Rawlings, Marjorie Kinnan & Shenton, Edward (Illus.) ~ The Yearling

FIRST USA Printing : Charles Scribner's Sons, New York : 1938

The First USA printing published by Charles Scribner's Sons, New York in 1938. Large 8vo., cream cloth lettered in green to upper cover and spine; with the device of a boy holding a young deer in green to the front board; replicating the title vignette by Edward Shenton; outer edge untrimmed together in the unclipped pictorial dustwrapper by the same ($2.50), printed in yellow, black and green; black and white photograph of the author to the front flap; beautiful black and white chapter headings throughout; The BOOK a near-Fine copy, light pushing to spine tips and mild even toning to text block. Light age related toning to the spine hinges. A small 3 cm closed tear to the lower edge of the half-title page. Light toning to the text-block. Free from inscriptions ; The fragile WRAPPER Is in Very Good++ condition, with overall creasing, the largest diagonally across the front panel; nicked and chipped to all edges, the largest at head and foot of spine, not affecting text; and some closed tears (not exceeding 2cm in length). The wrapper is protected in a removable Brodart archival cover. The true First Edition, first printing. In the first issue dustwrapper, with no reviews to the lower panel, and 'A Book-of-the-Month Club Selection' printed to the lower edge of the rear panel. Rawlings had suffered many rejections from her editor when she was encouraged to write a book based upon her own experiences living on an orange grove near Florida. The 72-acre plot was filled with animals, plants and lakes, and Rawlings developed a fascination both for the beauty of the countryside around her, and the people who lived upon it. The plot of 'The Yearling' was based upon a family living in hardship in Florida's backwoods, and focuses on twelve year-old Jody, his pet Flag (an orphaned fawn) and their inseparable bond. Upon publication, the novel became an instant bestseller, and has since been translated into 30 languages. In 1939, the author was awarded the Pulitzer Prize, and in 1946 it was adapted into a film of the same name, starring Gregory Peck as Penny Baxter and Jane Wyman as Ora Baxter. Edward Shenton illustrated over 130 books between the years of 1923 and 1976, including 'Tender Is the Night' by F. Scott Fitzgerald, and 'Green Hills of Africa' by Ernest Hemingway. He also worked as the 'house illustrator' for Scribner's magazine during the 1930s. An attractive copy.

BINDING: Hardcover
CONDITION: Near Fine
JACKET: Very Good++