Aiken, Conrad

The Short Stories of Conrad Aiken

New York: Duell Sloan Pearce, 1950. First Edition, First Printing. Hardcover with Dust Jacket.
This is the First Edition of the definitive collection of Conrad Aiken's short fiction, published in 1950—the same year he was appointed US Poet Laureate. It gathers 29 stories, including his haunting masterpiece 'Silent Snow, Secret Snow,' showcasing the psychoanalytic depth that defined his contribution to Modernism.

Key Features:
+++ Visuals: Bound in tan buckram cloth with red top-stain to the text block. The original dust jacket features distinctive red and black typography.
+++ Content: A comprehensive 416-page collection of 29 short stories, including 'Mr. Arcularis,' 'Strange Moonlight,' and 'Silent Snow, Secret Snow.'
+++ Associated Names: Conrad Aiken (Author); R.P. Blackmur (Reviewer in laid-in clip).
+++ Provenance: Contains fragile laid-in newsprint clippings of reviews from 1950, including a piece by the famous literary critic R.P. Blackmur from The New Republic, and a New York Times article. Acquired from the estate of Ben Raeburn (Horizon Press), though the volume bears no personal ownership signature or bookplate. The laid-in reviews likely reflect his professional interest in the literary criticism of the era.

Condition: Near Fine / Good -- The book itself is in superior condition; bindings are tight and square, and the text is clean with only light, even age-toning. The red top-stain remains visible. The Dust Jacket is unclipped ($5.00 price present) but shows age: the spine is sun-faded (common for this red ink), with scuffing at the tips and rubs to the front panel. Dimensions: 8.5 inches tall / 3-416 pages

Conrad Aiken is the great 'shadow figure' of American Modernism—a close friend of T.S. Eliot and a Pulitzer Prize winner who was often the first to introduce Freudian psychoanalysis into American fiction. 

This 1950 collection is significant because it cemented his reputation as a master of the short story form, moving him beyond just his reputation as a poet. The inclusion of the laid-in review by R.P. Blackmur is particularly special; Blackmur was one of the founders of the 'New Criticism' movement, and his analysis of Aiken is a meeting of two literary heavyweights of the mid-20th century.

Keywords: Conrad Aiken, Silent Snow Secret Snow, Southern Gothic, Modernist Literature, 1950 First Edition, Short Story Collection, Psychological Fiction, Poet Laureate, Duell Sloan and Pearce, Literary Criticism.

Item #21485

Price: $65.00