Items related to Flauberts Parrot
Synopsis
A good copy, virtually as new, with po inscription on ffep. white illustrated dw, not price-clipped, has a little shelf wear to top edge. Immediate despatch from the UK. 8vo.
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Review
Just what sort of book is Flaubert's Parrot, anyway? A literary biography of 19th-century French novelist, radical, and intellectual impresario Gustave Flaubert? A meditation on the uses and misuses of language? A novel of obsession, denial, irritation, and underhanded connivery? A thriller complete with disguises, sleuthing, mysterious meetings, and unknowing targets? An extended essay on the nature of fiction itself?
On the surface, at first, Julian Barnes's book is the tale of an elderly English doctor's search for some intriguing details of Flaubert's life. Geoffrey Braithwaite seems to be involved in an attempt to establish whether a particularly fine, lovely, and ancient stuffed parrot is in fact one originally "borrowed by G. Flaubert from the Museum of Rouen and placed on his worktable during the writing of Un coeur simple, where it is called Loulou, the parrot of Felicité, the principal character of the tale."
What begins as a droll and intriguing excursion into the minutiae of Flaubert's life and intellect, along with an attempt to solve the small puzzle of the parrot--or rather parrots, for there are two competing for the title of Gustave's avian confrere--soon devolves into something obscure and worrisome, the exploration of an arcane Braithwaite obsession that is perhaps even pathological. The first hint we have that all is not as it seems comes almost halfway into the book, when after a humorously cantankerous account of the inadequacies of literary critics, Braithwaite closes a chapter by saying, "Now do you understand why I hate critics? I could try and describe to you the expression in my eyes at this moment; but they are far too discoloured with rage." And from that point, things just get more and more curious, until they end in the most unexpected bang.
One passage perhaps best describes the overall effect of this extraordinary story: "You can define a net in one of two ways, depending on your point of view. Normally, you would say that it is a meshed instrument designed to catch fish. But you could, with no great injury to logic, reverse the image and define the net as a jocular lexicographer once did: he called it a collection of holes tied together with string." Julian Barnes demonstrates that it is possible to catch quite an interesting fish no matter how you define the net. --Andrew Himes
From the Inside Flap
A kind of detective story, relating a cranky amateur scholar's search for the truth about Gustave Flaubert, and the obsession of this detective whose life seems to oddly mirror those of Flaubert's characters.
"About this title" may belong to another edition of this title.
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Stock Image
Flaubert's Parrot
Seller: Sell Books, Elland, YORKS, United Kingdom
Seller rating 5 out of 5 stars
hardcover. Condition: Acceptable. Stains to cover, page edges, and/or pages inside. Please see the condition note after this for details, if this is missing please consider Acceptable to mean poor quality that could include major staining, water damage, writing, missing dustjacket, etc etc. Our books are dispatched from a Yorkshire former cotton mill. We list via barcode/ISBN so please note that the images are stock images and may not be the exact copy you receive, furthermore the details about edition and year might not be accurate as many publishers reuse the same ISBN for multiple editions and as we simply scan a barcode or enter an ISBN we do not check the validity of the edition data when listing. If you're looking for an exact edition please don't order (at least not without checking with us first, although we don't always have time to check). We aim to dispatch prompty, the service used will depend on order value and book size. We can ship to most countries, see our shipping policies. Payment is via Abe only. Seller Inventory # mon0000017752
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FLAUBERT'S PARROT (First edition, fourth printing)
Published by
Jonathan Cape, London, 1984
ISBN 10: 0224022229
ISBN 13: 9780224022224
Used
Hardcover
First Edition
Seller: Orlando Booksellers, Lincoln, United Kingdom
Seller rating 5 out of 5 stars
Hardcover. Condition: Near Fine. Dust Jacket Condition: Very Good. David Hockney (Jacket illustration) (illustrator). First Edition. A fourth printing of the true first edition - the printer's page stating 'First published 1984, Reprinted 1984 (three times)'. The book was shortlisted for the 1984 Booker Prize, and was soon reprinted in 1984. Jacket illustration: David Hockney's "Felicite Sleeping with Parrot": illustration for "A Simple Heart" by Gustave Flaubert. ***Near fine in black cloth-covered boards with gilt titles to the spine - differing from the first printing which has light green cloth-covered boards. Boards clean and unmarked. Head and tail of spine slightly creased. Corners sharp. No reading lean to the binding. Spine tight. Page block edges nice and clean including the top edge which is surprisingly clean. Internally very good, with a neat ownership name in ink to the top corner of the front free endpaper. Pages clean. No foxing. No creases or tears. The paper used is noticeably thinner than that used for the 1984 printings, and the overall book is slightly thinner. ***In a very good colour illustrated dustwrapper, which has not been price-clipped, retaining the original publisher's printed price of £8.50 net. Edges of dustwrapper very slightly rubbed and creased, mainly at the top edges, and there is some light laminate creasing to the front panel and spine (caused in production and often seen with these later printings). No serious creases, chips or tears. Dustwrapper bright. ***224mm x 144mm. 190 pages. ***''Julian Barnes's first novel, "Metroland", won the 1981 Somerset Maugham Award. His second novel, "Before She Met Me", was chosen by Philip Larkin as one of his Books of the Year. His third book, "Flaubert's Parrot", is his most extraordinary so far. It deals with Flaubert, parrots, bears and railways; with our sense of the past and our sense of abroad; with France and England, life and art, sex and death, George Sand and Louise Colet, aesthetics and redcurrant jam; and with its enigmatic narrator, a retired English doctor, whose life and secrets are slowly revealed. By turns moving and entertaining, witty and scholarly, "Flaubert's Parrot" is a work of technical audacity; a compelling weave of fiction and imaginatively ordered fact. The result is a tour de force of seductive originality.' (Quote taken from the front flap of the dustwrapper). ***A later fourth printing of the first edition of this early title by Julian Barnes. This, his third novel, was shortlisted for the 1984 Booker Prize, and subsequently won the Geoffrey Faber Memorial Prize the following year. A nice reading copy of this classic work. ***For all our books, postage is charged at cost, allowing for packaging: any shipping rates indicated on ABE are an average only: we will reduce the P & P charge where appropriate - please contact us for postal rates for heavier books and sets etc. Seller Inventory # 9669
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Flaubert's Parrot
Seller: Sutter & St. P Booksellers, San Antonio, TX, U.S.A.
Seller rating 5 out of 5 stars
Hardcover. Condition: Very Good. Dust Jacket Condition: Near Fine. Octavo. Black cloth boards with gilt lettering on spine, pictorial dust jacket. Slightly cocked, some scuffs on boards and edges of text block, top board very slightly bowed, some mildly stressed gutters. Jacket is price clipped and has mild edge wear. Now in mylar. Text clean and unmarked. Seller Inventory # 006940
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Flauberts Parrot
Seller: Greenworld Books, Arlington, TX, U.S.A.
Seller rating 5 out of 5 stars
Condition: very_good. Fast Free Shipping â" Very Good condition book with a firm cover and clean pages. Shows normal use and some light wear or limited notes markings. A solid, nice copy to enjoy. Seller Inventory # GWV.0224022229.VG
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FLAUBERT'S PARROT (First edition, second printing)
Published by
Jonathan Cape, London, 1984
ISBN 10: 0224022229
ISBN 13: 9780224022224
Used
Hardcover
First Edition
Seller: Orlando Booksellers, Lincoln, United Kingdom
Seller rating 5 out of 5 stars
Hardcover. Condition: Very Good. Dust Jacket Condition: Very Good. David Hockney (Jacket illustration) (illustrator). First Edition. Second printing of the true first edition - with 'First published 1984, Reprinted 1984' on the printer's page. The book was shortlisted for the 1984 Booker Prize, and was soon reprinted twice in 1984. Jacket illustration: David Hockney's "Felicite Sleeping with Parrot": illustration for "A Simple Heart" by Gustave Flaubert. ***Very good in black cloth-covered boards with gilt titles to the spine - differing from the first printing which has light green cloth-covered boards. Boards relatively clean - just slightly marked on the front board. Head and tail of spine slightly creased. Corners sharp. Very slight reading lean to the binding. Spine tight. Page block edges clean. Internally also very good with no previous ownership inscriptions, but with an attractive School Prize label from Wilson's School, Wallington, Surrey on the front free endpaper (Wilson's School is a state boys' grammar school with academy status in the London Borough of Sutton, England. It was founded as Wilson's Grammar School in Camberwell in 1615 by Edward Wilson, making it one of the country's oldest state schools. (Wiki) Pages clean, but please note there is a small closed tear and associated creasing to the bottom edge of p.61/2 (please see scans). No other creases or tears. No foxing. ***In a very good colour illustrated dustwrapper, which has been neatly price-clipped by the publisher (as is often found with the second printing as the book was repriced) but without the publisher's new price sticker - just a sticker shadow. Edges of dustwrapper just very slightly rubbed, and there is some laminate creasing to the spine (caused in production, and also common with the second printing, for some reason). No chips or tears. No fading. Dustwrapper bright. ***224mm x 144mm. 190 pages. ***''Julian Barnes's first novel, "Metroland", won the 1981 Somerset Maugham Award. His second novel, "Before She Met Me", was chosen by Philip Larkin as one of his Books of the Year. His third book, "Flaubert's Parrot", is his most extraordinary so far. It deals with Flaubert, parrots, bears and railways; with our sense of the past and our sense of abroad; with France and England, life and art, sex and death, George Sand and Louise Colet, aesthetics and redcurrant jam; and with its enigmatic narrator, a retired English doctor, whose life and secrets are slowly revealed. By turns moving and entertaining, witty and scholarly, "Flaubert's Parrot" is a work of technical audacity; a compelling weave of fiction and imaginatively ordered fact. The result is a tour de force of seductive originality.' (Quote taken from the front flap of the dustwrapper) ***A very good copy of the second printing of the first edition of this early title by Julian Barnes - one of his most lauded novels. This, his third novel, was shortlisted for the 1984 Booker Prize, and subsequently won the Geoffrey Faber Memorial Prize the following year. The book was very successful and was reprinted three times in 1984. ***For all our books, postage is charged at cost, allowing for packaging: any shipping rates indicated on ABE are an average only: we will reduce the P & P charge where appropriate - please contact us for postal rates for heavier books and sets etc. Seller Inventory # 9648
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Flaubert's Parrot
Seller: MacKellar Art & Books, Bournemouth, United Kingdom
Seller rating 5 out of 5 stars
Hardcover. Condition: Very Good. Dust Jacket Condition: Very Good. 1984 Cape Hardback very good+ clean tight binding in very good dustjacket. title page missing otherwise book is intact. Seller Inventory # ABE-1633092543975
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Flaubert's Parrot
Seller: Edmonton Book Store, Edmonton, AB, Canada
Seller rating 4 out of 5 stars
Condition: very good. Dust Jacket Condition: very good. 8vo pp.190. book. Seller Inventory # 325515
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Flaubert's Parrot
Published by
Jonathan Cape, London, 1984
ISBN 10: 0224022229
ISBN 13: 9780224022224
Used
Hardcover
First Edition
Seller: Victoria Bookshop, BERE ALSTON, DEVON, United Kingdom
Seller rating 3 out of 5 stars
Hardcover. Condition: G+. Dust Jacket Condition: G. 1st Edition. A good copy, virtually as new, with po inscription on ffep. white illustrated dw, not price-clipped, has a little shelf wear to top edge. Immediate despatch from the UK. 8vo. Book. Seller Inventory # 90025163
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Flaubert's Parrot
Published by
Jonathan Cape, London, 1984
ISBN 10: 0224022229
ISBN 13: 9780224022224
Used
Hardcover
First Edition
Seller: Peruse the Stacks, ABAA, Gig Harbor, WA, U.S.A.
Seller rating 5 out of 5 stars
First edition. 8vo, 190pp. Green cloth boards, spine stamped in gilt in illustrated jacket by David Hockney. Few spots to top edge of page block else a near fine copy in like jacket with some foxing to inner flaps. Seller Inventory # 7193
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Flauberts Parrot
Published by
Random House UK, London, 1987
ISBN 10: 0224022229
ISBN 13: 9780224022224
Used
Hardcover
First Edition
Seller: County and Shire Firsts, Cheshire, United Kingdom
Seller rating 4 out of 5 stars
Hardcover. Condition: Very Good. 1st Edition. First edition first impression. Beautiful dustjacket which has not been price-clipped. Protected in mylar sleeve. Crisp and sharp without chips, rubs or tears. Book is tight and square in publisher's green cloth with gilt titles. Pages clean, no pen-marks. A little browned with age and there is a feint ownership mark to the first endpaper (see photograph) which is barely discernible. A beautiful copy of Barnes' third novel. Seller Inventory # ABE-1762699207778
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