THE ENORMOUS ROOM (Second UK edition - The Life and Letters Series No. 2)

e. e. cummings

Published by Jonathan Cape, 30, Bedford Square, London, 1930

About this Item

Second UK edition, published in the Life and Letters Series in 1930, preceded by the first UK edition which was published by Jonathan Cape in 1928. The book was originally published in the USA by Boni & Liveright in 1922. First thus - this edition has a new nine page Introduction by Robert Graves. Portrait frontispiece from a photo by Bachrach. ***Very good in sage-green cloth-covered boards with silver decorative titles to the spine and front board. The silver is still beautifully bright, having been protected by the dustwrapper. Cloth nice and clean and unmarked. Head and tail of spine slightly creased. Corners also slightly creased. Top edge of page block quite clean, just lightly foxed. Spine tight. Internally near fine, with no inscriptions or foxing. Pages clean. Some very light creasing to the top corners of a few pages - hardly noticeable. ***In a very good original dustwrapper, which is not price-clipped, but has publisher's 6/- net price labels on the front flap and the back panel. The dustwrapper is largely complete, but has some loss at the top of the spine - not affecting the titles - and another chip at the top corner of the back panel. There is some light edge wear and loss at the tail of the spine and to the tips of the foldovers. No significant creasing. Some darkening and foxing to the top edges of the foldovers. No fading to the dustwrapper, including the spine. The large foldover flaps are uncreased. The back panel is only slightly darkened (being a white background). ***332 pages including a nine page Introduction by Robert Graves, and a seven page preface by the author, dated 1922. 208mm x 144mm. ***"One of the best of the war books." - T. E. Shaw (Colonel Lawrence). ***"He reveals himself as a man of sensibility and fortitude, and he writes always with such good taste that I do not think anyone reading his book could feel otherwise than that it is the work of a rare, fine spirit." - Sunday Times. ***"It is a good book, an unusual book, an exciting book."' - Robert Graves (Quotes taken from the front flap of the dustwrapper) ***'"The Enormous Room" (The Green-Eyed Stores) is a 1922 autobiographical novel by the poet and novelist E. E. Cummings about his temporary imprisonment in France during World War One. Cummings spent over four months in prison. He met a number of interesting characters and had many picaresque adventures, which he compiled into The Enormous Room. The book is written as a mix between Cummings' well-known unconventional grammar and diction and the witty voice of a young Harvard-educated intellectual in an absurd situation. The title of the book refers to the large room where Cummings slept beside thirty or so other prisoners. However, it also serves as an allegory for Cummings' mind and his memories of the prison - such that when he describes the many residents of his shared cell, they still live in the "enormous room" of his mind. F. Scott Fitzgerald extended praise to the book, saying "Of all the work by young men who have sprung up since 1920 one book survives - "The Enormous Room" by e e cummings. Those few who cause books to live have not been able to endure the thought of its mortality. (Wiki) ***The second UK edition of E. E. Cummings' autobiographical novel, in nice collectable condition. Quite an uncommon book, and copies in presentable and collectable condition in their original pre-war dustwrappers are hard to come by now. ***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 # 8445

Bibliographic Details

• Title: THE ENORMOUS ROOM (Second UK edition - The Life and Letters Series No. 2)
• Publisher: Jonathan Cape, 30, Bedford Square, London
• Publication Date: 1930
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition: Second Edition, First Edition Thus
• Printing: First Impression
• Condition: Very Good
• Dust Jacket Condition: Very Good
• Seller catalogs:
  • Literature
  • First Editions
  • World War One (First World War)