Books

Hartford: American Publishing Co, 1894. First edition, first issue with the book bulking to 1 1/8”, State A of the frontispiece with Twain’s signature measuring 1 7/16” wide. Titlepage in red and black, with delightful illustrations in the margins to nearly every page. 8vo, publisher’s original rust-colored cloth decorated extensively in gilt and black on the upper cover and spine. 432pp. A lovely copy with only a bit of wear to the spine tips. A VERY HANDSOME AND PLEASING COPY OF THE FIRST ISSUE OF TWAIN’S BITING YET COMEDIC COMMENTARY ON SLAVERY AND THE ROLE OF RACE IN AMERICAN SOCIETY. It is a short novel featuring the brilliantly crafted character Roxanna, a mulatto slave who suffers dire consequences after switching her infant son with her master’s baby, and the clever Pudd’nhead Wilson, an ostracized small-town lawyer. Twain’s darkly comic masterpiece is a provocative exploration of slavery and miscegenation. In the words of Langstone Hughes,…

"The Tragedy of Pudd'nhead Wilson" is a novel by Mark Twain set in the antebellum South. The story centers on two infants, one white and one black, switched at birth. Pudd'nhead Wilson, a keen but socially awkward lawyer, plays a key role in uncovering the switch. The novel explores themes of racial identity, slavery, and social injustice. Twain employs his trademark wit to satirize societal norms while delivering a poignant commentary on prejudice and the tragic consequences of mistaken identities.