Remarkable Creatures, Tracy Chevalier — 1st Edition
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Publication: London, HarperCollinsPublishers, 2009
Formatting: 8vo, pp. 352.
Condition Report: Very Good. The book itself presents beautifully; the publisher's white boards are clean and square, with bright gilt lettering to the spine and sharp, unbumped corners. The binding remains tight and firm. Internally, the pages are crisp, bright, and entirely free from foxing or previous ownership inscriptions. The original, unclipped dust jacket is intact and retains its vibrant colours; however, it bears a noticeable circular adhesive residue mark to the upper right quadrant of the front panel.
Catalogue Note: First edition, first impression (with the full number line '1' to the copyright page) of Tracy Chevalier's historical novel centred on the pioneering palaeontologist Mary Anning. The dust jacket features a striking gold foil ammonite motif, echoing the novel's thematic focus on fossil discovery. As a major release from an internationally bestselling author, the true first printing is relatively common on the open market, though clean copies preserving the original unclipped dust jacket remain a staple for collectors of modern historical fiction.
Set on the windswept coastline of early nineteenth-century Lyme Regis, Remarkable Creatures explores the extraordinary, true-life discoveries of Mary Anning, a working-class woman who unearthed some of the world's first dinosaur fossils. Shunned by the male-dominated scientific establishment, Mary finds an unlikely ally in Elizabeth Philpot, a middle-class London spinster who shares her passion for fossil hunting. Intertwining their alternating voices, the narrative paints a vivid portrait of a pre-Darwinian world grappling with the radical concepts of extinction and evolution. At its heart, the novel is a testament to resilience and the enduring power of female friendship in an era bound by rigid class and gender expectations.
Book Condition: Very Good
Book Authors: Tracy Chevalier
Book Publisher: HarperCollinsPublishers
Book Language: English
Narrative Type: Fiction
Genre: Historical Fiction
Book edition: First Edition
Signed: No
Book Pages: 352
Book Publication Year: 2009
Book Publication Date:
Book Binding: Hardback
Illustrator: N/A
Book Series: N/A
Country/region of manufacture: London, United Kingdom
Book Dimensions:
Book Condition Guide
| 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. |
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