Books

First Edition, First Printing with the words "First Published 1950" printed on the copyright page. The original dustjacket has very minor wear to the head and base of the spine and corners. This First Issue dust jacket has a light "coffee cup" stain towards the 9s.6d. net printed price on the uncut bottom front flap. The printer appears to have had some difficulty with the name Cantwell. Also of importance: note the DJ has a spelling error "deeps" for "depths" in the final sentence of the 2nd. para. The book, 254 pp., 8vo., is in excellent condition. The binding is tight, with no cocking or leaning and the boards are crisp with only minor wear. A great copy of this TRUE FIRST EDITION that precedes the American edition by 3 days. Ex libris Stanislas Joly bookplate inside front cover.

Across the River and Into the Trees is a novel by American writer Ernest Hemingway, published by Charles Scribner's Sons in 1950, after first being serialized in Cosmopolitan magazine. The title derives from the last words of U.S. Civil War Confederate General Thomas J. (Stonewall) Jackson: “Let us cross over the river and rest under the shade of the trees.” Hemingway's novel chronicles the experiences of Colonel Richard Cantwell, an aging officer in the U.S. Army, during a weekend duck-hunting trip in Italy. Reflecting on his past and his love affair with a young countess, Cantwell's narrative captures themes of love, war, youth, and age.

Detection of a first edition of 'Across the River and Into the Trees' can be confirmed by looking for the publishing details indicating 'Charles Scribner's Sons, 1950.' Additional points include checking for the 'A' on the copyright page, which Scribner's used at that time to denote first printings.