Singer, Isaac Bashevis

The Spinoza of Market Street

New York, NY: Farrar, Straus & Cudahy, 1961. First Edition. Hardcover. "The Spinoza of Market Street, (Isaac Bashevis Singer's) second collection of stories, exhibits once again Singer's mastery of the short form. That fantastic and witty play of devils and imps which makes his art unique in this century is once more exploited by him in such stories as "A Tale of Two Liars" and "The Destruction of Kreshev." In Singer the world of the supernatural is not an attenuated intellectual concept but every bit as alive as that everday existence which it completes. And, consequently, when man and devil meet, they interact in strange and unpredictable ways." (from front flap) The second volume of classic stories by Isaac Bashevis Singer (1903-1991) the great & prolific award-winning Jewish-American writer. Singer's first language, in which he originally wrote this & all his writings, was Yiddish, from which they were translated into English & in turn other languages throughout the world. Hardcover in unclipped dust jacket, first edition, "First Printing, 1961" as stated on copyright page. Among the laudatory quotes on back cover of jacket is this from none other than Beat Generation/ San Francisco Renaissance mentor Kenneth Rexroth: "Butthere is Isaac Bashevis Singer. If only he were left writing in Yiddish it would still be an important literary language. He is certainly one of the most remarkable American authors who has ever lived...." An essential & most desirable Singer collectible in its rarest original compiled form. Book in very fine condition with only a bit of wear to edges & corners of front, back covers & spine; mild rubbing, browning & spotting to side & lower edges of text block; moderate fading to black-dyed upper edge of same. Interior very fine with only mild browning & occasional spotting to blank paste-downs & endpapers; otherwise substantially mint. Unrestored dust jacket relatively good with moderate rubbing, browning & occasional spotting to front, back covers, spine & flaps; mild wear & some tiny bumps, creases at thin edges & corners of same; one jagged, fairly shallow crease at right upper edge down to blank background right margin of front cover. Very Fine / good. [Item #4468]

Price: $75.00