The Blackboard Jungle. New York: Simon and Schuster, 1954.
First edition of the author’s first book.
Octavo. [viii], 1-[311], [1, blank] pp. Publisher’s two-tone grey and red cloth, front cover and spine stamped in black, dust jacket. Jacket has edgewear and a few short creased tears and small chips, jacket spine has some scuffing (however scuff-marks are neat and straight), some rubbing to book. Still, a very good copy of a book normally found in rougher condition.
This novel, about a idealistic young teacher’s experiences trying to reach out to deprived inner-city students is perhaps most famous as the basis of the 1955 film directed by Richard Brooks, and starring Glenn Ford and Sidney Poitier, and is a classic of social commentary.
Evan Hunter (born Salvatore Lombino, 1926-2005) is one of the most prolific and successful modern American writers. He is perhaps best known for his many mystery and crime novels written under another pseudonym – Ed McBain. Hunter based Blackboard Jungle on his real-life experiences as a teacher in inner-city schools. He was also a screenwriter, who wrote The Birds for Alfred Hitchcock. Hunter’s crime novel, Kings Ransom, was adapted by legendary Japanese film director Akira Kurosawa for his film, High and Low.
ID:
3136
$
275