Babbitt (First Paperback Edition in Dust Jacket, Bantam #22)

First Paperback Printing -- issued with the uncommon dust jacket -- of Sinclair Lewis' classic satire of careerist striving, boosterism and general Babbittry. The dust jackets were a post-publication device added to some copies of this title. Babbitt was among the first titles published by the then-fledgling Bantam company in the early years of paperback publishing. Devoted to publishing quality titles, Bantam found that books with drab cover art, such as original art on "Babbitt," fared tepidly against competitors that were innovative in the use of garish cover art. The dust jackets were created to spice up the first impression for drug store and cigar shop paperback browsers. The dust jacket portrays Babbitt outside of George Babbitt Real Estate smirking at a saucy lady while prim Mrs. Babbitt snarls with disapproval. 406 pages. The dust jacket and book both have a bit of edge wear.