The Ghost Writer

BY Philip Roth
Book Information1/1/0/US/FSG/1979/?  •  210x145x25  •  348  •  Pulitzer'80(F)    NBA'80(F)  •  NBCCA'79(F)

"The Ghost Writer" is the first of nine "Nathan Zuckerman" novels and, together with the next three installments, is collectively known as "Zuckerman Bound", which Harold Bloom said "merits something reasonably close to the highest level of esthetic praise for tragicomedy". Published in 1979 by FSG, the book was finalists to three prestigious annual American literary awards - Pulitzer, National Book Award, and National Book Critics Circle Award - but won none. The Pulitzer fiction committee actually recommended it for the prize but was overruled by the Pulitzer board.


There are two first editions for this book: this first trade edition and a true first edition published by the Franklin Library. This first trade edition's dust jacket  is not clipped and shows $8.95. The book is bound in black clothed board with silver lettering, including an embossed "PR" at the lower right corner of the front board, and has dull red/brown(?) topstain . The copyright page should read "First printing, 1979". 

This book is not particularly rare and a VG copy can be purchased from eBay or Abebooks for less than $100. This is a VG+ copy with a VG+ dust jacket with some minor rubbing and a VG+ book whose only flaw is some minor wear to the silver lettering at spine but is otherwise clean and tight. Unlike the two subsequent installments, FSG did not seem to have issued signed limited editions of this trade copy.
















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