1998, ISBN: 9780436203770

Weston, MA: M & S Press, 1984. Privately Printed, Limited and Numbered Edition. Copy number 9 of fifty-five copies fully bound by Gray Parrot with a special design in royal blue and blac… Mehr…

Weston, MA: M & S Press, 1984. Privately Printed, Limited and Numbered Edition. Copy number 9 of fifty-five copies fully bound by Gray Parrot with a special design in royal blue and black Niger goat and housed in a one-quarter leather traycase. The printing and binding were completed in the fall of 1984. Folio,10 inches by 14 inches, i-xxvi + 381 pages comprising a facsimile of the original Nineteen Eighty-Four manuscript on each recto and the edited typescript draft on the facing verso. With gilt-stamping to the front board reading War is Peace / Freedom is Slavery / Ignorance is Strength. Beautiful as new condition. One of the only George Orwell manuscripts extant, published here in full facsimile, with transcript notes by poet, publisher, and Orwell historian Peter Davison. As Davison notes in his introduction: This facsimile reproduces all that is known to have survived of the preliminary drafts of Nineteen Eighty-Four, that is about 44% of the published text of the novel. Furthermore, he writes: Despite all the rewriting revealed by this facsimile, it is remarkable how closely what has survived adheres to the main sweep of the narrative of Nineteen Eighty-Four. All the principle features, except the Appendix on Newspeak, are present, suggesting that the story had been pretty fully formed in Orwells mind by the time he sat down to write it out. What can now be seen for the first time is, in Sonia Orwells words, her husbands actual working methods. These are a compelling demonstration of the way Orwell fashioned and refashioned his story, perfecting language and thought, in order to create one of the most remarkable novels of the twentieth century. The preface by bookseller, rare book collector, and ABAA member Daniel Siegel details not only how the manuscript came to be his, but offers insight into the art and craft of literary serendipity and is a delight to read. He tells the story of his relationship with the Orwell manuscript, beginning with how, in late spring of 1969, Harold Graves of Scribners rare book department in New York introduced him to the piece, about which Siegel notes, The leaves Harold showed me were nondescript, handwritten in ink or typed, with a great deal of overwriting on the typed pages. Much seemed illegible. Siegel was obviously intrigued by the manuscript, but walked away without it. However, as kismet would have it, on the following day he telephoned Graves with the news that,Its a great manuscript and I dont know why I shouldnt have it. And so, he did. Eventually, Siegel donated the Nineteen Eighty-Four manuscript to Brown University., M & S Press, 1984, 0, London,, 1998. Hardbacks. Dust Jackets.. General Overview: All volumes Near Fine in Very Good Dust Jackets (ranging from VG- to VG++). Some volumes have slight sunning at spine of dust jacket, some volumes have slight shelfwear to edges of dust jacket & certain volumes have a small nick, tear or bump to the dust jacket. Overall an excellent and attractive set.Detailed Description of Volumes: [1] Near Fine in Very Good Plus Dust Jacket, very small mark at outside bottom edge, DJ has slight shelfwear and small nick at top of spine; [2] NF in VG- DJ, DJ has slight shelfwear along top and bottom edge & slight sunning at spine; [3] NF in VG- DJ, very slight bump at base of spine, DJ has slight sunning at spine & very slight bump at base of spine and at rear at bottom edge; [4] NF in VG- DJ, very slight bump at foredge to front matter, DJ has slight sunning at spine & very slight shelfwear at corners; [5] NF in VG- DJ, DJ has slight sunning at spine; [6] NF in VG- DJ, very slight bump at bottom of spine, DJ has slight sunning at spine, very slight bump at base of spine & very slight shelfwear at bottom edge; [7] VG+ in VG- DJ, very small stain & small mark at foredge, DJ has slight sunning at spine & very slight shelfwear at top edge; [8] NF in VG- DJ, DJ has slight sunning at spine & very slight shelfwear at top and base of spine; [9] NF in VG- DJ, very slight bump at base of spine, DJ has slight sunning at spine, very slight bump at base of spine, slight shelfwear to edges & small tear at top of spine; [10] NF in VG- DJ, DJ has slight sunning at spine, very slight shelfwear at top edge and two small nicks at top of spine; [11] NF in VG- DJ, very slight dust mark at bottom edge, DJ has slight sunning at spine; [12] NF in VG DJ, DJ has very slight sunning at top of spine & very slight shelfwear at top edge; [13] NF in VG+ DJ, DJ has very slight sunning at top of spine; [14] NF in VG+ DJ, DJ has very slight sunning at top of spine; [15] NF in VG DJ, DJ has very slight sunning at top of spine, small nick at base of spine and very slight shelfwear at bottom edge; [16] NF in VG DJ, DJ has very slight sunning at top of spine, small nick at base near spine & very slight shelfwear to bottom edge; [17] NF in VG DJ, DJ has very slight sunning at top of spine & very slight shelfwear bump at base of spine; [18] NF in VG+ DJ, very small stain at top edge, DJ has extremely slight sunning at top of spine; [19] NF in VG- DJ, DJ has extremely slight sunning at top of spine & minor tear & bump at bottom edge near spine; [20] NF in VG++ DJ, DJ has extremely slight sunning at top of spine & very small scratch at rear.. 8vo. 20 vols. Publisher's blue cloth boards with silver lettering at spine in publisher's blue, orange and red dust jacket with white and red lettering at spine. A complete set of The Complete Works of George Orwell, in 20 volumes. Volumes 1-9 are the most well-known fiction and non-fiction works (Reprints, 1997, ISBN [Vols. 1-9]: 0436231255; 0436231336; 0436231298; 0436231379; 0436231417; 0436231395; 0436231271; 0436231352; 043623131X). Volumes 10-20 compile the rest of Orwell's literary, non-fiction and journalistic output (First editions thus, 1998, ISBN [Complete Edition]: 0436203774). Heavy set of books, will require extra shipping.This set is available to view in the shop., 1998, 3.5<