Cloth binding in unclipped dustwrapper, cellophane tape along spine, else good copy. Published by Czytelnik, Warsawa, Cover design and text illustrations by Jan Mlodozeniec. First Polish edition. In publisher's printed wrappers with the illustrated dust jacket.
The book includes several full page and half page text illustrations by the Polish graphic designer, Jan Mlodozenie , one of the most prominent members of the Polish School of Posters whose works are held in the collection of such museums as the Museum of Modern Art in New York.
Dust jacket very slightly chipped and tanned on the spine due to acidic paper. Minor damage to the spine at the head. Overall in fine condition. Published by Covici Friede, Used - Hardcover Condition: Very Good. Condition: Very Good. Published in New York by Covici Friede in First Edition, first printing with no indication of later printing. In light tan cloth, blue horizontal rule, and dull blue topstain.
One of only copies printed. Steinbeck's fourth book and basis for the movie of the same name. Book very good, foxing on some pages and previous owner's signature on front free endpaper. No DJ. Condition: Collectible; Very Good.
VG- with light soiling along the panels and spine. In a bright, price-intact, VG- dustjacket, with light chipping to the spine extremities, light soiling to the front and back panels and darkening to the spine. Several small closed tears as well and rather acute foxing to the gutters. Also, small, neat former owner inscription to flyleaf. In spite of all this, a presentable copy of an elusive title in condition. Beige Cloth.
Drawings By Ruth Gannett illustrator. Lacking The Scarce Dust Jacket. Garner On Front Endpaper. Publication Date: New York: Covici Friede, Original tan cloth printed in blue, with dust jacket. These amiable rascals exhibit aspects of the paisano character, such as an innocent amorality, a superstitious but appealing affection for the Church, a ruthless instinct for survival, and a primitive love of pleasure and endurance of hardship, which result in a satisfying integrated way of life.
Of the first edition's copies, about were bound in cloth with a dust jacket as here, and about were bound in the dust jacket alone -- i. Included is the dust jacket, with a price-clipped blurb about the book on the front flap, and a brief biography of Steinbeck on the rear; the jacket is in good-to-very good condition -- its spine is sunned so that the bold blue is light blue-grey as is often the case , there is minor wear around the spine ends not affecting any print, and there is a small mark partial glass-ring?
This is the first edition in hardcover. The book has quite a bit of darkening overall, especially at spine. A cracking of rear endpaper but the hinge is still tight. The dust jacket is quite darkened but has little wear. It may have had some professional restoration in the past. This is a second issue dust jacket with blurbs instead of a Steinbeck bio. Goldstone and Payne A4b. Published by Covici Friede , New York, Tape repaired to front gutter, lacking ffep and half title.
Other small tears and small chip bottom rear of wrapper. Small stains to a few pages. Very good in dust jacket as issued in the advance copy. Published by Covici-Friede, New York, From United Kingdom to U. Dust Jacket Condition: Good. The first edition of this novel by Pulitzer-prize-winning author, John Steinbeck.
Book is first edition. Dustwrapper is first edition, fourth printing. Illustrated throughout by Ruth Gannett. The novel was the author's first clear critical and commercial success. It portrays a group of paisanos - literally, countrymen - a small band of errant friends enjoying life and wine in the days after the end of the Great War.
The central character Danny inherits two houses from his grandfather where he and his friends go to live. Most of the action is set in the time of Steinbeck's own late teenage and young adult years, shortly after World War I. In a cloth binding with original unclipped dustwrapper. Externally, sound, though with some marks and some bumping.
Dustwrapper is sound, though with some slight discolouration and edgewear. Tape repairs to the reverse of the wrap. Internally, generally firmly bound. Hinges are strained, with front endpaper missing. Ink signature to front pastedown.
Pages are bright, though with some scattered instances of foxing. Published by Penguin, New York, Used - Softcover Condition: Near fine. Condition: Near fine. First Paperback edition. Small octavo, pp. A near fine copy in the publisher's printed wraps. Cheap paper is evenly age-toned and the spine is very gently sunned.
A few shallow corner chips to the first several leaves. Steinbeck signatures without clear provenance should be approached with caution. Though not the true first edition of this early Steinbeck title and priced accordingly , this is a desirable signed copy with a pleasing literary connection. Published by London, Heinemann, , London, Heinemann, , first British edition, first printing, dust jacket. Aged jacket, otherwise near fine. Later dustjackets have blurbs on the back flap.
The book is in great shape. The binding is tight with NO cocking or leaning with minor wear to the boards. I think the flaws have to do with he fact that the characters are unable to develop beyond caricature.
John Steinbeck is a master American storyteller whose work is always a treat for me to read. Tortilla Flat is one of three of his works I have planned for this year and got me off to a rousing start. He gives readers a sense of the era of the Depression as well as the place and the scenery.
The characters of Danny and his friends were comical and fun to read about their exploits as they cope with having little money but an expensive taste in wine and women. The writing is not quite at the level of Mac and friends in Cannery Row yet still flows well.
While Cannery Row is my favorite at this point, Tortilla Flat was still an entertaining read. In one sense, the stories of Danny and the paisanos feel almost mythological, somewhat biblical certainly and even Arthurian. Goodness knows what Steinbeck thought of the very Hollywood re-writing of the ending of the story? To that extent, Steinbeck was indeed a product of, and subject to his times. These are important points to be raised and conversations to be had — but these were very different times and it was a very different America.
In context, being published in — Tortilla Flat was apparently enjoyed by many American readers as escapism from the Great Depression of the time. It is a straightforward, yet powerful story — a very human story, simply told with great feeling for the narrative and empathy with the characters.
Much has been said about Steinbeck's apparent portrayal of Mexican Americans as lazy, amoral drunkards in Tortilla Flat. Some say Steinbeck was racist; some say he was just a product of his time. Which is right I do not know; Steinbeck may very well have been racist he also uses "jew" as a slur and in several of his books uses unflattering stereotypes of Chinese people.
I know nothing of the man's personal beliefs about race and it is a common fallacy to suppose an author always agrees with his narrator. But Steinbeck was certainly a product of his time. Which begs the question: can racism be excused if it's just a product of its time? Was it appropriate for Al Jolson to put on blackface makeup and sing "Mammy" because it wasn't politically incorrect back then? Was Twain's depiction of Jim no more than a minstrel show in print?
And can we, as products or our time, truly judge these things with an unbiased eye? Perhaps being "a product of his time" means something else. Perhaps Steinbeck's characterization of these paisanos as layabout drunks had nothing to do with their race and everything to do with the time and area in which they lived.
Prohibition and the Great Depression made loafing lushes out of men of all races, colors, and creeds. Wine was verboten, so men wanted it all the more. Jobs were hard to come by, so eventually men stopped trying. This is the impression I got from reading this book: not that the paisanos were lazy, drunk, amoral, and poor because they were Mexican, but because in they didn't have anything else to do.
Synopsis : itinerant paisanos come together, then come apart. I did not expect to smile and laugh so much! This mirthful book is not what I'm used to from Steinbeck. I knew there would beautiful prose of course, but instead of portraying the usual tragedies small and large, Steinbeck wanted to relax and have fun - and he wanted the reader to do the same, much as his characters do. Rather than looking upon the futility of ambition - of life itself - as a dirge, he made his story a joyous folk song and a snappy pop hit dedicated to impermanence.
While still keeping his favored refrain of lives barely lived and humanity in the mud, of course. Steinbeck's gonna do Steinbeck, even at his most relaxed. A hallmark of that relaxation, as well as cleverness: the author's shifting his dialogue back and forth from s paisano slang I suppose to a very formal and stylized version of medieval English.
All the better to drive home that this story of wine-soused layabouts also functions as a mischievous parody of Le Morte d'Arthur. To these modern eyes, there was quite a bit that annoyed. The constant use of "Jew" as both verb and insult, of course - although hard to fault the author for what is coming out of his rather sweet but also rather dim characters' mouths.
And hey, "Jew" is still used the same way today - albeit by ignoramuses who should know better, and anti-Semites. The basic fact that we have a white author portraying various characters of mixed heritage as drunkards, thieves, and fools also bugged. Both of those things contributed to my not taking this novel as seriously as I probably should have.
And that said, Steinbeck's warmth, love, and even admiration for his characters shines through and made such issues almost - almost - feel minor. The shallowness of the story meant that I took a lot less from Tortilla Flat than I did from my last Steinbeck experience - the off-putting, depressing, mournful, entirely brilliant Wayward Bus.
But I sure did enjoy it a lot more. Jason Koivu. Tales of the tall variety about a silly gang of friends whose boy's club antics remind one at times of "The Three Stooges" or "Last of the Summer Wine" as they cast about in search of adventure and drink, spinning their own unbelievable yarns while getting drunk, and philosophizing with wild abandon - be damned the passing of the day!
Hell, there's even Yogi Bear-ish picnic basket pinching scene! Nonsense, it's all nonsense! Or is it? I seem to recall something quite profound was said somewhere in there amongst the inane, convoluted logic and self-serving prattle But I shall never again subject to the vulgar touch of the decent these good people of laughter and kindness, of honest lusts and direct eyes, of courtesy beyond politeness.
If I have done them any harm by telling a few of their stories, I am sorry. It will not happen again. His upset seemed strange to me when I read Tortilla Flat last week. This time around, I found myself worrying about their hygiene and their livers and how they were going to support themselves in retirement. But I also worried about the dust in the house and the fact that the woman still had to tidy by hand. Through such concerns, I realised that the book held up a mirror to my own ageing.
Would I be as overcome by the simple beauty of my surroundings as these men often are — and count seeing other people going about their business as fulfilment enough for a day?
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