Seconds by David Ely, First Edition (9 results)

Soft cover. Condition: Good. First Thus. First edition thus. Paperback, 17.5 × 10.5cm, 159pp. A dark, existential thriller that serves as a chilling critique of the American Dream and the pursuit of a fresh start. It was adapted into a 1966 film by John Frankenheimer starring Rock Hudson. The story follows Antiochus "Tony" Wilson, a successful but deeply bored, middle-aged banker who feels trapped by the monotony of his affluent suburban life. He is contacted by "The Company," a shadowy, highly organized clandestine organization that offers him a radical proposition: for a massive fee, they will fake his death and provide him with a completely new identity. Condition: Good condition for a vintage paperback. Some light chipping to the spine and a little tanning to the pages but remaining in strong readable condition.

Hardcover. Condition: Very Good. Dust Jacket Condition: Very Good. 1st Edition. Tanning to front free endpaper from a laid in newspaper clipping (review of the Rock Hudson film). Ink date to corner of rear free endpaper else a nice bright copy, no bumps, square straight spine. The dust wrapper with some age tanning to rear panel, 1.5" closed tear top front panel, small store price sticker to front flap, $3.95 publication price intact to jacket flap.

Hardcover. Condition: Very Good. Dust Jacket Condition: Very Good. 1st Edition. First printing. H stamp to front free endpaper else FINE in nice fresh jacket with small abrasion from sticker removal at top corner, short, closed tear to rear, not price clipped.

Hardcover. Condition: Fine. Dust Jacket Condition: Fine. 1st Edition. Fine/ fine condition of this Sci Fi/thriller, that was made into a great b grade film. Rock Hudson starring in the unusual story of living a life that money can buy! Ghost shadow on front pastedown from d/j, price clipped d/j. Toning on two internal pages 54 and 55. No rears or creasing to book or d/j. 184pp. 14cm x 20cm.

Hardcover. Condition: Very Good+ to Near Fine. Dust Jacket Condition: Near Fine. First Edition. 1st printing, 1963. "Wilson, a bored, middle-aged banker, is 'reborn' by the 'company' into a new identity. Adjusting to his new life, he is even less happy than he was before and gradually understands that the price paid for a second chance is too high. A Kafka-like exploration of the depersonalization of modern life. The benign indifference, bureaucratic efficiency and curteous reasonableness of the company are more disturbing than overt malevolence. John Frankenheimer's 1966 film version, with Rock Hudson as the protagonist, was one of the scariest films of that decade." (Barron; Horror, 4-105) Previous owner's name and date on ffep; dj has a couple of tiny closed edge tears. Book.

First edition. Octavo, cloth-backed boards. The story of a man caught up by a nameless organization that uses advanced managerial and technological methods to achieve its singular aim -- lifting the moral and physical barriers to personal liberty and self-indulgence. Brilliantly filmed by John Frankenheimer with Rock Hudson as the hapless victim of a shadowy organization which ultimately kills him and recycles his body parts. "Like David Ely's slender, nightmarish novel, SECONDS has a thinly science-fictional rationale, but it is actually an exercise in Kafkaesque horror . Outstandingly photographed by James Wong Howe, extremely well played by the whole cast (the choice of Hudson as every man's self-image is inspired), and directed with the imaginative flair John Frankenheimer brought to The Manchurian Candidate, Seven Days in May, and 99 and 44/100% Dead, SECONDS is perhaps the scariest movie of the 1960s." - Sullivan (ed), The Penguin Encyclopedia of Horror and the Supernatural, p. 374. [Reference: Reginald 37728. Hubin (1994), p. 266]. Corners a touch bumped and base of spine a bit bumped, a nearly fine copy in a very good or somewhat better dust jacket with light wear to the spine ends, mild wear to the corner tips and some age darkening to the spine panel. (23348).

Octavo, cloth-backed boards. First edition. The story of a man caught up by a nameless organization that uses advanced managerial and technological methods to achieve its singular aim -- lifting the moral and physical barriers to personal liberty and self-indulgence. Brilliantly filmed by John Frankenheimer with Rock Hudson as the hapless victim of a shadowy organization which ultimately kills him and recycles his body parts. "Like David Ely's slender, nightmarish novel, SECONDS has a thinly science-fictional rationale, but it is actually an exercise in Kafkaesque horror . Outstandingly photographed by James Wong Howe, extremely well played by the whole cast (the choice of Hudson as every man's self-image is inspired), and directed with the imaginative flair John Frankenheimer brought to The Manchurian Candidate, Seven Days in May, and 99 and 44/100% Dead, SECONDS is perhaps the scariest movie of the 1960s." - Sullivan (ed), The Penguin Encyclopedia of Horror and the Supernatural, p. 374. Barron (ed), Fantasy and Horror (1999) 6-125. Pronzini and Muller, 1001 Midnights, p. 235. Reginald 37728. Hubin (1994), p. 266. A fine copy in fine dust jacket. (#169979).

Octavo, cloth-backed boards. First edition. The story of a man caught up by a nameless organization that uses advanced managerial and technological methods to achieve its singular aim -- lifting the moral and physical barriers to personal liberty and self-indulgence. Brilliantly filmed by John Frankenheimer with Rock Hudson as the hapless victim of a shadowy organization which ultimately kills him and recycles his body parts. "Like David Ely's slender, nightmarish novel, SECONDS has a thinly science-fictional rationale, but it is actually an exercise in Kafkaesque horror . Outstandingly photographed by James Wong Howe, extremely well played by the whole cast (the choice of Hudson as every man's self-image is inspired), and directed with the imaginative flair John Frankenheimer brought to The Manchurian Candidate, Seven Days in May, and 99 and 44/100% Dead, SECONDS is perhaps the scariest movie of the 1960s." - Sullivan (ed), The Penguin Encyclopedia of Horror and the Supernatural, p. 374. Barron (ed), Fantasy and Horror (1999) 6-125. Pronzini and Muller, 1001 Midnights, p. 235. Reginald 37728. Hubin (1994), p. 266. A fine copy in fine dust jacket with touch of wear at upper spine end. (#155511).

First edition. Octavo, cloth-backed boards. The story of a man caught up by a nameless organization that uses advanced managerial and technological methods to achieve its singular aim -- lifting the moral and physical barriers to personal liberty and self-indulgence. Brilliantly filmed by John Frankenheimer with Rock Hudson as the hapless victim of a shadowy organization which ultimately kills him and recycles his body parts. "Like David Ely's slender, nightmarish novel, SECONDS has a thinly science-fictional rationale, but it is actually an exercise in Kafkaesque horror . Outstandingly photographed by James Wong Howe, extremely well played by the whole cast (the choice of Hudson as every man's self-image is inspired), and directed with the imaginative flair John Frankenheimer brought to The Manchurian Candidate, Seven Days in May, and 99 and 44/100% Dead, SECONDS is perhaps the scariest movie of the 1960s." - Sullivan (ed), The Penguin Encyclopedia of Horror and the Supernatural, p. 374. [Reference: Reginald 37728. Hubin (1994), p. 266]. A fine copy in a fine dust jacket with two light blue horizontal lines on the verso of the jacket (offset from a previous jacket protector) with slight bleed through at jacket flaps. A sharp copy. (16591).