Night Song, John A. Williams — 1st Edition Thus

£29.50

Night Song, John A. Williams — 1st Edition Thus

Name: Night Song, John A. Williams — 1st Edition Thus
Brand: Broadhursts Books
SKU: 4844
Price: 29.50 GBP
Availability: InStock

Write Review

In stock

£29.50

Shipping is calculated at checkout.

Publication: London, The Jazz Book Club by arrangement with Collins, 1964

Formatting: 12mo, pp. 191.

Condition Report: Very Good. The binding is firm and square, with sharp corners and no leaning to the spine. The text block exhibits typical age-related toning, alongside mild foxing and spotting that is primarily confined to the top and fore-edges. The original, unclipped dust jacket remains bright and complete; it is presently housed in a tightly fitted, somewhat crinkled protective plastic sleeve that has successfully preserved the jacket from shelf-wear and fading. Internally, the pages are clean, bright, and completely free from any major blemishes, tears, or prior ownership inscriptions, presenting a highly readable, structurally sound copy.

Catalogue Note: This is a vintage edition produced exclusively for members of The Jazz Book Club in 1964. The text was first published in the US by Farrar, Straus and Cudahy in 1961, and subsequently in the UK by William Collins.

This issue features the distinctive, musically-themed dust jacket design and matching typographic binding characteristic of the Jazz Book Club series, of which this is number 46. While Williams's novel is a highly regarded work of mid-century literature, this specific UK book club imprint has become relatively uncommon on the open market, particularly when retaining a bright, complete dust jacket. It stands as a fantastic representative piece of 1960s British publishing and jazz history.

Inspired by the life of Charlie "Bird" Parker, Night Song is a poignant and provocative tale that paints a vivid picture of the 1950s New York City jazz scene. In Greenwich Village, where jazz is the lifeblood, the story follows Richie "Eagle" Stokes, a saxophonist blessed with otherworldly talent but cursed by his cravings for heroin and escaping his demons. Alongside him is David Hillary, an ex-college professor who finds an unlikely sanctuary among the musicians, and Keel Robinson, an ex-preacher navigating a racially forbidden romance. John A. Williams masterfully follows this diverse, all-too-human cast through the nocturnal world of the city, delivering an incendiary and psychologically astute novel about art, race, and survival.

Book Condition: Very Good

Book Authors: John A. Williams

Book Publisher: The Jazz Book Club

Book Language: English

Narrative Type: Fiction

Genre: Modern Fiction

Book edition:

Signed: No

Book Pages: 191

Book Publication Year: 1964

Book Publication Date:

Book Binding: Hardcover

Illustrator: N/A

Book Series: The Jazz Book Club

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.