The Dark Page (Armed Services Edition, R-10)

(n.p.): Editions for the Armed Services, Inc.. Good. (c.1944). First Edition Thus. Stapled wraps. [Good only, a well-worn copy with heavy spine roll, edgewear, soiling along right edge of front cover, typical signs of aging to cheap paper]. This newspaper/mystery yarn, which draws upon future film director Sam Fuller's youthful experience as a copy boy and crime reporter, is one of the more notable ASEs due to the special place it holds in the personal chronicle of its author, who was serving in the U.S. Army in Europe at the time of its publication; by Fuller's own account, he first encountered his book in print in this very edition -- in France, shortly after D-Day, when he saw another G.I. reading a copy, an incident he later incorporated into both the book and film versions of his WWII epic "The Big Red One" (re-titling the book "The Dark Deadline" therein). He claimed to have left the first draft of the novel with his mother before he shipped out -- intending to revise and polish it after the war -- and she had proceeded to make the deal for its publication (the hardcover edition was issued by Duell, Sloan & Pearce). (The book also served as the basis for the 1952 movie SCANDAL SHEET, directed by Phil Karlson.) Judging from the condition of this particular copy, I don't think it's much of a stretch to assume it spent some time riding around in the pocket of one or more American soldiers, which of course was the entire purpose of the Armed Services Editions.. . (Inventory #: 29915)