A Room With A View

Modern Classics

Hardcover

Fiction

256

20

2018-06-26 17:17:18

Forster’s brilliant social comedy is a witty observation of the English middle classes as they holiday abroad in Florence. One of these tourists is Lucy Honeychurch, a young girl whose ’undeveloped heart’ is awakened by her experiences in Italy and by her encounter with the unconventional George Emerson. Lucy finds herself torn between un-English passion and stifling Victorian propriety, personified in her pretentious fiancé Cecil Vyse and her dismal cousin Charlotte, until she learns to follow the power of her own heart.


Based on the images provided, here is an overview of the book, its historical context, and its value:
Overview of the Book
This is a copy of E. M. Forster’s novel A Room with a View. The book’s cover, spine, and copyright page indicate it is a special edition.
* Publisher: New Directions
* Series: The New Classics Series
* Location: Norfolk, Conn.
* Type: Hardcover with a yellow cloth binding.
* Special Note: The copyright page explicitly states it is a ”New Directions Wartime Book” produced ”in full compliance with the Government’s regulations for conserving paper and other essential materials.”
Is it a First Edition?
No, this is not a first edition. The true first edition of A Room with a View was published in 1908 by Edward Arnold in London.
* First editions of this novel are typically bound in ribbed burgundy cloth.
* The first US edition was published by Alfred A. Knopf in 1923.
* This particular New Directions edition is a reprint, likely from the early to mid-1940s, based on its ”Wartime Book” designation.
Historical Importance
While it’s not a first edition, this book is historically significant in a different way due to its ”Wartime Book” designation. During World War II, many publishers had to adhere to strict government regulations on the use of paper and other materials to support the war effort. Books from this era, produced in a more utilitarian and conservative manner, are a tangible reminder of the impact of the war on civilian industries, including book publishing.
Value
The value of this specific book depends heavily on its condition. Unlike a first edition, which can be worth thousands of dollars, a wartime reprint in good condition will have a more modest value.
* Copies of this specific ”New Classics Series” reprint from New Directions can be found for sale online for a range of prices.
* A copy in good to very good condition is typically priced in the $50 to $150 range, especially if it includes the original dust jacket (though your photos do not show one).
* The value of a book is also influenced by its condition, and the images you’ve provided show some signs of wear on the yellow cloth cover, which would impact its final sale price.
In summary, this is a historically interesting, but not particularly rare, reprint of a classic novel. Its value is primarily as a collectible for those interested in mid-20th-century book design and publishing history rather than as a major literary first edition.

New Directions

9780140431735

Great Britain

1978-09-01

1

English

New York

~€4.06

2026-02-26

2018-06-26 17:17:18