Description
First edition, first printing of The Wings of the Dove by Henry James, published by Archibald Constable & Co. Ltd., London, 1902. This is a near fine copy, issued without a dust wrapper, the original publishers blue cloth boards beautifully patterned with minor handling wear, slight pushing to the head and foot of the spine and corners, the text blocks with some browning to the top edge and two small damp stains to fore-edge, with a previous owner’s signature in black ink to the front free end paper, some spotting to the preliminary pages.
The Modern Library ranked The Wings of the Dove by Henry James 26th on its list of the 100 best English-language novels of the 20th century. It is a novel exploring love, betrayal and morality, telling the story of Milly Theale, a wealthy, terminally ill American and her entanglement with Kate Croy and Merton Densher, lovers who plot to secure Milly’s fortune. Set in London and Venice, the novel delves into complex human emotions and ethical dilemmas, highlighting James’ intricate character development and rich, psychological narrative style.