The Moon Is Down — John Steinbeck | First UK Edition, First Impression
An appealing wartime first UK edition of John Steinbeck's The Moon Is Down, published by William Heinemann in 1942 and retaining its scarce original, price-unclipped dust jacket.
The copyright page states “FIRST PUBLISHED 1942” and carries the distinctive wartime notice:
“WAR ECONOMY — THIS BOOK IS PRODUCED IN COMPLETE CONFORMITY WITH THE AUTHORIZED ECONOMY STANDARDS.”
Printed in Great Britain at the Windmill Press, Kingswood, Surrey, this is the first British edition and first impression, published the same year as the American Viking edition.
The original Heinemann dust jacket is particularly important to this copy. The 5s net price remains intact on the front flap, and the rear panel advertises contemporary Heinemann titles, including The Moon Is Down itself among the publisher's “Recent Novels.” The jacket's stark orange-and-cream typographic design is an evocative example of British wartime publishing.
While copies of the 1942 American Viking edition appear with some regularity, the 1942 Heinemann first UK edition is considerably less commonly encountered in today's market, particularly retaining its original priced dust jacket. Surviving jacketed examples form a relatively small portion of currently available copies, making this an attractive alternative for the Steinbeck collector who already owns—or frequently encounters—the American first.
Published during the Second World War, The Moon Is Down tells the story of a small European town occupied by an unnamed invading army and the resistance that develops among its inhabitants. Although fictional, its parallels with Nazi-occupied Europe were unmistakable. The novel became closely associated with the European resistance and was clandestinely translated and circulated in occupied countries, giving it a particularly interesting place among Steinbeck's wartime writings.
Condition
Very Good in a Good original dust jacket. The book itself is remarkably well preserved for a British wartime publication. Binding remains sound, and the interior is clean with light expected age toning and occasional minor spotting. No significant foxing or markings observed in our examination.
The original unclipped dust jacket retains the 5s net price and remains attractive despite considerable age-related wear. There is chipping and loss along the upper and lower edges, rubbing and small edge tears, general toning/soiling, and a closed diagonal tear extending upward from the lower edge of the front panel. The principal typography remains strong and the jacket presents well considering its age and wartime manufacture.
The jacket has not been restored and will be supplied in a removable archival protective cover.
A particularly appealing example of the scarcer British issue of one of Steinbeck's important wartime novels, retaining the feature most often lost from surviving copies: its original Heinemann dust jacket.
