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First edition, sole printing, review copy with the secretarial presentation inscription on the front free endpaper, "Compliments of the author", and the limitation page stamped "Review Copy" in purple underneath the printed notice that 170 copies were printed on Rives handmade paper. The fragile nature of this production means that copies in such well-preserved condition are seldom encountered. Grissom states there were an additional 130 "damaged" copies with the watermark discernible on the frontispiece that were consequently given away as gifts or review copies. This copy is among the 170 "perfect" copies without the watermarked frontispiece, evidencing that the publishers took not only from damaged stock when sending copies out for review. Considered one of the most original short story collections in 20th-century literature, in our time established Hemingway as a writer of great promise. F. Scott Fitzgerald wrote to Maxwell Perkins after reading the work, "this is to tell you about a young man named Ernest Hemingway [sic]... its remarkable & I'd look him up right away. He's the real thing" (10 October 1924). Edmund Wilson's review shows that the essence of Hemingway was already acknowledged at this early stage. "His prose is of the first distinction, [demonstrating] a naiveté of language often passing into the colloquialism of the character dealt with, which serves actually to convey profound emotions and complex states of mind. It is a distinctively American development in prose. [Hemingway] is rather strikingly original" (The Dial, October 1924). The book was the final installment in Ezra Pound's "The Inquest into the state of contemporary English prose" series. An American edition, published by Boni & Liveright as In Our Time, appeared the following year. READ MORE Tall octavo. Original buff boards lettered in black and printed in red with decorative newspaper collage, edges uncut. Housed in a custom red quarter morocco folding box. Woodcut portrait frontispiece of the author by Henry Strater. Printed on handmade paper watermarked with the publisher's device. Red morocco book label of the American bibliophile John Stuart Groves (1921-1997). Chip to spine head, bright boards with central vertical crease and a little wear, usual browning to endpapers from binder's glue, contents clean. A near-fine copy. Grissom A2.1.a; Hanneman 3a. Connolly, The Modern Movement 49.

"In Our Time" is a collection of short stories by Ernest Hemingway, published in 1924. This groundbreaking work intertwines a series of vignettes and short narratives, offering a glimpse into the lives of characters dealing with the aftermath of World War I. Hemingway's prose is characterized by its brevity and precision, echoing the sentiments of the "Lost Generation," a term often associated with the disillusioned post-war youth. The collection features themes of war, human connection, and the struggle for identity in a world recovering from conflict. The book's structure alternates between short, evocative vignettes and more traditional short stories, providing a mosaic of experiences that portray the effects of war on individuals and society. Hemingway's spare and economical style captures moments of despair, isolation, and the search for meaning amidst the chaos and uncertainty of the era. Several stories within the collection stand out, including "Indian Camp," where a young boy witnesses birth and death in a stark and brutal manner, illustrating the harsh realities of life. "Big Two-Hearted River" follows the journey of Nick Adams, a recurring Hemingway character, as he grapples with internal struggles while on a fishing trip. Hemingway's narrative style reflects the trauma of war and its impact on the human psyche. The stories often convey a sense of emotional detachment and stoicism, mirroring the numbness experienced by those affected by the war's horrors. "In Our Time" is not just a collection of stories but also a poignant reflection on the post-war period, exploring themes of loss, disillusionment, and the quest for meaning in a world where traditional values and beliefs were shattered by the devastating effects of war. Hemingway's masterful storytelling and innovative narrative techniques have made this collection a significant work in American literature, showcasing the author's ability to convey profound themes in concise and powerful prose.