ELMER GANTRY.
New York: Harcourt, Brace and Company, [1927]. Original dark blue cloth lettered in orange.
First Edition of Lewis's scathing satire about a fraudulent itinerant preacher (shades of Bakker and Swaggart!) -- since immortalized on the screen by Burt Lancaster. This was the fourth of Lewis's five great novels of the 1920s -- preceded by MAIN STREET, BABBITT and ARROWSMITH, and succeeded by DODSWORTH.
When ELMER GANTRY was published, a minister in Virginia invited Lewis to come down and be lynched, and one in New Hampshire tried to have him jailed. [K&H]
This copy is in the second binding state, with the spine plainly reading "GANTRY" (in the first state, the "G" resembles a "C"). Just about fine condition (a little faint speckling of the rear cover cloth). [Note: this copy came to us with a facsimile first-issue dust jacket, which we shall pass along if a buyer wishes.]. Item #14994
Price: $225.00