Twain Mark

1883 · réf. 34532 — Boston: James R. Osgood 1883. First Edition First State. Blanck's intermediate with the tailpiece of Twain in flames on p.441 not present and with caption on p.443 in the earliest state reading "The St. Louis Hotel". Profusely illustrated throughout. Tall 8vo publisher’s original decorated cloth with black stamped decorations and gilt pictorial vignettes on the upper cover the spine decorated in black and with a large gilt pictorial vignette lettered in gilt a.e.g. 624 pp. A handsome copy expert restoration to the spine tips new endleaves added. ONE OF TWAIN’S BEST BOOKS AND A RARE FINE COPY IN ORIGINAL CLOTH OF THIS IMPORTANT FIRST EDITION. Twain writes about his home and his muse-the great Mississippi. “As a dwelling place for civilized man it is by far the first upon our globe.” preface In this largely autobiographical narrative Twain gives us a vivid account of his youth on the great river. A brilliant firsthand account of the steamboat age the science of river piloting and the life of the river itself from the point of view of those who made their living navigating it. A truly wonderful book and a valued piece of the American legacy. James R. Osgood hardcover