I AM LEGEND
First hardcover edition of Matheson's classic horror novel of the post-apocalyptic new vampire world order.
Near fine in near fine jacket.
Price: $2,200.00
I AM LEGEND
"Outside, the vampires waited."
I AM LEGEND was first published in paperback in 1954 and set in the grim future of 1976, when a nation of a new kind of vampire struggles into being just in time for the bicentennial. Matheson's hero spends his nights and days drinking, listening to classical music, and hunting vampires. I AM LEGEND's semi-scientific explanation of an evolving vampire virus and its pessimistic vision of humanity's coming obsolescence were hugely influential on horror films as well as literature; in particular, nearly all dystopian zombie stories from the latter half of the 20th century have drawn heavily on Matheson's vision of a doomed and outnumbered remnant of humanity fighting a losing battle for survival, not victory. In his introduction to a later edition, Stephen King acknowledged his own debt: "When people talk about genre, I guess they mention my name first, but without Richard Matheson I wouldn't be around."
Read more: King, "The Legend That Inspired Me"; "2011 Bram Stoker Award Winners and Vampire Novel of the Century Winner," Horror.org.
The Object
First printing. New York: Walker and Company, (1970). 8.25'' x 5.5''. Original cream cloth. Blue topstain, fore-edge machine deckle. In original unclipped ($4.95) pictorial dust jacket designed by Lena Fong Hor, illustrated by Jack Gaughan. 122 pages. Trace rubbing, edgewear to jacket. Front top flap corner trimmed (but price intact). Top edge of book moderately sunned. Else clean and sharp overall.
The Fine Print
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