The Go-Between -
L. P. Hartley
1953 - Hamish Hamilton, London - First Edition
‘The past is a foreign country: they do things differently there.’
First edition of L. P. Hartley’s finest novel, the haunting story of a young boy's awakening into the secrets of the adult world set at the turn of the 19th century.
Summering with a fellow schoolboy on a great English estate, Leo encounters a world of unimagined luxury. But when his friend’s beautiful older sister enlists him as the unwitting messenger in her illicit love affair, the aftershocks will be felt for years.
The inspiration for the brilliant Joseph Losey/Harold Pinter film starring Julie Christie and Alan Bates, The Go-Between is a masterpiece—a richly layered, spellbinding story about past and present, naïveté and knowledge, and the mysteries of the human heart. Provenance: With contemporary inscription to book society bookplate dated Novmber 1953.
First edition with copyright page stating ’First published in Great Britain, 1953’ and no further dates or impressions stated. Dust jacket with ‘A List of Fiction’ to the rear panel and no publishers reviews,
References: New York Review of Books. Penguin Classics.
Octavo (book size 19.1x13.5cm), pp. 296. In publisher’s red cloth spine with lettering and publisher’s logo in gilt, all edges trimmed, top edge tinted red. Dust jacket priced ‘11s. net’ to lower corner of front flap. Condition: Near fine, foxing to edges, and lighter to first few pages, in very good dust jacket, without the usually encountered darkening and staining to spine, wear to corners, more so and two short closed tears to spine ends. Ref: 112134 Price: HK$ 5,500
First edition of L. P. Hartley’s finest novel, the haunting story of a young boy's awakening into the secrets of the adult world set at the turn of the 19th century.
Summering with a fellow schoolboy on a great English estate, Leo encounters a world of unimagined luxury. But when his friend’s beautiful older sister enlists him as the unwitting messenger in her illicit love affair, the aftershocks will be felt for years.
The inspiration for the brilliant Joseph Losey/Harold Pinter film starring Julie Christie and Alan Bates, The Go-Between is a masterpiece—a richly layered, spellbinding story about past and present, naïveté and knowledge, and the mysteries of the human heart. Provenance: With contemporary inscription to book society bookplate dated Novmber 1953.
First edition with copyright page stating ’First published in Great Britain, 1953’ and no further dates or impressions stated. Dust jacket with ‘A List of Fiction’ to the rear panel and no publishers reviews,
References: New York Review of Books. Penguin Classics.
Octavo (book size 19.1x13.5cm), pp. 296. In publisher’s red cloth spine with lettering and publisher’s logo in gilt, all edges trimmed, top edge tinted red. Dust jacket priced ‘11s. net’ to lower corner of front flap. Condition: Near fine, foxing to edges, and lighter to first few pages, in very good dust jacket, without the usually encountered darkening and staining to spine, wear to corners, more so and two short closed tears to spine ends. Ref: 112134 Price: HK$ 5,500