The Man Without Qualities - Volume I: A Sort of Introduction, The Like of it Now Happens (I)

1953. First English edition. xxxv, 365pp. plus a 1 page list of the works of Musil. Robert Musil (1880-1942) was an Austrian philosophical writer. His unfinished novel, The Man Without Qualities, is generally considered to be one of the most important and influential modernist novels. The novel is a "story of ideas", which takes place in the time of the Austro-Hungarian monarchy's last days, and the plot often veers into allegorical digressions on a wide range of existential themes concerning humanity and feelings. It has a particular concern with the values of truth and opinion and how society organizes ideas about life and society. It was originally planned as two volumes (1930 and 1932), containing four parts. A third volume, which remained unfinished, was published posthumously. This English translation was intended as four volumes. For sale is volume I, containing books1 and 2 (part 1). The book is bound in the original green cloth covered boards with gold titling on the spine. The case of the book is in very good condition with light bumping to the spine ends and wear to the titling on the spine. The contents are tight and clean with no inscription. The unclipped dustwrapper has some shelf wear with light soiling nd the spine is browned and scuffed. The corners and spine ends are bumped and nicked with small pieces missing from the top of the spine. The wrapper is in an easily removed clear plastic protective cover. …