Gass, William H.

Fiction and the Figures of Life

ISBN: 0394469666
New York, NY: Alfred A. Knopf, Inc., 1971. First Edition. Hardcover. "There is probably no contemporary writer better qualified to discuss the "art of fiction" than William H. Gass. His knowledge and understanding of his subject come from the point of view of both a practitioner...and a theoretician...His discussion returns fiction to the issues, including language and the individual trademarks of various writers. He makes an important distinction between the philosopher and the writer of fiction...He talks about writers from (William) Shakespeare to (Robert) Coover, with stops along the way for Gertrude Stein, (Vladimir) Nabokov, the James family, and several others. He asserts that there "are no descriptions in fiction, there are only constructions," and, using examples from a selection of works, proves his point." (from front & rear flaps) Twenty-four essays in four parts by William H. Gass (1924-2017), the great American author & academician. Hardcover in unclipped first-issue dust jacket (with $6.95 price printed on front flap, "2/71" at edge between rear flap & back cover), first edition as stated on copyright page. Title page states "1970" below publisher & place, but final year on copyright page & year referred to on flap per above are 1971. Of interesting note is the reference to ISBN on copyright page being a series of zeros, with an actual number printed near lower right corner of dust jacket back cover (this was published near the dawn of the ISBN system). An enriching & collectible critical analyses of literature & philosophy, in its rarest original form. See also our very collectible editions of Gass's classic novel Omensetter's Luck (item No.s 2829, 4448). Book in fine condition with light rubbing to orange-cloth front, back covers & esp. spine (but with silver-gilt lettering thereon & on front cover quite bright & intact); very slight rubbing, fading to edges & corners of same; light spotting to side & lower edges of text block (the former untrimmed as issued); mild fading & short, faint scratching to yellow-orange dyed upper edge of same. Interior fine with sparse, light spotting to blank paste-downs, endpapers; contemporary previous owner's signature & date (" '71") in ink at upper right margin of front endpaper; miniscule bleeding of spots noted above onto side edges of a few page leaves. Dust jacket fine with mild rubbing, browning & occasional spotting to front, back covers, spine & flaps; mild wear & some tiny bumps, creases at thin edges & corners of same; a few tiny chips with minimal loss of paper at spine-edges & corners. Fine / Fine. [Item #4694]

Price: $80.00