Brief Hours - Hardcover
He had in some sense, prepared the trap and fallen into it. He shuddered inside his newly dead universe. ' As a young boy, Frank Stapleton stumbles upon an unanswerable question about life and its meaning, and is devastated at the outcome. Now, half a century later and in retirement after a successful professional career, Frank has to face his doubts again through the problems of his family, colleagues and friends; in particular his son Stuart and his wife Francesca, who despite giving the appearance of a successful modern couple are about to part. It takes an unexpected potential tragedy to bring the story to its climatic resolution, and to an answer to the question posed to Frank all those years before.
"synopsis" may belong to another edition of this title.
Synopsis:
As a young boy, Frank Stapleton stumbles upon an unanswerable question about life and its meaning. Half a century later, he has to face his doubts again through the problems of his family. It takes an unexpected potential tragedy to provide an answer to the question posed all those years before.
About the Author:
A former Booker Prize-winner for his novel Holiday, Stanley Middleton lives in Sherwood, near Nottingham. He is a retired school master, and since 1958 he has written a series of highly praised novels of contemporary English provincial life.
"About this title" may belong to another edition of this title.
- PublisherHutchinson
- Publication date1997
- ISBN 10 0091801737
- ISBN 13 9780091801731
- BindingHardcover
- Number of pages256
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BRIEF HOURS
Published by
Hutchinson, 1997. 0091801737
(1997)
ISBN 10: 0091801737
ISBN 13: 9780091801731
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Book Description 1st edn 1st printing. 8vo. Original gilt lettered blue cloth (casing with slight lean - otherwise near Fine), dustwrapper (reverse lightly spotted - otherwise VG in protective cover, not price clipped). Pp. 216 (no inscriptions). Seller Inventory # 157857
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BRIEF HOURS.
Published by
Hutchinson, London,
(1997)
ISBN 10: 0091801737
ISBN 13: 9780091801731
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Hardcover
First Edition
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Book Description Hardback. Condition: Fine. First Edition. Hardback. Dust Jacket. 8vo. Original publisher's blue cloth, lettered gilt at the spine. ISBN: 0091801737 Pages: 256 Fine in fine dust jacket. No inscriptions, not price-clipped. Seller Inventory # C78610
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BRIEF HOURS [Signed and Inscribed by the Author]
Published by
Hutchinson, London
(1997)
ISBN 10: 0091801737
ISBN 13: 9780091801731
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Hardcover
First Edition
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Book Description Hardcover. Condition: Fine. Dust Jacket Condition: Fine. First Edition. Attractive, impressionistic cover illustration by Jane Strother. ***SIGNED and warmly INSCRIBED and contemporaneously dated by the author in very small, neat blue ink on the title page: 'To Stuart and Janet with love, Stanley Middleton. 1997.' ***First impression of the true first edition. ***Very fine in blue cloth-covered boards with gilt titles to spine. No inscriptions (other than the author's). Pages clean and bright. Spine tight. Gilt titles bright. Tiny light splash mark to bottom of front board. Tiny unobtrusive indentation to a few pages at top edge of text-block. ***In a very fine colour illustrated dustwrapper which has not been price-clipped, showing original publisher's price of £15.99. Very edge of top outer corner of front panel of dustwrapper slightly creased. No tears. No fading. Front panel, back panel and spine of dustwrapper bright and crisp. ***216 pages. 224mm x 144mm. ***'As a young boy, Frank Stephen stumbles upon an unanswerable question about life and its meaning, and is devastated at the outcome. Now, half a century later and in retirement after a successful professional career, Frank has to face his doubts again through the problems of his family, colleagues and friends; in particular his son Stuart and Stuart's wife Francesca, who despite giving the appearance of a successful modern couple are about to part. It takes an unexpected potential tragedy to bring the story to its climatic resolution, and to an answer to the question posed to Frank all those years before.' (Quote from inside front jacket blurb). ***'At a first glance, or even at second, Stanley Middleton's world is easily recognisable. The excellence of art, for Middleton, is an exact vision of real things as they are. And because he is himself so exact an observer, his world at third glance can seem strange and disturbing or newly and brilliantly lit with colour.' [A. S. Byatt - review quote from back of jacket blurb]. ***The first impression of the true first edition in its original dustwrapper in fine collectable condition - from the Booker Prize-winner of 'Holiday'. Uncommon, and scarce to find, signed and inscribed by the author. ***For all our books, postage is charged at cost, allowing for packaging: any shipping rates indicated on ABE are an average only: we will reduce the P & P charge where appropriate - please contact us for postal rates for heavier books and sets etc. Signed and Inscribed by Author. Seller Inventory # 2088
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BRIEF HOURS. (SIGNED WITH SIGNED LETTER)
Published by
Hutchinson,, London,
(2004)
ISBN 10: 0091801737
ISBN 13: 9780091801731
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Book Description Hardback. Condition: Fine. First Edition. Hardback. Dust Jacket. 8vo. pp 216. Original publisher's blue cloth, lettered gilt at the spine. From the library of the British novelist and poet Barry Cole (1936 - 2014) with a signed presentation on the titel page to him and his wife from the author 'To Barry and Rita, Stanley Middleton 1997.' Barry Cole was a friend of Stanley Middleton and a champion of his work. His first novel 'A Run Across The Island', was dedicated to him and Barry Cole also contributed to the festschrift 'Stanley Middleton at Eighty'. Loosely inserted is agood signed handwritten letter from Stanley Middleton on Nottingham note paper dates 31/ 7/97 to Cole ".heartfelt thanks for 'Inside Outside'. I have had great pleasure in re-reading some old friends and making the acquaintances of some recent arrivals. Your touch is as sure as ever and always straight at my heart. In return I send you 'Brief Hours' which perhaps you'll manage to read before the summer is out. Felix, my cat, is now trampling all over this letter, but we have a new little cat today, and Felix needs reassurance, I think. Or Whiskas. or both.' ISBN: 0091801737 : Slight lean else fine in fine dust jacket. Paper at prelims isy oversize at bottom edge on 2 pages, insignificant printer's error. Some pencilled notes in Barry Cole's hand about the novel on front endpaper- proably for a review. Signedes. Seller Inventory # C50290
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Brief Hours
Published by
Hutchinson London
(1997)
ISBN 10: 0091801737
ISBN 13: 9780091801731
Used
Hardcover
First Edition
Signed
Quantity: 1
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Book Description Hardcover. Condition: Fine. Dust Jacket Condition: Fine. 1st Edition. Described as the Chekov of suburbia, Stanley Middletonn won the Booker Prize in 1976, and his wonderful novels gathered an enthusiastic following. He was a prolific writer who built up his readership with his addictable prose style and his ability to make the ordinary extraordinary. Ronald Blythe wrote We need Stanley Middleton to remind us what the novel is about. And Isobel Quigley wrote, A rocklike example of excellence. His signed first editions are much valued and sought out by the discerning collector, and this is a superb example. It is simply signed, without a dedication, on the title page, and the book is in an unread condition, and inside a perfect protected jacket Language: eng Language: eng 0.0 Language: eng 0.0 Language: eng 0.0 Language: eng. Signed by Author. Seller Inventory # ABE-7680482200
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