943
Binding
Paperback
Quantity Available
1
Seller
BATH, Somerset, GBR
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$178.79

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New York: Avon Book Company, 1943. Paperback. Very Good Indeed. 6.5" by 4.5". Not Stated. A New Avon Library edition of Raymond Chandler's thrilling mystery novel 'The Big Sleep', in the publisher's colourful paper wraps. The Big Sleep is the first novel to feature detective Philip Marlowe and is set in Los Angeles. Through the course of the novel,… Read more about this item
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$178.79
The Big Sleep
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The Big Sleep

by Chandler, Raymond

Condition
Used - Fine
Jacket Condition
Near Fine
Edition
1st Edition
Published
1945
Binding
Hardcover
Quantity Available
1
Seller
Beverly Hills, California, USA
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$15,000.00

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Description:
Knopf -- Black Widow, 1945. 1st Edition. Hardcover. Fine/Near Fine. First Black Widow edition inscribed by Chandler to the director John Houseman. "For John Houseman with the somewhat insufficient excuse that I forgot to murder him. Ray. 5.13.45." Chandler and Houseman began as English schoolyard compatriots and eventually went on to collaborate infamously ont he film "The Blue… Read more about this item
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$15,000.00
The Big Sleep.

The Big Sleep.

by Chandler, Raymond

Condition
Used
Published
1939
Quantity Available
1
Seller
Palm Beach, Florida, USA
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$7,000.00

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Description:
New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1939.
Item Price
$7,000.00
The Big Sleep
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The Big Sleep

by CHANDLER, RAYMOND

Condition
Used - Fair
Jacket Condition
Fair
Published
1946
Binding
Hardcover
Quantity Available
1
Seller
Whitby, Ontario, CAN
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$81.90

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Description:
Cleveland and New York: The World Publishing Company, 1946. Hardcover. Fair/Fair. 8vo. 165 p.p. Cloth. 'A Forum Book Motion Picture Edition' stamped on front board and printed on front f.l. Small nicks along top and bottom edges of dust-jacket. Bottom of dust-jacket spine lightly chipped, hardly interferring with text. Scratches throughout dust-jacket, larger one on spine interferring with… Read more about this item
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$81.90
The Big Sleep
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The Big Sleep

by Raymond Chandler

Condition
Used - Fair
Edition
Armed Services Edition (ASE)
Quantity Available
1
Seller
Floresville, Texas, USA
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$105.00

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ASE # 751 / Printed across two columns to make reading under battlefield conditions easier. Paperback, stapled on the short side. First and last page detached, as often seen with this edition, since at 288 pages this is one of the bulkier ASE titles. Pencil drawing on last page (map? diagram?)
Item Price
$105.00
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The Big Sleep

by Chandler, Raymond

Condition
Used - Very Good+
Jacket Condition
no dj
Edition
Limited 1st edition thus
Published
1986
Binding
Bound in beveled acrylic boards, cloth hinge , titles in blue
Quantity Available
1
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Brooklyn, New York, USA
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$1,375.00

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Limited edition (1 of 425 copies) of Chandler's classic "The Big Sleep". This edition was designed and printed by Andrew Hoyem at the Arion Press. Lou Stoumen's photo-lithography has a film-noir vibe. Signed by Stoumen. The book including the acrylic cover is VG+ . A Beautiful Copy.
Item Price
$1,375.00
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The Big Sleep

by Raymond Chandler

Condition
Used - Very Good
ISBN 10
0394758285
Quantity Available
1
Seller
Chicago, Illinois, USA
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$8.50

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Vintage Crime/Black Lizard. Used - Very Good. 1988. Reprint. Paperback. Very Good.
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$8.50
The Big Sleep
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The Big Sleep

by Chandler, Raymond

Condition
Used - Fair
Edition
1st Thus.
Published
1942
Binding
Paperback
Quantity Available
1
Seller
Fredericton, New Brunswick, CAN
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This seller has earned a 3 of 5 Stars rating from Biblio customers.
Item Price
$10.00

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Description:
New York: Avon Murder Mystery Monthly No. 7, 1942. Book. Illus. by Wm. Frost. Fair. Stiff Card Wraps. 1st Thus.. Digest. Chandler's first novel, which he based on two of his short stories ("Killer in the Rain" and "The Curtain"). 170 pages. Strongly cocked, significant handling wear, creases, spine edges scraped, short tears to bottom spine edges, tanning..… Read more about this item
Item Price
$10.00
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The Big Sleep

by Chandler, Raymond

Condition
New
ISBN 10
0394758285
Quantity Available
1
Seller
Victoria, British Columbia, CAN
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$16.00

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Vintage Books. New. Special order direct from the distributor
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$16.00
The Big Sleep.

The Big Sleep.

by Chandler, Raymond.

Condition
Used
Quantity Available
1
Seller
Concord, California, USA
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$183.75

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Description:
NY, Armed Services Editions, n.d. (1945), first edition thus, wrappers. Softcover.. No. 751 in this important series, Author's First Book, film source, to say that this is a mystery is wholly inadequate, Bruccoli check list I-6 (with an incorrect date of publication), issued by the Council on Books in Wartime, designed to fit the pocket of a World War… Read more about this item
Item Price
$183.75
The Big Sleep
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The Big Sleep

by Chandler, Raymond

Condition
Used - Very Good
Jacket Condition
No Jacket
Edition
1st Edition
Published
1939
Binding
Soft cover
Quantity Available
1
Seller
Beverly Hills, California, USA
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Item Price
$9,500.00

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Description:
Knopf, 1939. 1st Edition. Soft cover. Very Good/No Jacket. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1939, 1939. First Edition; advance reading copy of the author's first book. Original printed wrappers; spine faded but intact and not restored; some spotting and wear; near very good. The publisher's promotional front cover copy compares Chandler favorably to Hammett and Cain, which, in… Read more about this item
Item Price
$9,500.00
The Big Sleep: 1 (Philip Marlowe Novel)

The Big Sleep: 1 (Philip Marlowe Novel)

by Chandler, Raymond

Condition
Used - Good
Binding
Paperback
ISBN 10
0394758285
Quantity Available
1
Seller
GORING BY SEA, West Sussex, GBR
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$2.35

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Description:
Paperback. Good.
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$2.35
THE BIG SLEEP

THE BIG SLEEP

by CHANDLER, Raymond

Condition
Used - 8vo, 302pp. A good hardback copy in red cloth with title printed sideways in black. Binding slightly canted but solid and clean
Quantity Available
1
Seller
Camberwell, Victoria, AUS
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$59.38

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Hamish Hamilton, London, 1951.Reprint. 8vo, 302pp. A good hardback copy in red cloth with title printed sideways in black. Binding slightly canted but solid and clean. Price-clipped dust jacket is worn at extremities with piece lacking to top of spine. .
Item Price
$59.38