Books

Paris: Bibliotheque Novelle De La Jeuesses, A Hennuyer, Imprimeur-Editeur, [ca. 1884, 1886]. Together two volumes. The first editions in French. Both novels feature black and white illustrations by Achille Sirouy. Square 8vos, each in the original cream cloth, beautifully decorated in colours from scenes out of the stories and lettered in red and black on the upper and lower cover and spine, a.e.g. 238; 276 pp. A fine, bright pair of these rare books, the cream cloth just slightly dusty. RARE. Very lovely copies of the first French editions of both Tom Sawyer and Huck Finn. These editions were beautifully illustrated and bound quiet differently from their American counterparts, only two copies of Tom Sawyer have are noted to have appeared at auction for over 30 years and there are no records at all for Huck Finn.

"The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn" is a classic American novel written by Mark Twain, published in 1884. Set in the pre-Civil War South, the story is narrated by Huckleberry "Huck" Finn, a teenage boy who runs away from his abusive father. Huck befriends Jim, an escaped slave, and together they embark on a journey down the Mississippi River on a raft. The novel begins with Huck living with the Widow Douglas and Miss Watson, who attempt to civilize him. However, Huck is uncomfortable with their rules and restrictions, so he fakes his own death and escapes to the river. There, he encounters Jim, who is also running away, and they form an unlikely bond. As they travel down the river, Huck and Jim face numerous adventures and challenges. They meet a pair of con artists, the Duke and the Dauphin, who join them on the raft. The Duke and the Dauphin create chaos wherever they go, and their schemes expose the hypocrisy and moral decay of society. One of the central themes of the novel is Huck's moral growth and his struggle with societal values. He grapples with the idea of helping Jim escape to freedom, which goes against the prevailing views on race and slavery at the time. Despite the prevailing racist attitudes of the society he comes from, Huck comes to see Jim as a friend and a human being deserving of freedom. The novel is known for its satirical portrayal of the antebellum South, its critique of societal norms, and its exploration of moral and ethical dilemmas. It's also celebrated for its use of the Southern dialect and its depiction of Huck's inner conflict as he navigates the complexities of right and wrong. As the story progresses, Huck and Jim's friendship deepens, and Huck faces a moral crisis when he learns that Jim is going to be sold back into slavery. Huck decides to help Jim, even if it means defying the law and the moral code of the society he comes from. In the end, the novel concludes with Huck rejecting civilization and deciding to strike out on his own, stating that he will "light out for the Territory ahead of the rest" to avoid being "sivilized." This open-ended conclusion leaves readers to ponder the implications of Huck's decision and the broader commentary on societal norms and individual conscience that Mark Twain weaves throughout the narrative.