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Second impression of the first UK edition, published in December 1950 - the first impression was published earlier in the same year. The first US edition was also published in the same year by Houghton Mifflin, New York. ***A near fine copy in maroon cloth-covered boards with gilt titles to the spine. The gilt is still beautifully bright. The boards are clean and unmarked. Head and tail of spine slightly creased. Corners sharp. Page block edges nice and clean. No reading lean to the binding. Spine tight. Internally also near fine, with no inscriptions - just a small contemporary Foyles label to the front pastedown, hidden under the dustwrapper flap. Interior pages clean. No creases or tears. ***In a very good attractively illustrated pictorial dustwrapper, which is largely complete and bright. The dustwrapper is unclipped and retains the original publisher's printed price of 10.s 6d. net. with 'second impression' correctly stated. There is general edge wear and some loss at the head and tail of the spine, which just affects some of the lettering [please see scans]. The flaps are clean and intact without any creasing. The colours of the dustwrapper are still vibrant and unfaded even on the spine. ***190mm x 125mm. 333 pages. ***Contents: Introduction, Finger Man, Smart-Aleck Kill, Pick-up on Noon Street, The King in Yellow, Pearls are a Nuisance, Nevada Gas, Spanish Blood, The Simple Art of Murder. ***'The realist in murder does not inhabit a very fragrant world. Raymond Chandler's criminals have little use for gentility and his detectives spend no time wondering who trampled on the flower-bed under the library window. But few can resist when Mr. Chandler summons us away from contemplating crimes at vicarage garden parties and plunge us into a society where people commit murder for reasons, not just to provide a corpse. Here in seven long stories, none of which has appeared in book form before, he shows his ability to create a tenser atmosphere in half a dozen lines than most writers can in as many pages. Philip Marlowe figures in some of the stories, and in an essay which gives the book its title Mr. Chandler considers the role of the detective in fiction to-day and lays about him as vigorously as any of his own heroes. (Quote taken from the front flap of the dustwrapper) ***'"The Simple Art of Murder" is hard-boiled detective fiction author Raymond Chandler's critical essay, published along with a collection of early short stories. The essay was first published in the "Atlantic Monthly" in Dec 1944, and also appeared in the April 15, 1950 "Saturday Review of Literature". The article, slightly re-written for the book, served to introduce the story collection, which consisted of seven of Chandler's early stories pre-dating his first novel, "The Big Sleep". The essay is considered to be a seminal piece of literary criticism. Although Chandler's primary topic is the art (and failings) of detective fiction, he touches on general literature and modern society as well. Chandler reserves his praise for Dashiell Hammett. Although Chandler and Hammett were contemporaries and grouped as the founders of the hard-boiled school, Chandler speaks of Hammett as the "one individual. picked out to represent the whole movement," noting Hammett's mastery of the "American language", his adherence to reality, and that he "gave murder back to the kind of people that commit it for reasons, not just to provide a corpse.' ***A nice Raymond Chandler early post-war edition - second impression, in nice collectable condition. Very desirable in the original illustrated dustwrapper in this bright and near complete condition. Scarce thus. ***'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 # 7653z
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Bibliographic Details
Title: THE SIMPLE ART OF MURDER (First UK edition -...
Publisher: Hamish Hamilton, LOndon
Publication Date: 1950
Binding: Hardcover
Condition: Near Fine
Dust Jacket Condition: Very Good
Edition: First UK Edition
