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Fine Editions Ltd

Fine Editions Ltd
Item #BB2194 The House of Breath. William GOYEN, Balint Stephen Biro, "Val", Illustrates.
The House of Breath

The House of Breath

London: Chatto & Windus, 1951. First Printing. Hardcover. First British Edition of Goyen's acclaimed debut novel, touching on themes of family, sexuality, time, place, and memory. Crown 8vo (183 x 120mm): 223,[1]pp. Publisher's burgundy cloth, beautifully illustrated dust jacket by Biro, priced 10s / 6d. A handsome example, about Fine (spine lettering dulled), seemingly unread, square, tight, and clean throughout, all but pristine; about Fine jacket (brief wear to head of spine panel). Yet another example of the value to be found in the graphically superior designs of most UK editions of American authors's works. Greene (Fifty Best Books on Texas), pp. 47-48 ("his best novel"). Lepper, p. 229. Fine- / Fine-. Item #BB2194

Set in the East Texas town of Charity, the novel is an elegy for the place Goyen left as a boy: Charity “is really Trinity, Texas, truly, accurately described,” Goyen said later in life. Reginald Gibbons, Goyen’s literary executor, called The House of Breath a "spangled fish,” shimmering and elusive, in an afterward he wrote for the book’s fiftieth anniversary. Goyen began writing The House of Breath aboard an American aircraft carrier in the South Pacific during the Second World War. After the war, he published several short stories and was awarded the Southwest Review Literary Fellowship, which allowed him to complete the novel. N. B. With few exceptions (always identified), we only stock books in exceptional condition, with dust jackets carefully preserved in archival, removable mylar sleeves. All orders are packaged with care and posted promptly. Satisfaction guaranteed. (Fine Editions Ltd is a member of the Independent Online Booksellers Association, and we subscribe to its codes of ethics.).

Price: $185.00

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