La Vida, Oscar Lewis — 1st Edition

£66.50

La Vida, Oscar Lewis — 1st Edition

Name: La Vida, Oscar Lewis — 1st Edition
Brand: Broadhursts Books
SKU: 4221
Price: 66.50 GBP
Availability: InStock

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£66.50

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Publication: London, Secker & Warburg, 1967

Formatting: 8vo, pp. [xvi], 599.

Condition Report: Near Fine. The book is in exceptionally tight and square condition, with the cloth binding remaining rigid and free of any significant shelf-wear, fading, or bumping to the corners. The text block is bright and cleanly trimmed, showing no signs of foxing along the edges. Internally, the pages remain pristine, well-bound, and unmarked. The original dust jacket retains its vibrant magenta and orange typography without major sun-fading, though it exhibits minor rubbing to the extremities and slight edge-wear along the top margin and spine ends. Overall, an excellent, highly presentable copy.

Catalogue Note: First UK edition of Oscar Lewis's tape-recorded anthropological study. The volume is presented in its striking original dust jacket, which features a prominent black architectural grid design over a purple background.

Notably, this copy is accompanied by fascinating contemporaneous provenance in the form of three vintage British newspaper review clippings loosely inserted. The included clippings feature extensive reviews titled "The gay life of poverty" by Geoffrey Gorer, "A Zola Observes the Puerto Ricans" by Walter Allen, and "Puerto Rican Probe" by Arthur Calder-Marshall. These ephemeral additions offer a unique, primary-source window into the critical reception of the work upon its British release. While the US edition is relatively common, locating the UK edition in such well-preserved condition with its complete dust jacket and contemporary ephemera is notably scarcer on the open market.

La Vida is Oscar Lewis's groundbreaking anthropological study of an extended Puerto Rican family, and of the broader culture of poverty that shapes their existence across households in San Juan and New York. By presenting their unvarnished narratives compiled from hundreds of hours of tape recordings, Lewis documents a life defined by physical bravery, devastating candor about fundamentals like sickness, pleasure, and death, alongside a fatalistic view of the future. Likened by critics to a "non-fiction novel," the work provides an unflinching, spontaneous, and sometimes violent look into systemic marginalization. It remains a foundational, unforgettable text in mid-century urban sociology and ethnography.

Book Condition: Near Fine

Book Authors: Oscar Lewis

Book Publisher: Secker & Warburg

Book Language: English

Narrative Type: Non-Fiction

Genre: History

Book edition: First Edition

Signed: No

Book Pages: 599

Book Publication Year: 1967

Book Publication Date:

Book Binding: Hardcover

Illustrator: N/A

Book Series: N/A

Country/region of manufacture: Bristol, 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.