Books

Small octavo (4.5" x 6.5"), 198 pages. Original First Edition, second state with broken type on pp. 66 and 198, no ad page. Hardback bound in red-brown cloth over beveled boards with gilt spine and cover titles, a gilt frog on the front cover; dark brown end-papers. A Poor to Fair copy: most of the spine cover is fully separated along the rear hinge and split along portions of the front hinge, tho' still attached; old water stains to the back cover and obvious to the inner preliminary and final leaves including title page, hardly noticeable to the text pages, 'tho they are a bit wavy (see scans). A center signature (pp. 99-118, slightly larger than remainder of text, a less-closely trimmed substitute?) is coming loose, held by only two threads of the binding. Nevertheless, a rare find - the First Edition of Twain's first published book! Priced to allow for possible restoration and needed preservation.

The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County, also known as 'The Notorious Jumping Frog of Calaveras County' is an 1865 short story by Mark Twain. It was his first great success as a writer and brought him national attention. The story is set in a gold-mining camp in Calaveras County, California, and the plot revolves around a jumping frog contest. Twain's narrative follows the gambler Jim Smiley, who has a frog that can jump higher than any other frog. This humorous tale is also known for its colorful characters, including the narrator, who is drawn into the story by the loquacious storyteller, Simon Wheeler.