John P. Marquand (1893-1960)

Perhaps it was the experience of having grown up in genteel poverty that caused Marquand to satirize the lifestyles and values of the wealthy class of Boston Brahmins that he frequently wrote about. In fact, Marquand's family tree included Transcendentalist Margaret Fuller and eco-scientist Buckminster Fuller. During his childhood, his family fortunes had diminished such that he was obligated to attend a public school. This experience later caused him social difficulties at Harvard. Fortunately, the rejection by his college classmates did not extend throughout his life, as he married a wealthy, well-connected woman whose uncle was an editor at the New Yorker. Early in his career, he published a series of spy novels featuring the character of Mr. Moto and starring Peter Lorre. These are still popular today, although Marquand's more serious writing could benefit from a revival. In 1938, he won the Pulitzer Prize for The Late George Apley. This often shows on cable and its content is characteristic of his socially-oriented fictions.

821    Marquand, John P. Repent in Haste Harper 1945 Hardcover First Edition First edition, first printing. Owner signed & dated. Small tear to front of DJ, top edge chipped in back. Price clipped but laid in. 152 pp. $35 Add to Cart

 4325    Marquand, John P. H.M. Pulham, Esq. Little, Brown 1941 Hardcover First Edition Signed by Author(s) First edition, first printing. Beige cloth binding, red/gilt titles, red topstain. SIGNED on ffep. Book near fine except for discoloration to pastedowns at hinges and sunning to cloth at spine. Substitute DJ from the 1949 edition fits snugly because pub. reduced book size between printings. DJ in Mylar has 2" tear at front foreedge fold, 1" tear at spine front fold, etched top & bottom at other folds, sunned at spine. 432 pp. $125 Add to Cart

 4897    Marquand, John P. Thank You, Mr. Moto Little, Brown 1985 0316546984 Soft cover First Edition First printing thus. Unread copy with slight shelfwear to cover. 278 pp. $35 Add to Cart

 5508    Marquand, John P. Thank You, Mr. Moto Bantam 1957 Mass Market Paperback First Printing Near fine with some aging to paper, small stain to back cover. 148 pp. $20 Add to Cart

 5883    Marquand, John P. Mr. Moto: Four Complete Novels Random House Value Pub 1984 0517421844 Hardcover First Edition First thus. Red cloth binding, gilt titles. Reprinted edition containing Your Turn, Mr. Moto, Think Fast, Mr. Moto, Mr. Moto is So Sorry, Right You Are, Mr. Moto. Unread and near fine with some aging to paper. 685 pp. $100 Add to Cart

 6462    Marquand, John P. So Little Time: A Novel Little, Brown 1943 Hardcover First Edition Signed by Author(s) Seventh printing. Tan cloth, blue/gilt titles and decoration. Inscribed and dated on ffep. Book very good with stains to boards at foreedge; else near fine. DJ very good minus with edgewear and small tears, one large wrinkle-tear at back panel, 1/2" loss at head of spine. Price of $2.75 intact. 595 pp. $225 Add to Cart

 6464    Marquand, John P. Stopover: Tokyo Little, Brown 1957 Hardcover First Edition Red cloth, black titles. Book near fine with darkening to pastedowns at gutters, a few spots. DJ has edgewear, small tears, two triangular chips at head of spine, price-clipped. 313 pp. $65 Add to Cart

 6465    Marquand, John P. B.F.'s Daughter: A Novel Little, Brown 1946 Hardcover First Edition Signed by Author(s) Tan cloth, blue/gilt titles & decoration. Inscribed and dated on ffep. Book near fine with bump to foreedge at top corner. DJ very good minus with 1-1/2" loss at head of spine obliterating title and other wear to folds. Creased at front panel. Price of $2.75 intact. 439 pp. $150 Add to Cart

 6466    Marquand, John P. Women and Thomas Harrow Little, Brown 1958 Hardcover First Edition Signed by Author(s) Beige cloth, glue/gilt titles. Signed on fourth leaf. Book very good with (water?) stains to boards at foreedge, all else near fine. DJ stained in equivalent places; else near fine. 497 pp. $200 Add to Cart

 6467    Marquand, John P. Ming Yellow Little, Brown 1935 Hardcover First Edition Yellow cloth binding, blue titles & decoration to front board. No DJ. Book very good with edge spotting, giver inscribed ffep (Christmas, 1935). In clear Mylar cover. Hard to find. 312 pp. $250 Add to Cart

 6518    Marquand, John P. Sincerely, Willis Wayde Little, Brown 1955 Hardcover First Edition Signed by Author(s) Second printing. Signed on ffep. Beige cloth, gilt titles, yellow topstain. Book near fine with a few pages discolored at top of foreedge. DJ in Mylar very good plus with a few small creases, wear at fold corners. price oF $3.95 intact. 511 pp. $200 Add to Cart

 6521    Marquand, John P. Life at Happy Knoll John Morris Little, Brown 1957 Hardcover First Edition Green cloth, gilt titles. Interrelated stories about a country club. Illustrated with whimsical drawings by Morris. Stated first edition. Book near fine with slight lean to spine. DJ very good with rubbing, small hole/tear at spine. Price of $3.75 intact. 167 pp. $40 Add to Cart

 6848    Marquand, John P. Timothy Dexter Revisited Philip Kappel Little Brown 1960 Hardcover First Edition First printing of the illustrated edition. Beige cloth, red/gilt titles & decoration, red topstain, illustrated endpapers. Ilustrated with B&W line drawings. Book unread, fine. DJ near fine with one light stain at back fold, price clipped. 306 pp. $60 Add to Cart

 7467    Marquand, John P. The Late George Apley Modern Library 1940 Hardcover Reprint ML 182. Blue cloth binding, red/gilt titles & decoration, grey Kent endpapers. Toledano binding #8. Book near fine with slight wear to cloth at edges. DJ (8h) also very good plus with rubbing, a couple of small edge tears. Price of $1.25 intact. 354 pp. $45 Add to Cart

 8351    Marquand, John P. The Late George Apley: A Novel in the Form of a Memoir Little, Brown & Co. 1937 Hardcover First Edition Signed by Author(s) First printing (cr: P date). With "Lovely Pearl" at top of p. 17 although the significance of that alleged point of issue is unclear. Blue cloth, gilt titles to spine and front board. Red topstain. Book very good with faint vertical streaks to a number of pages evidently caused by a malfunction on press and common to this title. Topstain shows some evidence of waterspotting. Inscribed by Marquand and dated 01/37 on a separate leaf LAID (not bound) in. DJ essentially whole with a brown paper backing applied to reverse; evidently for preservation as it also shows evidence of waterstaining, small holes/wear at spine, esp front spine fold. Also age-discolored with several small surface tears to front panel. Price of $2.50 however is intact. Rare, both in first and signed. 354 pp. $4250 Add to Cart

 8431    Marquand, John P. Women and Thomas Harrow Little Brown 1958 Hardcover First Edition Beige cloth, blue/gilt titles & decoration, yellow topstain. Stated first edition. Book near fine. DJ in Mylar very good with creases and edgewear, small chips at spine ends. Price of $4.75 intact. 497 pp. $75 Add to Cart