Published by Jonathan Cape, London; 2006. 8vo. 182pp. First edition, first impression. Condition: Fine/Fine
Bound in original black cloth boards with title in gilt to the spine. The binding is square and tight, with the book appearing unread. The boards are smart and clean, with no damage or marks save a touch of bumping to the spine ends. Inside, the pages are clean and bright, free from blemishes or wear. It comes with the errata slip loosely laid inside.
The book is housed in its original, first issue dust jacket. The jacket is also in very smart condition, clean and smart, with just a hint of bumping to the top of the spine.
In all, this is a collectible example of this modern first by Philip Roth. It takes its title from an anonymous fifteenth century allegorical play, a classic of early English drama, whose theme is the summoning of the living to death. It id a candidly intimate yet universal tale of loss, regret and stoicism. It begins with a funeral, that of its protagonist, before looking back at his life, from his childhood summers, to his family's trials, his professional achievements and finally to his old age, when he is a man he did not want to become, before coming full circle and ending with his death (blurb). This novel was the third of Roth's to win the PEN/Faulkner Award (won in 2007).