Books

Exceptionally rare three American first-year editions bound as one volume in three-quarter brown leather binding with tooled leather bands and gilt lettering on the spine and marbled end pages. Binding is firm, and leather is stable with moderate wear to the edges; pages dusty with age toning and light to moderate foxing/soiling. Height measures 9.25 inches. Double-column text. Volumes include: 1. Jane Eyre dated 1848 with Currer Bell listed as the editor, 174 pages. 2. Wuthering Heights dated 1848 with the book's author misattributed to "the author of Jane Eyre" when in fact it was written by her sister Emily Bronte, 112 pages. Published by Coolidge & Wiley in Boston near the same day as the Harper & Brothers, NY edition so uncertainty exists in the scholarship as to which edition first appeared in America; however, the Coolidge edition appears as the less common edition. 3. Shirley dated 1850 with Currer Bell 'Author of Jane Eyre" listed as author, 206 pages. These American editions are generally less common than their British counterparts and rarely found bound in one volume. Rare opportunity to own three editions that revolutionized and forever changed English literature.

"Jane Eyre" by Charlotte Bronte is a bildungsroman that chronicles the life of its eponymous protagonist. Orphaned and mistreated as a child, Jane Eyre grows up at Gateshead Hall under the care of her cruel aunt and cousins. She then attends Lowood School, where she faces hardship but receives an education that shapes her character. As a young woman, Jane becomes a governess at Thornfield Hall, employed by the enigmatic and brooding Mr. Rochester. Jane's time at Thornfield Hall is marked by her growing affection for Rochester, despite their differing social statuses. Their relationship blossoms until a shocking revelation about Rochester's past disrupts their plans for marriage. Forced to leave Thornfield Hall, Jane finds refuge at Moor House, where she discovers her distant relatives, the Rivers family. She forms strong bonds with them but remains haunted by her love for Rochester. The narrative reveals Jane's fierce independence, unwavering principles, and quest for autonomy and love despite societal constraints. Eventually, she inherits a fortune and learns that Rochester, now blind and maimed from a tragic fire, seeks reconciliation. Returning to Rochester, Jane finds him humbled and rehabilitated. They reunite and marry, embracing a life together built on mutual respect and equality. "Jane Eyre" is not only a tale of romance but also a nuanced exploration of societal expectations, feminism, morality, and the struggle for personal identity and integrity. Bronte's novel broke boundaries by portraying a strong-willed, independent female protagonist who defies convention in her pursuit of love and self-realization. The novel's enduring appeal lies in its compelling characters, richly detailed settings, and themes that resonate across generations, making "Jane Eyre" a timeless classic in English literature.