UNDER WESTERN EYES - A NOVEL (First American edition)

Joseph Conrad

Published by Harper & Brothers Publishers, New York and London, 1911

About this Item

First printing of the first American edition, with 'Published October 1911' on the printer's page. The book was originally published in the UK by Methuen & Co. earlier in 1911 in an edition of 3,000 copies (Wise 19 - Thomas J. Wise - A Bibliography of the Writings of Joseph Conrad (1895-1921). ***Very good in dark blue cloth-covered boards with gilt titles to the spine and front board. Whilst the gilt on the front boards is still nice and bright, the spine titles are dulled and faded. The boards are clean, with just some marks commensurate with age and handling over the years. The head and tail of the spine are slightly rubbed and creased, but with no serious tears to the fragile cloth - just very slight fraying. There is no splitting at the spine. No bumping - just slight creasing to the corners. There is a slight abrasion to the fore-edge of the page block. The top edge of the page block is slightly darkened. Internally the book is also very good, with a contemporary gift inscription in ink on the front free endpaper, dated Feb. 15th 1912. There is none of the usual foxing or offsetting to the front and rear pastedowns. Pages clean. No creases or tears. No reading lean. Spine tight. No dustwrapper. ***378 pages. 192mm x 130mm. ***'"Under Western Eyes (1911) is a novel by Joseph Conrad. The novel takes place in St. Petersburg, Russia, and Geneva, Switzerland, and is viewed as Conrad's response to the themes explored in Fyodor Dostoevsky's "Crime and Punishment"; Conrad was reputed to have detested Dostoevsky. It has also been interpreted as Conrad's response to his own early life; his father was a Polish independence activist and would-be revolutionary imprisoned by the Russians, but, instead of following in his father's footsteps, at the age of sixteen Conrad left his native land, only to return briefly decades later. Indeed, while writing "Under Western Eyes", Conrad suffered a weeks-long breakdown during which he conversed with the novel's characters in Polish. This novel is considered to be one of Conrad's major works and is close in subject matter to "The Secret Agent". It is full of cynicism and conflict about the historical failures of revolutionary movements and ideals. Conrad remarks in this book, as well as others, on the irrationality of life, the opacity of character, the unfairness with which suffering is inflicted upon the innocent and poor and the careless disregard for the lives of those with whom we share existence. The book's first audience read it after the failed Russian Revolution of 1905. A later audience reading it after the Russian Revolutions of 1917 perceived the author's insights differently. Writing to Edward Garnett in 1911, Conrad said "--in this book I am concerned with nothing but ideas, to the exclusion of everything else"'. (Wiki) ***First impression of the first American edition of Joseph Conrad's "Under Western Eyes" - in the original publisher's blue cloth-covered gilt-decorated boards, in very nice condition for a book now well over a hundred years old. ***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. Seller Inventory # 8540

Bibliographic Details

Title: UNDER WESTERN EYES - A NOVEL (First American...

Publisher: Harper & Brothers Publishers, New York and London

Publication Date: 1911

Binding: Hardcover

Condition: Very Good

Dust Jacket Condition: No Jacket

Edition: First American Edtion