1874 First Edition Mark Twain The Gilded Age With 211 Illustrations True William
$ 21.12
Description
1874 FIRST EDITION MARK TWAIN THE GILDED AGE WITH 211 ILLUSTRATIONS TRUE WILLIAM. It follows the Hawkins family's failed attempt to get rich from land speculation, exposing the moral decay beneath the surface of rapid economic growth through characters like crooked politicians, bankers, and social climbers. FROM 1874, this is the first edition of The Gilded Age, a Tale of To-Day, by Mark Twain, with his friend Charles Dudley Warner, as published by American Publishing Co., Hartford, Connecticut. Sized 9x6 inches, 576 pages, with 211 illustrations by True Williams. With the original sheep leather binding, spine leather replaced with the original spine label tipped on. An owner name from 1873. How could a book with an 1874 pub. date be signed in 1873? Publishers often dated their books ahead, if they were published late in the year. The Gilded Age: A Tale of Today, a satirical novel by Mark Twain and Charles Dudley Warner published in 1873, critiques the greed, corruption, and materialism of post-Civil War America, giving the era its name. It follows the Hawkins family's failed attempt to get rich from land speculation, exposing the moral decay beneath the surface of rapid economic growth through characters like crooked politicians, bankers, and social climbers. The book is notable as Twain's only novel with a collaborator and for coining the term "Gilded Age" to describe the period's superficial prosperity masking deep social problems. Key aspects of the novel: Satire: It uses wit and humor to expose the hypocrisy and corruption of the time, targeting land speculators, dishonest politicians, and ruthless bankers. Plot: The story centers on the Hawkins family from Tennessee, who move to Washington D.C. to sell their vast land holdings, encountering a world of political and financial schemes. Collaboration: It is unique as the only novel Mark Twain co-wrote, with Charles Dudley Warner. Legacy: The title gave the era its name, a term that signifies the glittering wealth that hid underlying inequality and corruption.
