STEINBECK, John

Cannery Row

New York: The Viking Press, 1945. Item #06574

Advance Issue in Original Wrappers
A Pre-Publication Steinbeck of Uncommon Survival

STEINBECK, John. Cannery Row. New York: The Viking Press, 1945.

Advance copy, preceding the first edition.

Octavo (7 3/8 x 4 3/4 inches; 187 x 121 mm.). [vi], 208, [1, advertisements], [1, blank] pp.

Publisher’s original blue printed wrappers, front cover lettered in black. Housed in the original acetate jacket. Spine very slightly darkened, minor wear at top of spine, otherwise an exceptionally well-preserved, near fine copy.

A scarce and desirable advance issue of one of Steinbeck’s most beloved Monterey novels, issued in fragile paper wrappers for pre-publication distribution. Copies retaining the original acetate jacket are particularly uncommon, as these ephemeral coverings were seldom preserved.

Cannery Row stands among Steinbeck’s most warmly regarded works - a loosely structured, episodic portrait of life along the Monterey waterfront, populated by a cast of unforgettable characters including Doc, Mack, and the boys. Blending humor, pathos, and philosophical reflection, the novel captures both the camaraderie and quiet desperation of its Depression-era milieu.

Advance copies of this title are rare in commerce, especially in such superior condition, and are keenly sought by collectors for their immediacy to publication and inherent fragility.

Goldstone & Payne A16 (advance issue, in wrappers).

Price: $500.00