New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1953.
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Softcover. Advance Reading Copy in wrappers. A very nice, near fine copy with light rubbing at the folds and some very slight toning at the spine, in a custom quarter morocco and papercovered cloth box. Baldwin’s first book, about a day in the lives of various members of a Harlem church and, through flashbacks, about their forebears. Upon publication it was immediately hailed as a major treatment of black life in America and established Baldwin as the leading black novelist of his generation. Baldwin’s objections to the art that appeared on this advance issue (he felt it too stereotypical) resulted in an entirely different dustwrapper appearing when the first edition was released. A highly desirable cornerstone of any African-American literature collection. On both the Modern Library and Radcliffe 100 Best Novels of the Century lists.
Item #347354