"I AM GOING TO PUBLISH BOOKS THAT I LIKE, THAT HAVE MERIT, AND THAT INTEREST OR AMUSE ME": CARESSE CROSBY'S FIRST CONTINENTAL EDITION OF HEMINGWAY'S THE TORRENTS OF SPRING

HEMINGWAY, Ernest. The Torrents of Spring. A Romantic Novel in Honor of the Passing of a Great Race. Paris: Crosby Continental Editions, 1932. Small octavo, modern full brown calf, raised bands, morocco spine labels. $900.

First Continental edition of Hemingway's controversial satirical novel; also the first book in Caresse Crosby's "Crosby Continental Editions" series, created after the death of her husband, Harry Crosby, the founder of the Black Sun Press.

"Caresse proposed starting [the Crosby Continental Editions series] off with one of Hemingway's books. His two choices, one of which was agreeable to her, were Torrents of Spring and The Sun Also Rises. Since the latter had been reprinted so often and had probably 'lost its interest,' she decided to make Torrents of Spring the first book in the new series… [Crosby's] 'Open Letter to Ernest Hemingway' served as an introduction to Hemingway's book as well as to the new series… The Continental editions would try to provide some insight into the 'racial consciousness' of both the discoverers and the discovered, some glimpse into the 'genius of every country.' She had decided to begin with this American book because it was one that she and a 'few million others' admired" (Ford, Published in Paris, 220-2). Issued simultaneously with a large-paper issue. With publisher's advertisement for the second novel in the series, Raymond Radiguet's The Devil in the Flesh, tipped in at rear. This is copy number 112 of an undetermined (but relatively small) number printed, as noted in ink on the verso of the final leaf; as Grissom notes, "Copy no. 117 was the highest-numbered copy examined." The first edition was published in 1926. Grissom A.4.2.a. Hanneman 4B.

First leaf of Crosby's "Open Letter to Ernest Hemingway" with repair to upper corner and light wear to the fore-edge. Near-fine condition.