Books

New York, NY: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1952. First Edition, First Printing. Hardcover. Octavo, 140 pages. In Very Good condition with a Very Good minus condition dust jacket. Blue and brown seascape design spine with black and white lettering. Dust jacket is wrapped in a mylar covering, price is clipped, has mild shelving wear, chipping along the tail edges and rear joint, a white stain on the spine, and mild age-toning throughout. Boards have mild shelving wear, mild wear along the fore corners, mild wearing along the head and tail edges, and mild age-toning along the head and tail edges. Textblock has stains on the end-pages, mild wear along the edges, and stains on the edges. DL consignment. Shelved in Case 2. Ernest Hemingway was born July 21, 1899 in the affluent Chicago suburb of Oak Park, Illinois. He would lead a storied and tumultuous career as a journalist, poet, and writer making friends with many literary giants of the age including F. Scott Fitzgerald and James Joyce. In…

"The Old Man and the Sea" is a novella written by Ernest Hemingway and published in 1952. Set in the Gulf Stream off the coast of Cuba, the story follows Santiago, an aging Cuban fisherman, as he engages in an epic struggle against a massive marlin, a battle that becomes a profound test of his strength, endurance, and determination. The novella begins with Santiago, who has not caught a fish in 84 days, feeling unlucky and discouraged. Despite the skepticism of others, Santiago remains determined to prove himself and set out to sea alone in his small skiff, the "Santíago." He sets his lines far out into the Gulf Stream and patiently waits for a catch. After a long wait, Santiago finally feels a tug on one of his lines and realizes he has hooked a massive marlin. The ensuing battle between man and fish is grueling and intense, with Santiago struggling against the marlin's immense strength and refusing to give up despite exhaustion and physical pain. As the struggle continues, Santiago's thoughts turn to the nature of life, fate, and the human condition. He reflects on his own mortality and the passage of time, finding solace in memories of his youth and past accomplishments. Throughout the ordeal, Santiago demonstrates courage, resilience, and a deep connection to the natural world. Eventually, after a relentless struggle lasting several days, Santiago manages to harpoon the marlin and lash it alongside his skiff. However, Santiago's triumph is short-lived, as sharks are drawn to the marlin's blood and begin to attack the carcass, destroying Santiago's prize catch. Despite the loss of the marlin, Santiago returns to shore with his head held high, earning the respect and admiration of his fellow fishermen. Although physically defeated, Santiago emerges spiritually triumphant, having proved his worth as a fisherman and reaffirmed his dignity in the face of adversity. "The Old Man and the Sea" is a timeless tale of courage, resilience, and the enduring human spirit. Hemingway's spare and evocative prose captures the beauty and brutality of the natural world, while Santiago's struggle against the marlin serves as a powerful metaphor for the universal human experience of striving against the odds.

Identifying a first edition of 'The Old Man and the Sea' can typically be determined by the publisher's name, Charles Scribner's Sons, with an 'A' present on the copyright page, and no subsequent print dates listed. The jacket is a brown and blue design. Octavo. Light blue calico-grain cloth, spine lettered in silver. The rear photograph of the author is tinted in either blue or brown. There are unresolved disputes between experts on which tint came first, though brown has preference in the book collecting community.