Books

Harper & Brothers. New York. 1940. 359 pages. First edition stated, first printing. Publisher's A-P code present on the copyright page just below the First Edition statement. Navy blue cloth with requisite red and white/gray boxed titles on the front panel and spine. 1940 date on both the copyright page and title page. Binding and hinges are sound. Endpapers are bright. Book is square with four sharp corners. Original, rare first issue DJ in yellow and bright green. This is the first state of the first edition DJ with no reviews on the spine area. FWIW, the second state of the first edition DJ has reviews on the spine. Again, this is the first state DJ of the first edition. Attractive, rare DJ has $2.50 price-clipped from the flap and replaced with a faint pencil price. The DJ shows minor edge rubbing and minimal soiling. This super-rare DJ would grade higher if not for slight sunning to the spine with an open one-inch chip at the crown. A most desirable, collectible copy of Richard Wright's classic. It's hard to imagine a crisper copy of this first edition exists. Book is fine, DJ is VG+ with flaws noted. A plum for any serious collector.

A groundbreaking novel that tells the story of a young African American man living in poverty in Chicago, dealing with racial discrimination and systemic oppression.