James Joyce and the Plain Reader, Charles Duff — 1st Edition

£30.00

James Joyce and the Plain Reader, Charles Duff — 1st Edition

Name: James Joyce and the Plain Reader, Charles Duff — 1st Edition
Brand: Broadhursts Books
SKU: 4902
Price: 30.00 GBP
Availability: InStock

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Publication: London, Desmond Harmsworth, 1932.

Formatting: 8vo, pp. 75.

Condition Report: Very Good. The original green cloth binding remains firm and remarkably clean, with only minor age-related fading to the extremities and slight rubbing at the spine tips. The yellow lettering on the spine is still notably crisp and unoxidised. Internally, the text block is sound, with some expected but uniform age-toning to the uncut page edges. The hinges are tight, and the leaves are free from foxing or significant blemishes, retaining a pleasing crispness that suggests the volume has seen minimal handling over the past nine decades. A highly presentable and structurally sound copy of a delicate pre-war production.

Catalogue Note: First Edition. A significant and early attempt to demystify the formidable modernist oeuvre of James Joyce for the general public, demonstrating the period's immediate critical reaction to his work. Featuring a prefatory letter by Herbert Read, this essay primarily tackles Ulysses and early segments of Work in Progress (later published as Finnegans Wake), offering an accessible guide to Joyce's complex themes.

This copy is bound in the publisher's original green cloth over boards. Locating surviving copies of this slender publication in such clean, unhandled condition, without significant structural wear, heavy sunning, or institutional stamping, is becoming increasingly uncommon.

Published at the height of modernist literary experimentation, Charles Duff’s James Joyce and the Plain Reader serves as a contemporary bridge between Joyce’s towering intellect and the everyday literature enthusiast. Equipped with a prefatory letter by the esteemed critic Herbert Read, this 1932 essay offers a witty, practical, and highly accessible exploration of Joyce's most complex texts. A charming and historically insightful guide, it captures the initial waves of public and critical reception surrounding works like Ulysses and Finnegans Wake, making it an essential addition for collectors of modernist literary criticism.

Book Condition: Very Good

Book Authors: Charles Duff

Book Publisher: Desmond Harmsworth

Book Language: English

Narrative Type: Non-Fiction

Genre: Criticism & Essays

Book edition: First Edition

Signed: No

Book Pages: 75

Book Publication Year: 1932

Book Publication Date:

Book Binding: Hardcover

Illustrator: N/A

Book Series: N/A

Country/region of manufacture: London, United Kingdom

Book Dimensions:

Book Condition Guide

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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.