SHOWDOWN [SHOW DOWN] [First UK edition - American sheets]

First impression of the first UK edition, printed from the American sheets. A Bantam Book - February 1988 stated on the printer's page. Although a first UK edition, the book is in an American style binding. Translated from the Portuguese by Gregory Rabassa. ***Near fine in black paper-covered boards with a black cloth spine, and titles in gilt. Head and tail of spine slightly creased. Corners sharp. Boards clean and unmarked. Page block edges clean. Spine tight. Internally also near fine with no inscriptions. No creases or tears. Clean pages throughout. ***In a very good colour illustrated dustwrapper, which retains the original publisher's price of £12.95 net. The dustwrapper is complete with no chips or tears - just very slight rubbing and loss to the surface colour at the top of the spine and top of the back foldover. No creases or tears. Very light edge wear and the spine is slightly faded. Dustwrapper bright. ***422 pages. 236 mm x 160 mm. ***'"Showdown" is the story of a city in the hinterland of Brazil's cacao region, Tocaia Grande. Born at the start of this century, when honour took precedence over law, and courage came before power, Tocaio Grande had a renegade beginning; in its grittiness, violence, pettiness and feel of dirt and blood, not unlike the birth of the American West. "Showdown" is the most daring novel in Jorge Amado's long and distinguishes career, In it he opens his heart and leaves us with a tale that will live long in our memories.' ]Quote taken from the front flap of the dustwrapper] ***'Jorge Leal Amado de Faria (10 Aug 1912 - 6 Aug 2001) was a Brazilian writer of the modernist school. He remains the best known of modern Brazilian writers, with his work having been translated into some 49 languages and popularized in film, notably "Dona Flor and Her Two Husbands" in 1976. His work reflects the image of a Mestiço Brazil and is marked by religious syncretism. He depicted a cheerful and optimistic country that was beset, at the same time, with deep social and economic differences. He occupied the 23rd chair of the Brazilian Academy of Letters from 1961 until his death in 2001. He won the 1984 International Nonino Prize in Italy. Jorge Amado also was Federal Deputy for São Paulo as a member of the Brazilian Communist Party (PCB) between 1947 and 1951. In "Showdown", Amado returns to some of his earliest concerns, confronting the historical criminality of Brazilian society, and aiming to show how Brazil has buried its (criminal) past. In fact Showdown is almost an historical continuation of Amado’s novel The Violent Land, first published in 1943. It contains several references to the battles between cacao landowners described in that earlier novel.' [Wiki]***A first impression of the first UK edition, in nice condition. ***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.…