Books

New York: Harrison Smith & Robert Haas, 1932. First Edition. Octavo (21cm); original tan coarse cloth boards. First binding, lettered in blue and orange on spine and in orange on front cover; reddish-brown top-stain; dustjacket; 480pp. A Fine copy in the original, unclipped jacket, well-preserved but for two small clear tape repairs verso, mild rubbing and fading to spine and rear panel; Very Good+. Lacking the original (unprinted) glassine overlay. This appears to be a variant (as noted in Ahearn APG) with reddish-brown top-stain and sheets bulking to 1-3/16" (versus 1-1/16" in most copies), first noted by Pepper & Stern in 1994. The jacket also includes the unrecorded (per APG) variant "Lee Christmas" for "Joe Christmas" on front flap. A pretty copy, free of restoration or sophistications and with less than the usual fading to the jacket spine.

Light in August is a novel by the American author William Faulkner. First published in 1932, the novel is set in Faulkner's fictional Yoknapatawpha County and weaves together several intricate plots. The narrative centers around Joe Christmas, a man of uncertain racial heritage, and explores themes of identity, myth, and racism.

Identifying a first edition of 'Light in August' can involve checking the publisher's page for statements such as 'First Edition' or the presence of a date on the copyright page that matches the book's initial release date in 1932. For Smith & Haas editions, the absence of subsequent printings or editions may also indicate a first edition.