MOCKINGBIRD
First printing of the first US paperback edition, a bleak future fiction from the author of cult classics QUEEN'S GAMBIT and THE MAN WHO FELL TO EARTH.
Very good plus.
Price: $75.00
MOCKINGBIRD
"I think if I had not learned how to read I would not have been interested in her. Only frightened."
Nebula Award-nominated science fiction novel of a melancholy android who remembers how to read when the human masses have forgotten everything but their credo of "Inwardness, Privacy, Self-Fulfillment, Pleasure." Far from the worst set of values to hold: but a world of "Pleasure" that excludes novel-reading is an inherent dystopia, if one is an depressive android, or a novel-reader. Called an "unofficial sequel to FAHRENHEIT 451" by a contemporary reviewer for its thematic concerns, which include an old-style post-'60s moral panic over too much birth control and too many readily available good drugs, along with a genuinely moving romantic spirit. Tevis, whose novels had an astonishingly high rate of brilliant film and television adaptations – THE MAN WHO FELL TO EARTH, THE HUSTLER, THE COLOR OF MONEY, and most recently QUEEN'S GAMBIT, long-beloved as a novel and newly beloved as a series – had a rare near miss with MOCKINGBIRD, which was once under consideration for adaptation as a TV movie, and still offers great rewards to the discerning reader. As James Sallis wrote in his review of a new edition, Tevis "collapses the whole of mankind's perverse, self-destructive, indomitable history, cruelty and kindness alike," into his remarkable narrative. First published by Doubleday in 1980.
Read more: Sallis, "Books," Fantasy & Science Fiction, July 2000.
The Object
New York: Bantam Books, (1981). 6.75'' x 4.25''. Original color pictorial wrappers designed by Lou Feck, 14144-9, priced at $2.95. Yellow edges. Printed advertisements at rear. [8], 277, [3] pages. Very shallow wear to extremities, else clean and fresh with no spine crease.
The Fine Print
We work hard to meet our ethical responsibility to describe our material accurately. All items are guaranteed as described and may be returned for any reason within 30 days. Please notify us before mailing a return.
We guarantee the authenticity of our items. All materials are original (meaning not facsimiles or reproductions) unless otherwise noted. First editions (meaning first edition, first printing) are explicitly stated. TPM is a member of the Antiquarian Booksellers Association of America and upholds their Code of Ethics.
All photographs are of the actual item for sale. We're happy to provide additional images on request.
All domestic orders ship gratis. For orders under $250, free USPS media mail shipping is included; orders $250 and over ship USPS Priority. International orders over $500 also ship gratis. Expedited, overnight, as well as other carriers (UPS, Fed-Ex, etc.), may carry additional costs beyond quoted rates. All orders receive tracking information and a direct contact in case of any questions.
International buyers are responsible for any customs, taxes, and related import fees. Please note that we are unable to accomodate requests to misrepresent, misdeclare, or otherwise falsify customs documents when shipping internationally. We appreciate your understanding.
We accept all major credit cards, Paypal, Venmo, check, money order, and bank wire. We are happy to bill institutional buyers' needs. Sales tax will be added to applicable purchases. Items subject to prior sale.
If for any reason you are dissatisfied with your purchase, please contact us. We prioritize our long-term relationships far above any individual purchase, and we want you to love your item as much as we loved cataloguing it.
