New Grub St (Vintage Classics) - Softcover

Gissing, George

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0099589222 ISBN 13: 9780099589228

Publisher: Random House UK, 2014

Synopsis

George Gissing's best-known novel shows us the literary underbelly of Victorian England, and the writers striving to forge their reputations in "the street of no shame"

Grub Street—where would-be writers aim high, publishers plumb the depths, and literature is a trade, never a calling. In a literary world disfigured by greed and exploitation, two very different writers rise and fall: Edward Reardon, a novelist whose high standards prevent him from pandering to the common taste, and Jasper Milvain, who possesses no such scruples. Gissing's dark and darkly funny novel presents a little-seen but richly absorbing slice of 19th-century society.

About this title

From the Publisher

Founded in 1906 by J.M. Dent, the Everyman Library has always tried to make the best books ever written available to the greatest number of people at the lowest possible price. Unique editorial features that help Everyman Paperback Classics stand out from the crowd include: a leading scholar or literary critic's introduction to the text, a biography of the author, a chronology of her or his life and times, a historical selection of criticism, and a concise plot summary. All books published since 1993 have also been completely restyled: all type has been reset, to offer a clarity and ease of reading unique among editions of the classics; a vibrant, full-color cover design now complements these great texts with beautiful contemporary works of art. But the best feature must be Everyman's uniquely low price. Each Everyman title offers these extensive materials at a price that competes with the most inexpensive editions on the market-but Everyman Paperbacks have durable binding, quality paper, and the highest editorial and scholarly standards.

From the Inside Flap

Hailed as Gissing's finest novel," New Grub Street portrays the intrigues and hardships of the publishing world in late Victorian England. In a materialistic, class-conscious society that rewards commercial savvy over artistic achievement, authors and scholars struggle to earn a living without compromising their standards. "Even as the novel chills us with its still-recognizable portrayal of the crass and vulgar world of literary endeavor," writes Francine Prose in her Introduction, "its very existence provides eloquent, encouraging proof of the fact that a powerful, honest writer can transcend the constraints of commerce."
This Modern Library Paperback Classic is set from the text of the 1891 first edition.

About this edition

• Publisher: Random House UK
• Publication date: 2014
• ISBN 10: 0099589222
• ISBN 13: 9780099589228
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 662