N08811

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Lot 118
  • 118

Chandler, Raymond

Estimate
3,000 - 4,000 USD
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Description

  • book
The Little Sister. London: Hamish Hamilton, 1949



8vo (7 1/4 x 5 in; 185 x 122 mm). Publisher's gilt-titled reddish orange cloth in pictorial dust-jacket; edges lightly spotted, upper joint fold of jacket rubbed, some minor rubbing to ends of spine panel.

Provenance

Raymond Chandler (Camino de la Costa, La Jolla address stamp)

Literature

Bruccoli A8.1.a

Catalogue Note

Raymond Chandler's first edition copy of his fifth Marlowe novel

Chandler has written "File Copy" underneath his ownership stamp, and date stamp of "June 6 1949." Because of troubles finding a new US publisher, The Little Sister came out in England nearly six months before the US edition. As Cissy's health declined, Chandler wrote this novel in a "bad mood" and he presents an even bleaker view of Los Angeles than usual.  "I guess somebody lost a dream" as a coroner closes a corpse's eyes, closes the book, but even so, strong reviews followed. Praise from WH Auden, Elizabeth Bowen and JB Priestley helped the fifth Marlowe title become his best-selling English edition.