THE DRIVER'S SEAT (First edition - second printing)

Muriel Spark

Published by Macmillan & Co., Ltd., London, 1970

Second printing of the true first edition, published in September 1970 - the same month as the first printing. ***Near fine in dark green cloth-covered boards with silver titles to the spine. The boards are unmarked and clean, with bright lettering. No creases or bumps. Corners sharp. No reading lean to the binding. Spine tight. Page block edges clean, with just some light foxing to the top edge. Internally also near fine with no inscriptions. No foxing. Pages clean. ***In a near fine illustrated dustwrapper, which has not been price-clipped, retaining the original publisher's printed dual price of £1.50 (30s) net. The dustwrapper is complete, with no creases, chips or tears. Unusually for this title, there is no fading to the colours on the spine, and the mainly white dustwrapper is unmarked. ***160 pages. 210mm x 135mm. ***"The Driver's Seat" is a novella by Muriel Spark. Published in 1970, it was advertised as "a metaphysical shocker". It is indeed in the psychological thriller genre, dealing with themes of alienation, isolation and loss of spiritual values. It was filmed in 1974 starring Elizabeth Taylor and featuring Andy Warhol. In the U.S the film was renamed Identikit. Spark described it as one of her favourite novels. The Driver's Seat was, on 26 Mar 2010, one of six novels to be nominated for ?Lost Man Booker Prize? of 1970, "a contest delayed by 40 years because a reshuffling of the fledgling competition?s rules that year disqualified nearly a year?s worth of high-quality fiction from consideration." In 2015, it was adapted for the stage for the first time by Laurie Sansom for a National Theatre of Scotland production which premiered at the Royal Lyceum Theatre, Edinburgh. The book was also the basis for the 1974 Italian film "Identikit" starring Elizabeth Taylor and featuring Andy Warhol. (Wiki) ***'Lise, driven to distraction by an office job, leaves everything and flies south on holiday - in search of what? The passionate adventure, the obsessional experience. Sex? "The Driver's Seat" may be read as a Gothick horror tale, written without the trappings of religiosity but from the standpoint of absolute faith; as a metaphysical shocker; as a satire on our conventional idea of cause and effect; or as the careful delineation of a woman which, looked at sideways, turns into a skull.' (Quote taken from the inside front flap of the dustwrapper) ***A second printing of the true first edition, in the same format, in its original dustwrapper, in very nice clean condition. This book is often found with damaged (creased, torn, chipped) dustwrappers, but this copy is a beautifully preserved example. ***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 # 8865

Bibliographic Details

Title: THE DRIVER'S SEAT (First edition - second ...
Publisher: Macmillan & Co., Ltd., London
Publication Date: 1970
Binding: Hardcover
Condition: Near Fine
Dust Jacket Condition: Near Fine
Edition: First Edition