About this Item
This very useful book is "A Reader's Guide to Marcel Proust" by Milton Hindus, who was, at the time he wrote this work, Associate Professor of English at Brandeis University, and the author, also, of "The Proustian Vision". The book was published in 1962 by Thames and Hudson, and comprises a very detailed analysis of Proust's great novel, "Remembrance of Things Past". ************************************* A curious thing about this book is that it was the publishers copy : on the front flyleaf is a stamp, in red, stating "Thames and Hudson Conference Room Copy Please Return" ; a further stamp, in black with accompanying bars, reads : "No longer needed in Conference Room". I can only guess that books that were newly published and current were kept in the Conference Room for display, discussion, and reference. The dust-jacket is strengthened by a double fold extension of its paper, thickening the jacket. This could have been because of the need for discussion groups to handle such copies. This is only my premise. The book is now out of print. **************************************** SERIES : "Reader's Guide" Series / TITLE : A Reader's guide to Marcel Proust / AUTHOR : Milton Hindus / IMPRINT : Thames and Hudson / PLACE : London / DATE : (1962) / EDITION : First British Edition / PROVENANCE : Publisher's Copy , reserved for the Thames and Hudson Conference Room , with stamp to that effect; also with official deaccession stamp to that effect. / STATUS : OP - Out of Print PHYSICAL DETAILS : Trade hardcover; Contains a Prefatory Note, an Appendix, a Bibliographical Postscript, and an Index; x + 275 pages; approximately 5 1/4" x 8"; mustard yellow, cloth-covered boards with gilt lettering on spine; on the front board is a publisher's device of two dolphins within a rounded border stamped in gilt; dust-jacket printed midnight blue on pale blue. The jacket is printed on paper that has been folded, so as to create a double thickness. (I do not know if this was the design for the public release, or if it was a special effect rendered for the Conference room copies only.) ********************************************** CONDITION - BOOK : VERY GOOD - DUST-JACKET : VERY GOOD - This is a previously owned book which remains clean and attractive, with the following particulars noted :: EXTERIOR - Spine extremities are slightly compressed; spine surface is just barely perceptibly dulled, but gilt lettering is bright, as is the publisher's device on the front board; boards display moderate shelf rub to bottom edges, else boards are bright and clean ; text-block edges are slightly toned, else clean. / BINDING - The book has seen use, therefore the text-block is not as tight as when issued, however the whole remains solid. INTERIOR - On the front flyleaf is a stamped statement of provenance : "Thames and Hudson Conference Room Copy / Please Return" . under that is stamped : " No Longer Needed in conference Room" (accompanied by two vertical bars stamped through the original stamp. . And thus this copy was released into the wilds of the market. The same flyleaf is also creased vertically in three parallel places. Otherwise the interior is clean and free of marking, free of writing and marginalia, and has no signatures, being clean and presentable. / DUST-JACKET- The background blue of the jacket on the spine panel of the jacket is considerably faded, although the lettering thereon is still quite solid; the board panels display milder fading (or weathering) about the edges; there is modest surface rub, some impressions in blind , a touch of spotting, and a bit of abrasion to the folds. the top edge of the front flap is somewhat crimped. The whole is still quite solid, and the front flap is not price-clipped. The front flap has some offset ink impressions derived from the stamped bars over the Conference Room stamp. / It's a solid copy, with an interesting provenance. Seller Inventory # 1274
Contact seller
Report this item
