Four Steps Wall by Webb Jon Edgar (5 results)

Paperback. first edition. 1179 good - very good, creases Cover by Gross. prison of men paperback,

Paperback. Condition: Very Good. Later Edition. Four Steps to the Wall (1948) by Jon Edgar Webb is a gritty prison novel centered on John Ditto, a lifer convicted of murder who rises to power within the brutal internal society of a large American penitentiary. Inside the prison walls, Ditto becomes the unofficial "czar" of the inmate population, controlling the shadow economy, settling disputes, and enforcing the unwritten laws of the convict world. The novel explores the closed masculine society of prison life?where alliances, intimidation, and violence determine survival. Ditto's power is constant but fragile: one mistake could cost him his authority or send him to solitary confinement ("the Hole"). As tensions grow between prisoners and the authorities who govern them, Ditto must navigate betrayal, rival factions, and the psychological strain of long-term incarceration. The story examines the moral compromises and emotional costs of power inside a sealed world ruled by fear, loyalty, and desperation. This scarce book is in very nice condition with just two small tears on the very bottom of the first two pages. Paperback edition. 214 pages. Dimensions: 4.25" by 7". Published by Bantam Books, New York. 1st printing, 1953. Multi-Color binding. Page defect(s): Some tears. 0.5 Pound Media Shipping Rate with Multiple Product Orders. (Min Shipping Rate 1 Pound per Order). Order More and SAVE! Genre(s): Crime Drama / Historical Fiction / Prison / English. (B101).

Paperback. first edition. 1179 very good - fine, reading crease Cover by Gross. prison of men paperback,

Soft cover. Condition: Very Good. 2nd Edition. This is a rare, near pristine copy of the 1948 Jon Edgard Wedd novel published by Dial Press Books in 1948. Even though it was well received at the time, hardcover copies are not easy to come by and the book jacket is rarely found in this condition. With some very minor edgewear and creases around the edges, this jacket is in Near Fine condition. The interior pages have toning around the edges, but for a 76-year-old book, they're in pretty great shape. The inside of the jacket has a great publicity photograph of Webb and a short profile. The rear inside has a description of the book with a unique design graphic at the bottom. Jon Edgar Webb was a crime beat reporter at the Cleveland News when he decided to try to be a criminal himself. He robbed a jewelry story and managed to get in and out of the store with the goods, but during the getaway he went down the wrong alley and ended up serving 30 months in the Ohio State Reformatory. He was the editor of the prison newspaper and learned to set type before being paroled. While still in prison, Webb began writing chapters for the novel, and wrote several published short stories about prison life before the novel was finally published. As it directly relates to Bukowski, Jon Edgar Webb and his wife Louise were the founders of LouJon Press. The couple was responsible for transforming Bukowski into an established writer, even if fame wouldn't occur until years later. TLouJon published Bukowski's first true books, "It Catches My Heart In Its Hands" (1963) and "Crucifix in a Deathhand" (1965). These books are true works of art in and of themselves. The detail, the printing methods, the craftsmanship, and the pure insanity it took to undertake these endeavors was as unparalleled then and as it is today. They also published Outsider magazine, which became the standard for poetry journals at the time. No other publication attracted nearly the talent that appeared in its pages and the production value of the magazine itself was unrivaled. Bukowski appeared in all four issues, with a large collection of poems in Outsider 1 (1961) and as the named "Outside of the Year" in Outsider 3 (1963), featuring Bukowski on the cover and a large center section. Box 25.

Soft cover. Condition: Very Good. First Thus. Doctor Kelly is one of the characters in this 214 page novel that looks at life inside penitentiaries. UNiluustrated. Read more about : Darling, Toodleloo, Nooley, Grease Pot, Emmett Harper, and Nick Bono's sister. Cond : White paper wrapper with blue0green border. I think that might be Ditto on the cover learning how discipline woks in `the yard'. Edge wear. No names . Good reading copy. Quote (p. 108) : " He sat back, leaning on his elbows, staring up at the marked calendar on the wall. He heard a blunt metallic clack ._._._. ." Size: 12mo.