Strunk Jr., William; White, E.B.

The Elements of Style

New York, NY: The Macmillan Company, 1959. First Edition. Hardcover. "Some time ago, The New Yorker printed a piece by E.B. White about a small book called The Elements of Style by William Strunk Jr., the late professor of English at Cornell. Mr. White recalled that in his own student days it was known on campus as the little book, and paid tribute to the author for his devotion to the cause of lucid English prose...The ink was scarcely dry on his essay when Mr. White had a call from Macmillan suggesting that he prepare a new edition of the little book. The Elements of Style has been restored to the world of letters because of its tested usefulness in helping people to write effectively and well. Mr. White has judiciously revised the book and has contributed a final chapter that seeks to lead the reader beyond mere correctness toward distinction in English style." (from front flap) The classic guide to proper prose first published exclusively in 1918 by Professor William Strunk Jr. (1869-1946), introduced & revised by the great American writer & journalist E(lwyn) B(rooks) White (1899-1985) in 1959, thereafter fused into immortality as "Strunk & White." Who writing in English did not possess some later, further revised edition of this great work during their high school or college days, as this writer still does (I think, I should find it & reread it to prune & improve my own style...)? Hardcover in dust jacket (front flap clipped but with original $2.50 price intact), first edition of 1959, first printing as stated on copyright page. The rarest original version of this iconic resource. As White exhorts in his introduction, "Get the little Book!" Book in fine condition with mild rubbing to edges & corners of front, back covers & spine incl. small areas with slight loss of black color & a bit of fraying (black-cloth covers, spine themselves almost pristine, gilt lettering on spine all but completely bright & intact); mild browning, spotting to edges of text block esp. upper & lower edges. Interior very fine with only mild browning, spotting to blank paste-downs & endpapers; a hint of browning at blank margins of some page leaves. Unrestored dust jacket relatively near-fine with mild-to-moderate rubbing, scratching, faint creasing & occasional spotting to front, back covers, spine & flaps; mild-to-moderate wear, some tiny bumps, creases & chips with minimal paper loss at edges & corners of same; very light remnant of (water?) stain at much of thin left margin/ edge of front flap; tape repair-reinforcement at/ near upper & lower spine-edges, corners & slightly onto covers of blank inner dust jacket (completely invisible at front surface of same with one very short, fully closed vertical tear at blank lower margin/ edge of back cover). Fine / Near Fine. [Item #4600]

Price: $100.00