Naked and the Dead, The – Norman Mailer
VG/Poor Early Reprint

For sale: a rare, early reprint edition, first printing hardcover copy of The Naked and the Dead by Norman Mailer. Edition unstated, 1948 Grosset and Dunlap. Presumed First Printing with no subsequent printing on the copyright page.

The book exterior is in Very Good condition with strong, black boards with a strong sheen and a few  smudges. The title ink is strong on a straight  spine, light spotting on the page blocks, tight binding, mild spine tilt, rolled spine ends, heavy edge wear, and lightly rounded corners. The interior of the book is also in Very Good condition with the previous owner’s name on the foxed first free end paper. No other marks, inscriptions, or other signs of ownership. The interior pages are clean and moderately toned, making this a good addition to any collection.

The dust jacket is in Poor condition with moderate surface wear, heavy edge wear, chips and a 3″ diagonal section of the spine top missing including most of the title. First issue jacket, with no price on the front flap, and with the same jacket design by Karov as the Rinehart true first edition. Looks good in a new Brodart archival wrap.

Hailed as one of the finest novels to come out of the Second World War, The Naked and the Dead received unprecedented critical acclaim upon its publication and has since enjoyed a long and well-deserved tenure in the American canon. Written in gritty, journalistic detail, the story follows a platoon of Marines who are stationed on the Japanese-held island of Anopopei. Composed in 1948 with the wisdom of a man twice Mailer’s age and the raw courage of the young man he was, The Naked and the Dead is representative of the best in twentieth-century American writing.