Bindon Parva
Published by The Bobbs-Merrill Company, 1925
- First Edition
- Hardcover
- Used
Seller: Robert Eldridge, Bookseller, Elizabethtown, NY, U.S.A.Robert Eldridge, Bookseller
AbeBooks seller since June 6, 2017
Condition: Used - Fine
£ 96.21
Quantity: 1 available
Add to basketItem description from seller
Birmingham, George A. (pseudonym of James Owen Hannay). Bindon Parva. Indianapolis: The Bobbs-Merrill Company Publishers, [1925]. First U.S. edition. With twelve-page "Preface to American Readers" not found in the U.K. edition. Octavo, pp. [1-22] 23-319 [320: blank]. Original dark brown cloth, front and spine panels stamped in pistachio green. Small violet ownership rubber stamp on front free endpaper. A fine copy in very good pictorial dust jacket. The U.S. edition is scarcer (and arguably better looking) than the Mills & Boon U.K. edition, which quickly went through at least three printings. #1781. $125. The first of these thirteen loosely-linked stories establishes the narrative frame: an architect is called in to do some restoration work on a small Norman church in Bindon Parva, a fictional small village in Dorset on the south coast of England. Normally, his partner, Darrell, would handle the ecclesiastical jobs -- with great relish -- but he is in bed with influenza. The other partner (our narrator) does "secular" work and regards spiritual matters of any kind, let alone the weirdly supernatural, as best confined between the covers of the Bible. It's this mildly skeptical perspective that provides the perfect dramatic foil for the ensuing stories. These are narrated by the church's Anglican vicar, Sylvester Maturin, who has become so receptive to mystical forces that he is practically a ghost himself -- hardly ever eating or bathing, not from penitential discipline but from sheer lack of interest. In the first story, the architect awakes early one morning and sees Maturin (a name to conjure with, surely, when it comes to supernatural fiction!) saying Mass by himself -- or so one would have thought in a church empty but for the eavesdropping architect. But when Maturin serves the Eucharist the architect sees the chalice passing hands down a line of invisible kneeling communicants. The ensuing stories gradually reveal that Maturin is in touch with the spirits of many of the former vicars of this church, and he tells their stories as they have been told to him. These tales all concern religious themes and forces, naturally (or supernaturally), but most are only marginally "supernatural" in the usual sense of that term as a literary genre. The first story is indisputably weird, though, and quite atmospheric. The contrast of the two narrators gives a piquancy to the writing. Two other short ecclesiastical ghost stories, told to the author after the publication of the English edition, are related by him in the author's preface. The material in general is very pleasantly and professionally told. The author handles weighty matters with a light touch.…
Seller Inventory # 1781
Bibliographic details
- Title
- Bindon Parva
- Author
- Birmingham, George A. (pseudonym of James Owen Hannay)
- Publisher
- The Bobbs-Merrill Company
- Publication year
- 1925
- Condition
- Fine
- Dust jacket
- Very Good
- Binding
- Hardcover
- Edition
- 1st Edition
Robert Eldridge, Bookseller
Elizabethtown, NY, U.S.A.
AbeBooks seller since June 6, 2017
Shipping rates within U.S.A.
| Item | 5 to 15 business days | 2 to 6 business days |
|---|---|---|
| First item | £ 4.48 | £ 11.21 |
Payment methods
Store description
When I began my bookselling business in 1996 I called it "Eldritch Books" because that adjective at least partly covered the type of material I offered (and because its similarity to my own surname seemed so -- eldritch). "Ghost stories" would be another handy, if somewhat reductive, term. Most of it is fiction from the 19th and early 20th century with a strong emphasis on the fantastic. Since the most familiar and relevant genre terms in use today -- "science fiction," "fantasy," "supernatural," "horror" -- were not so much in use when these books were first published, pegging them that way can be anachronistic. But that should give you the general idea. I don't have much in the way of American pulp (either in magazine or specialty press book form) but otherwise my interests range widely from high-brow to middle-brow to low-brow to amateur/eccentric. You're more likely to find rare and obscure works here than high spots. (Or at least they're obscure now, whatever their status was when first published.) In 2001 I went to work for L. W. Currey as cataloguer and general assistant. Since 2014 I've been back working on my own. I have exhibited at convention fairs (such as WFC and Readercon) in the past. I began collecting and studying antiquarian fantasy around 1980. Some of my essays have appeared in genre publications such as NYRSF, Wormwood and F&SF. I tend to carefully research my inventory and write extensive notes. (If another dealer wishes to make use of any of these notes, I'd appreciate the courtesy of putting such excerpts in quotes and giving proper attribution to me. That's what I do when I quote from any of my reference works.) I will be gradually listing my inventory on ABE over the coming years. I hope you find something of interest. …
Specialty
fantasy, supernatural and science fiction, 19th and early 20th century literatureSeller's business information
Robert Eldridge, Bookseller
NY, U.S.A.
Terms of sale
Contact information:
Robert Eldridge
P. O. Box 293
Elizabethtown NY 12932
USA.
Tel: 518-873-9966.
Email: rfx51@charter.net.
Shipping and handling:
I ship only by U.S. Postal Service. All shipments are packed carefully and mailed with insurance and (for domestic shipments) tracking information. Except where specified for extra large items, rates are: Domestic (within USA) Media Mail: $5. Domestic Priority: $10. International First Class (must be under 4 lbs.): $25. International Global Priority (required by USPS regulations for anything over 4 lbs.) -- ask for quote.
All book descriptions, aside from quoted material from other named sources, are copyrighted by Robert T. Eldridge.
I am currently unable to supply images of books. I take pains to describe my inventory accurately.
All material is guaranteed unconditionally and returnable for full refund within a month of receipt.
Right of withdrawal
If you are a consumer you can withdraw from the contract in accordance with the following. Consumer means any natural person who is acting for purposes which are outside his trade, business, craft or profession.
Information regarding the right of withdrawal
Statutory right to withdraw
You have the right to withdraw from this contract within 14 days without giving any reason.
The withdrawal period will expire after 14 days from the day on which you acquire, or a third party other than the carrier and indicated by you acquires, physical possession of the last good or the last lot or piece.
To exercise the right of withdrawal, electronically fill in and submit a clear statement on our website, under "My Purchases" in "My Account". We will communicate to you an acknowledgement of receipt of such a withdrawal on a durable medium (e.g. by e-mail) without delay.
To meet the withdrawal deadline, it is sufficient for you to send your communication concerning your exercise of the right of withdrawal before the withdrawal period has expired.
Effects of withdrawal
If you withdraw from this contract, we will reimburse to you all payments received from you, including the costs of delivery (except for the supplementary costs arising if you chose a type of delivery other than the least expensive type of standard delivery offered by us).
We may make a deduction from the reimbursement for loss in value of any goods supplied, if the loss is the result of unnecessary handling by you.
We will make the reimbursement without undue delay, and not later than 14 days after the day on which we are informed about your decision to withdraw from this contract.
We will make the reimbursement using the same means of payment as you used for the initial transaction, unless you have expressly agreed otherwise; in any event, you will not incur any fees as a result of such reimbursement.
We may withhold reimbursement until we have received the goods back, or you have supplied evidence of having sent back the goods, whichever is the earliest.
You shall send back the goods or hand them over to Robert Eldridge, Bookseller, Elizabethtown, New York, U.S.A., +1 518-873-9966, without undue delay and in any event not later than 14 days from the day on which you communicate your withdrawal from this contract to us. The deadline is met if you send back the goods before the period of 14 days has expired. You will have to bear the direct cost of returning the goods. You are only liable for any diminished value of the goods resulting from the handling other than what is necessary to establish the nature, characteristics and functioning of the goods.
Exceptions to the right of withdrawal
The right of withdrawal does not apply to:
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- The supply of digital content which is not supplied on a tangible medium (e.g. on a CD or DVD) if you accepted when you placed your order that we could start to deliver it, and that you could not withdraw once delivery had started.