Description
Author Madeleine L'Engle
Publisher Farrar, Straus and Giroux; First Edition (July 1, 1978)
Binding hardcover with dustjacket
Condition Very good with dust jacket protected with brodart Archival covering
Description
This beautifully preserved 1978 first edition represents the award-winning third installment in Madeleine L'Engle's landmark Time Quintet series. The narrative follows fifteen-year-old Charles Wallace Murry as he undertakes a high-stakes quest across centuries to avert a looming global nuclear catastrophe threatened by a mad dictator. Guided by an ancient, cryptic rune and the celestial unicorn Gaudior, he moves through key historical decision points to alter the timeline and preserve the future.
L'Engle masterfully blends elements of quantum physics, ancient folklore, and spiritual interconnectedness into a story that remains a cornerstone of twentieth-century science fantasy. Featuring the highly iconic wrap-around jacket illustration by acclaimed artists Leo and Diane Dillon, this copy stands as a premier acquisition piece for collectors of modern first editions and classic speculative fiction.
Why This Copy Belongs in Your Collection
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True First Printing State: This volume features the explicit "First printing, 1978" declaration on the copyright page, guaranteeing its status as a genuine first-issue trade example from Farrar, Straus and Giroux.
- Museum-Grade Preservation: Unlike most childhood library copies from this era that suffer from heavy spine leaning, faded cloth, or torn flaps, this book has been meticulously kept in superior condition.
Curated Vintage Condition Notes
- Condition: Near Fine to Fine / Very Good Plus Jacket.
- Details: The original black cloth binding remains solid, square, and rigidly tight, with the silver lettering along the spine remaining mirror-bright and unrubbed. The internal text block is immaculate: pages are clean, crisp, and completely free of contemporary owner signatures, library pockets, annotations, or highlighting.
- Preservation: The original first-printing dust jacket remains exceptionally bright and attractive, showing only light handling wear at the extreme spine tips. It comes protected in a fresh, archival Brodart protective cover.