The Sisters' Tragedy, Richard Hughes — 1st Edition

£95.00

The Sisters' Tragedy, Richard Hughes — 1st Edition

Name: The Sisters' Tragedy, Richard Hughes — 1st Edition
Brand: Broadhursts Books
SKU: 6159
Price: 95.00 GBP
Availability: InStock

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Publication: Oxford, Basil Blackwell, 1922

Formatting: Crown 8vo, pp. 32.

Condition Report: Near Fine. The original buff paper wrappers remain exceptionally crisp and vibrant, showing only faint, uniform toning to the extremities and negligible softening to the spine ends, with none of the chips or splits typical of this fragile format. The sewn binding remains tight and structurally sound. Internally, the leaves are pristine, bright, and entirely unopened along the top and fore-edges, remaining in their original untrimmed state. The fragile publisher's printed promotional insert of press notices is in matching Near Fine condition, retaining its clean, uncreased folds.

Catalogue Note: First edition, first impression, marking the author's literary debut. Richard Hughes wrote this one-act tragedy while an undergraduate at Oriel College, Oxford. Championed by John Masefield, it received its first major production at London's Little Theatre in May 1922 under Sybil Thorndike as part of the Grand Guignol season.

Printed in Stratford-upon-Avon at the Shakespeare Head Press, the publication features a striking, anonymous silhouette woodcut design to the upper wrapper.

While occasional copies appear on the market, examples surviving in completely unopened condition are scarce, and copies retaining the loose, ephemeral four-page publisher's abstract of contemporary London press notices are exceptionally elusive.

Set in a rural Welsh manor, The Sisters' Tragedy is an intense, psychologically acute one-act drama exploring the harrowing intersections of religious devotion, youthful innocence, and moral guilt. Faced with the crushing emotional and domestic burden of caring for a deaf, blind, and mute brother, thirteen-year-old Lowrie takes a catastrophic moral leap of faith, convinced she is fulfilling a divine duty, with tragic consequences for her household. Austere, poetic, and uncompromising, the play established Hughes as one of the most precocious theatrical voices of the early 1920s.

Book Condition: Near Fine

Book Authors: Richard Hughes

Book Publisher: Basil Blackwell

Book Language: English

Narrative Type: Fiction

Genre: Modern Fiction

Book edition: First Edition

Signed: No

Book Pages: 32

Book Publication Year: 1922

Book Publication Date:

Book Binding: Paperback

Illustrator: N/A

Book Series: N/A

Country/region of manufacture: Oxford, 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.