Books

New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1939. First edition. Near fine in restored jacket.. First printing of Chandler's first novel, the inimitable book that marks the apex of noir. An existential confusion pervades this Los Angeles novel, kept at bay only by the sheer stoic will of detective Philip Marlowe, who is first introduced here. Chandler is a master prose stylist, subtly building atmosphere with deceptively simple prose. (In a 1948 letter, Chandler described his goal as "the creation of emotion through dialogue and description" [May 7, to Frederick Lewis Allen]). It is the perfect tone for the American-born subgenre of mystery called noir. An unforgettable work of craft and grit. 7.5'' x 4.5''. Original full orange cloth, stamped in blue on spine and boards. Original unclipped blue and red dust jacket designed by Hans J. Barschel. Blue topstain. pages. [8], 277, [1] pages. Housed in a custom clamshell box. Toning to front pastedowns and hinges, old tape marks expertly repaired with…

The Big Sleep is a hardboiled crime novel by Raymond Chandler, the first in his acclaimed series about detective Philip Marlowe. The story is set in Los Angeles and follows Marlowe as he investigates a complex case involving blackmail, mystery, and murder, which begins with a wealthy general who is being blackmailed and needs Marlowe's help.

First editions of 'The Big Sleep' can be recognized by their distinctive dust jacket featuring droplets on a cobwebbed background, published by Alfred A. Knopf in 1939. The absence of a topstain on the book edges and the $2.00 price on the dust jacket flap are also indicative of a true first edition first printing.