THE GRAPES OF WRATH

by

John Steinbeck

First Viking Press Edition

Copyright page reads: "First published in April 1939.
Second Printing before publication. Third printing before publication."

Distinction as FIRST EDITION as noted below:

"The Grapes of Wrath. New York: Viking Press, April 1939. First edition.
Page 270, second line from top, reads, 'What you go there?' instead of 'got there.'
from http://libweb2.princeton.edu/rbsc2/aids/steinbeck/books/the-grapes-of-wrath.htm, 5-3-08.
[please see photo of page 270.]

Oatmeal buckram brown decorated linen hardcover, no jacket.
No bumps or dings. Pages intact and white, no marks.
Spine straight & hinge firm.
Spine is a little darker than boards.

Boards straight, no stains and corners pointed.
Very slight fraying upper corners inside.
Slight foxing upper left inner board
and upper right back inner board.

Julia Ward Howe's
"Battle Hymn of the Republic" displayed inner boards, back & front.

Very good collectible condition considering its age and significance.

This book is from my private collection.


619 pages

8.25" X 5.5" X 1.5"

Steinbeck received the Pulitzer Prize in 1940 for this work. It reached the top of the bestseller list within two months and its popularity was reinforced by the 1940 film version, starring Henry Fonda. It tells the story of Joad family, tenant farmers from the Oklahoma dust bowl who are forced from their land and travel to California to work as migrant fruit pickers. Collier’s magazine attacked the book as Communist propaganda and its merits were debated on the floor of Congress.  It not only tells a story of the struggles of Depression-era America, but it also contains an underlying philosophical theme of the unity of all life that is defined through the words of the visionary ex-preacher Jim Casey. Casey states, "I figgered about the Holy Sperit and the Jesus road. I figgered, 'Why do we got to hang it on God or Jesus? Maybe,' I figgered, `maybe it's all men an' all women we love; maybe that's the Holy Sperit - the human sperit - the whole shebang. Maybe all men got one big soul ever'body's a part of.' "
Originally published: New York: Viking, 1939
John Ford won the Academy Award for Best Director in 1940 and Jane Darwell won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her depiction of Ma Joad in the film version of The Grapes of Wrath."
from: http://www.pace.edu/library/pages/links/steinbeck/steinbeck.htm#grapesofwrath, 5-3-08.

Please know that this book will be shipped in moisture proof wrapping, priority flat box with insurance US Post.
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