RAISE HIGH THE ROOF BEAM, CARPENTERS and SEYMOUR AN INTRODUCTION [First UK edition]

First UK edition. Originally published in the US as two separate stories in the New Yorker in 1955 and 1959, and in book form by Little Brown & Co., Boston in 1963 - the stories are both very much concerned with the main character Seymour Glass. ***Near fine in navy-blue cloth-covered boards with silver titles to the spine. The silver is still beautifully bright, having been protected by the dustwrapper. The boards are in exceptional condition - clean and unmarked. Spine tight with no reading creases. Corners sharp. None of the usual foxing to the edges of the page block [which is commonly found with this title due to the type of paper used]. Internally also near fine, with clean pages and no inscriptions. None of the usual internal foxing even to preliminary pages. No creasing or tears. ***In a very good typographical dustwrapper that is not price-clipped, retaining the original publisher's printed price of 21s net. The dustwrapper is largely complete, but for a largish triangular chip to the bottom edge of the front panel [where the dustwrapper must have got torn] - otherwise just light rubbing and wear to the edges and corners. None of the usual foxing to the dustwrapper [which is often found with this title]. The light-beige colour on the spine is slightly faded. The large foldover flaps are also uncreased. ***210 mm x 145 mm. 248 pages. ***The stories are: 'Raise High the Roof Beams, Carpenters' and 'Seymour - An Introduction'. ***'"Raise High the Roof Beam, Carpenters" and "Seymour: An Introduction" is a single volume featuring two novellas by J. D. Salinger, which were previously published in The New Yorker: "Raise High the Roof Beam, Carpenters" (1955) and "Seymour: An Introduction" (1959). Little, Brown republished them in this anthology in 1963. It was the first time the novellas had appeared in book form. The book was the third best-selling novel in the United States in 1963, according to Publishers Weekly. The title of the first story is the first line of a message left for Seymour by his sister Boo Boo on the bathroom mirror of the family's apartment, which Buddy discovers towards the end of the story. The message itself begins with a line taken from Sappho's fragment LP 111: "Raise high the roof beam, carpenters. Like Ares comes the bridegroom, taller far than a tall man'. The second story represents an attempt by Buddy Glass to introduce the reader to his brother Seymour, who had committed suicide in 1948. The story is told in a stream of consciousness narrative as Buddy reminisces in his secluded home. This story, like others concerning the Glass family, touches upon Zen Buddhism, haiku, and the Hindu philosophy of Vedanta. [Wiki] ***A first UK edition, in nice collectable condition. Copies of the UK edition are quite hard to find in decent collectable condition 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.…