Books

West Hatfield, MA: Pennyroyal Press, 1985. Full leather. Near Fine. Barry Moser. A lovely, near-pristine example of this lavish 1985 Pennyroyal Press edition of Mark Twain's "Adventures of Huckleberry Finn". #14 OF 350 COPIES OF THIS CENTENARY EDITION, BOUND IN FULL GREEN LEATHER (EXECUTED BY E. GRAY PARROT, EASTHAMPTON, MASSACHUSETTS) AND SIGNED BY THE ILLUSTRATOR BARRY MOSER AT THE LIMITATION. THIS COPY ALSO INCLUDES THE ADDITONAL SUITE OF PLATES (IN THIS CASE, FEATURING 46 OF THE 49 BARRY MOSER WOODCUTS CALLED FOR) AND THE PUBLISHER'S OATMEAL LINEN CHEMISE AND SLIPCASE, NONE OF WHICH ARE MENTIONED IN THE LIMITATION. (The 3 missing plates within the suite are "Mark Twain", "The Cabin" and "Jim, Alone"). Clean and very well-preserved, with bright-gilt numbering and bordering to the front panel and crisp, completely unflecked gilt-titling and bordering along the spine. Thick folio, Barry Moser's highly-evocative woodcuts beautifully complementing the text. Foreword to this…

"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.