OF MICE AND MEN

New York, NY: Covici Friede Publishers, 1937. First Edition, First State. Hardcover. Octavo, 186 pages. In Very Good minus condition with a Good minus condition dust jacket. Heavily aged dark brown spine with black lettering. Dust jacket is wrapped in mylar covering, has moderate shelving wear, large open tears along the extremities, bending wear along the front cover, large closed tears along the front cover, a small closed tear along the spine, moderate chipping along the fore, head and tail edges, dark stains on the front and rear covers, and moderate age-toning throughout. Boards have mild wear along the head and tail edges, stains on the front and rear boards, light bending along the front fore corners, and moderate age-toning along the spine. Textblock has light splitting to gutter from the half-title page to page 14, mild wear along the front pastedown, small stains on the end-pages and pastedowns, mild wear along the edges, light foxing along the head edge, and mild age-toning along the edges. DL consignment. Shelved Room C. First state marked by the words "and only moved because the heavy hands were pendula." on page 9 and dot between the "8"s of page 88 both missing in later issues, per Goldstone and Payne A7 b.
Book club edition dust jacket missing "$2.00" sale price on original dust jacket.

John Steinbeck was born February 27, 1902 in Salina, California. Having seen some critical success following his fourth novel "Tortilla Flat" in 1935, Steinbeck would use his background having worked ranches and beet fields in his youth alongside migrant workers, as well as the backdrop of the Great Depression to write his "California novels" and Dust Bowl fiction.

"Of Mice and Men" was published in 1937, becoming one of Steinbeck's most recognizable works. Written as a novel-play in three acts of two chapters, it is intended as both novel and playscript. Though it has received much controversy over the years, "Of Mice and Men" remains a popular work, being taught in many Anglosphere schools. 1393574. Special Collections. (Inventory #: 1393574)