Description: "Here's My Message. Everything Gets Worse."THE SHELTERING SKYBy Paul Bowles(1949)Inscribed first US edition of Bowles's first novel, the grim and enduring twentieth-century classic of alienated Americans wandering through North Africa towards destruction.Very good plus in very good jacket. Bowles's masterpiece, often praised as pitiless and dazzling, like the sun - beautiful, but not good for the eyes - was written in several Algerian hotel bedrooms over a period of nine months. "My idea was that the people would keep moving into the desert," he explained to Jay McInerney, "that one would get ill and die, and at that point it would write itself." Once completed, Bowles sent the book to Doubleday, who didn't want it: "They said, 'We asked for a novel.' They didn't consider it a novel." New Directions was happy to publish it for "a postwar reading public that was still shockable" (Theroux), and as a reading public loves to be shocked, it became a bestseller.Read more: McInerney, "Paul Bowles in Exile," Vanity Fair; Theroux, Figures in a Landscape: People and Places. (New York): New Directions, (1949). 8'' x 5.25''. Original tan cloth. In original unclipped ($2.75) dust jacket by Alvin Lustig. 318 pages. Inscribed by Bowles on half title. Minor edgewear to boards, faint soil to edges of text block. Jacket with a couple nicks and a few small closed tears, some soil to rear panel, spine toned. Type Punch Matrix Type Punch Matrix is a rare book firm founded by Rebecca Romney and Brian Cassidy. Between them, they bring over 30 years of experience in the antiquarian book trade. TPM sells a mixture of beloved classics and innovative texts from throughout print history, for collectors and institutions alike. Handpress and modern books, archives and manuscripts, letterpress and ephemera: TPM aims to make collecting both more accessible and more diverse, and believes in the mindful acquisition, preservation, and celebration of the materials of our literary cultures. Proud member of the Antiquarian Booksellers Association of American (ABAA), the International League of Antiquarian Booksellers (ILAB), and the International Online Booksellers Association (IOBA). Guarantee We guarantee the accuracy and authenticity of all our listings. "First edition" always means first printing unless otherwise indicated. Items may be returned for any reason within 30 days, through prior arrangement, and in original condition. Maryland residents must add 6% sales tax. Shipping We pride ourselves on our packaging. All books are carefully packed to help ensure safe arrival in condition sent. We use new boxes, with not a single bubble envelope to be found in our shipping room. We ship most packages via USPS media mail and include delivery confirmation at no additional charge. Delivery typically takes 5-10 days, but may be longer, especially during the holidays. Orders are shipped within two business days. Priority USPS, UPS, and Fed-Ex services are available on request; please inquire for a specific quote. We combine shipping on items purchased at the same time. If you check out immediately and are overcharged for shipping during checkout, we will issue you a prompt refund, once actual shipping costs are known. International shipping is available, and we are happy to ship to our international customers. Please contact is BEFORE PURCHASING for an exact quote.This listing was created by Bibliopolis.
Price: 3850 USD
Location: Silver Spring, Maryland
End Time: 2025-01-03T05:29:18.000Z
Shipping Cost: 0 USD
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Item Specifics
Return shipping will be paid by: Buyer
All returns accepted: Returns Accepted
Item must be returned within: 30 Days
Refund will be given as: Money Back
Return policy details:
Author: Bowles, Paul
Publisher: New Directions
Year Printed: 1949
Special Attributes: 1st Edition, Dust Jacket, Signed
Language: English
Original/Facsimile: Original
