Dreiser, Theodore.

SISTER CARRIE; [Scarce first British edition].

London: Heinemann, 1901. First UK edition. One of only 1500 to 2500 copies printed (estimates vary) of “the MOST INTERESTING, AND PERHAPS THE SCARCEST (except the first American) of all Dreiser books” (Vrest Orton, DREISERANA: A Book About His Books, NY: 1929). Issued as the 6th volume in the short-lived “The Dollar Library: A Monthly Series of American Fiction,” a pioneering, ill-fated effort by Heinemann to bring American writing to England. For this edition, Heinemann requested Dreiser condense the first 200 pages of the book to 80 to conform to the size of the series which he was able to do with the assistance of his journalist friend Arthur Henry (who, with Dreiser’s wife at the time, Sara Osborne White, had helped him condense and edit the original 1900 first edition). According to John Berkey and Alice Winters, approximately 73 of the first 196 pages of the 1900 Doubleday, Page edition were “stricken” for this edition (“The Heinemann Edition of Sister Carrie,” pp.43-70, The Library Chronicle, Philadelphia, 1979) but “in the main, the cuts tightened the novel and accelerated its narrative pace considerably.” As Heinemann wrote to Dreiser after re-reading the book, “I am certain it is vastly improved by the cuts, which I think you have done with a great deal of care.” 12mo green cloth stamped in white, black and blue; front cover with encircled pictorial of eagle perched on American flag with Capitol in background; top edge gilt; 357 pages plus 32-page publisher's catalog. Very good to near fine with spine mildly faded, faint stain to rear board, free endpapers showing unavoidable darkening (from binding), bookseller blindstamp upper corner front endpaper, and outer edges of first several leaves gently creased. A most attractive copy of an exceedingly scarce book that is rare on the market.
Item #72065

Price: $1,750.00