The Cobweb, William Gibson — 1st UK Edition

£55.00

The Cobweb, William Gibson — 1st UK Edition

Name: The Cobweb, William Gibson — 1st UK Edition
Brand: Broadhursts Books
SKU: 4493
Price: 55.00 GBP
Availability: InStock

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£55.00

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Publication: London, Secker & Warburg, 1954

Formatting: 8vo, pp. 339.

Condition Report: Very Good. The book is presented in a Very Good condition, wrapped in a Good+ unclipped dust jacket. The publisher's original red cloth binding remains remarkably sturdy and vibrant, featuring bright white and gilt lettering to the spine, with only minor bumping to the spine extremities. Internally, the text block is firm, tight, and square, exhibiting a sound binding without any weakness. The pages show light, even age-toning typical of the period, alongside mild dustiness and faint foxing isolated to the top edge, yet they remain internally clean and completely free of marginalia or foxing to the face of the leaves. The striking dust jacket exhibits expected shelf-wear for its age, including general rubbing to the panels, shallow chipping, and small closed tears to the spine ends and corners, but it remains a highly presentable, bright, and complete example.

Catalogue Note: This is a First UK Edition of William Gibson's debut novel. While Gibson is perhaps best remembered today for his Tony Award-winning play The Miracle Worker, this psychological drama stands as a remarkable mid-century literary achievement.

The volume retains its evocative, uncredited dust jacket, characteristic of the era's striking modernist design aesthetics. Furthermore, the dust jacket remains unclipped, displaying the original '15s. net' price on the front flap alongside a complete rear panel highlighting "Recent Secker Fiction," featuring titles by literary giants such as George Orwell and Colette.

Set within the claustrophobic and overcharged world of a private psychiatric clinic, The Cobweb is a masterful and tense study of human fragility, power dynamics, and petty politics. When a seemingly trivial dispute arises over the choice of new curtains for the patients' library, the underlying friction among the staff is laid completely bare. The resulting tension is dangerously communicated to the vulnerable patients, particularly young Stevie Holt, a favourite of the progressive Dr. McIver. As professional rivalries escalate and McIver's own marriage begins to fracture, the clinic's volatile atmosphere threatens to drive the patients beyond the hope of recovery. Gibson’s gripping narrative brilliantly blurs the line between the healers and the healed, delivering a powerful, character-driven drama that races toward an unexpected and deeply convincing denouement.

Book Condition: Very Good

Book Authors: William Gibson

Book Publisher: Secker & Warburg

Book Language: English

Narrative Type: Fiction

Genre: Modern Fiction

Book edition: First Edition

Signed: No

Book Pages: 339

Book Publication Year: 1954

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

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.