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In the nineteen-forties, the J. I. Rodale Press in Emmaus, Pennsylvania was issuing a fine series of "Story Classics", each with special illustrations created specifically for each book, and each book is dressed in a handsome, nicely-designed hardcover binding. ************************************** "Tales of Love and Death" is a lovely edition of stories by the masterful French story-teller, Prosper Mérimée, who being member of the Court of Napoleon III, and thus in the thick of it, had a critical nature, and so his stories are suffused, not just with adventure and romance, but a certain element of irony. There are, in his stories, adventure, cloak-and-dagger intrigue, romantic interludes, and a sometimes quite graphic representation of the struggling underside of society. The themes of the stories are fully adult, and illustrate in an often humorous manner, the foibles ad follies of humankind; the action between protagonists and villains, between soldiers and armies, between insurrectionist slaves and slave dealers, among witches, among the poor and dispossessed, and between lovers, should satisfy the romantic expectation of many readers. Arthur Zaidenberg's illustrations are lively, somewhat humorous, and capture the piquant flavor of Mérimée's tales. ************************************* SERIES : Illustrated Story Classics / TITLE : Tales of Love and Death / AUTHOR : Prosper Mérimée ( 1803 - 1870 ) / ILLUSTRATOR : Arthur Zaidenberg (1908 - 1990)/ IMPRINT : J. I Rodale / PLACE : Emmaus, Pennsylvania / 
DATE : 1948 / EDITION : First Edition / PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION : Trade hardcover. With 18 two-tone full page illustrations; illustrated double-spread title page in three colors; ; a brief author biography; notes on the artist;189 pages; approximately 6 31/2" x 10"; bound in pressed red cloth; front board has title in gold against a black panel, this is enclosed by a blind-stamped border; the spine repeats the theme, with added panels stamped in black and faux raised bands -- the whole meant to suggest a leather binding. ************************************** CONDITION - VERY GOOD - This is a previously owned book, but still an attractive specimen with but modest signs of use … EXTERIOR : Slight abrasion to spine extremities, else bright and presentable; there is a small scuff to front; near-negligible weathering to rear, else bright and presentable. Text-block edges are toned, else clean. BINDING : Solid INTERIOR : There is slight splitting to the front end-paper over the hinge; there is a gift inscription neatly inked on front flyleaf (To Helen from Mother, June 17, 1950). else the interior is clean and presentable with negligible signs of use. The book was issued with a slip case, which is no longer present. Seller Inventory # 624
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