Dickens: The Man and the Book, Ralph Straus — 1st Edition

£20.00

Dickens: The Man and the Book, Ralph Straus — 1st Edition

Name: Dickens: The Man and the Book, Ralph Straus — 1st Edition
Brand: Broadhursts Books
SKU: 5618
Price: 20.00 GBP
Availability: InStock

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Publication: London, Thomas Nelson & Sons Ltd., 1936

Formatting: 8vo, pp. 240.

Condition Report: Very Good. The binding remains firm and remarkably tight, with no leaning to the spine. Internally, the text block is predominantly clean, though mild, scattered foxing is present, most notably to the preliminary leaves, the title page, and the margins of the frontispiece. The original black top-edge tint is still present, albeit slightly dulled from dust. The unclipped dust jacket presents very well, retaining its vibrant orange and cream colouring, though it exhibits some light shelf-wear to the extremities, including minor nicks and rubbing to the spine ends, alongside mild age-toning to the rear panel.

Catalogue Note: This First Edition was specifically published to commemorate the Pickwick Centenary in 1936. It was issued as part of Nelson’s ‘Argosy Books’ series, notable for its striking, uniform jacket designs that feature a nautical colophon and bold, wavy Art Deco patterns. The volume retains its frontispiece portrait of Charles Dickens.

The front free endpaper bears the neat ink signature of a previous owner, Granville Garley.

This original 1936 'Argosy Books' imprint, complete with its original 3s. 6d. dust jacket, is decidedly uncommon on the open market today.

Published to celebrate the centenary of The Pickwick Papers, Dickens: The Man and the Book offers a captivating blend of biography and literary anthology. Ralph Straus, serving as the perfect editor and guide, seamlessly weaves together long, celebrated passages from Dickens’s works with insightful narrative and commentary. The result is a vibrant portrait of the novelist's life-story and a comprehensive survey of the enduring characters and worlds he created.

Book Condition: Very Good

Book Authors: Ralph Straus

Book Publisher: Thomas Nelson & Sons Ltd.

Book Language: English

Narrative Type: Non-Fiction

Genre: Autobiography, Biography & Memoirs

Book edition: First Edition

Signed: No

Book Pages: 240

Book Publication Year: 1936

Book Publication Date:

Book Binding: Hardcover

Illustrator: Marcel Maurel

Book Series: Argosy Books

Country/region of manufacture: London, United Kingdom

Book Dimensions:

Book Condition Guide

We stock thousands of books in a wide range of conditions. To make things clear and to help you know exactly what to expect, Please refer to these condition categories to understand the condition of the book you will receive.

Condition	Description
New	A brand-new, unread and professionally handled book. Carefully preserved from publication to purchase, these books are offered in the best attainable condition. This grade applies to recently published titles that have not entered long-term storage.
As New	The book is in pristine, original condition as if just published. No signs of use or handling. The dust jacket (if present) is equally flawless. This grade applies to any book that has remained untouched in storage for years.
Fine	The book is close to As New. It remains bright and attractive, but could show minor imperfections to the boards and/or dust jacket (if present). Its pages are typically clean and unmarked.
Near Fine	The book has a number of small flaws, i.e. slight rubbing to the edges, or tiny chips or creases to the dust jacket (if present). Its pages may have faint marks, or creases that are barely perceptible — nothing that detracts from their overall condition.
Very Good	The book maintains its structural integrity, and has no major flaws such as tears to its binding or pages. It may, however, show signs of careful use, handling, or storage — small marks and creases, light foxing. Its dust jacket (if present) remains fully intact, but small tears may be present.
Good	A book that remains intact and readable with complete text pages, but shows moderate signs of wear and use to both the book and dust jacket (if present). It may have noticeable creases, nicks, or stains, and the spine likely shows fading, bumping, and rubbing. There could be writing, underlining, and other marks on some pages, though the majority will be clean and tidy.
Fair	A book with significant wear or damage. The text pages will be complete, but there may be heavy underlining, highlighting and staining throughout, and the book’s endpapers, half-title, and copyright pages could be damaged or missing. The binding could be loose, and the dust jacket (if present) may have notable scuffs or tears. These copies are usually of interest for content, signature(s) or scarcity.
Poor	A heavily worn book whose value lies in its complete and legible text. A poor book will have substantial defects — loose joints or hinges, detached covers, loose and/or missing pages, and could be heavily soiled. A poor book is also known as a reading copy, and although compromised, can hold historical or bibliographic significance.