First published in 1962, Anthony Burgess’s A Clockwork Orange is a landmark of dystopian literature that continues to provoke and disturb. Set in a near-future society plagued by youthful "ultraviolence," the novel follows the charismatic Alex and his gang of "droogs." Through the lens of Alex's state-mandated psychological conditioning—the Ludovico Technique—Burgess explores the profound philosophical question: Is it better for a man to choose evil than to be forced to be good? Famous for its inventive Nadsat slang, a Russo-English linguistic hybrid, the novel is a brilliant meditation on free will, the morality of state control, and the inherent darkness of the human soul.
Edition: Book Club Edition (c. 1963).
Publisher: W.W. Norton & Company, New York.
Binding: Original black cloth-backed boards.
Condition Points: This copy is in Good condition. The internal pages are clean and well-preserved. There is some minor shelf wear, including rubbing and light fading to the boards. Note: There is visible marking to the bottom edge of the text block (exterior only).
Dust Jacket: Original jacket in Good condition; intact with minor shelf wear consistent with its age.
Provenance: An early American Book Club printing that retains the iconic cover art and period-specific formatting.
While a true first state of A Clockwork Orange is an increasingly elusive five-figure rarity, this early Book Club Edition offers an authentic mid-century artifact at an extremely accessible price point. It is an ideal specimen for a "Curious Copies" collection or for a student of the genre who wants a tactile link to the era of Burgess's initial fame. The structural soundness of the volume and the presence of the original jacket make it a respectable and durable addition to any dystopian library.
First published in 1962, Anthony Burgess’s A Clockwork Orange is a landmark of dystopian literature that continues to provoke and disturb. Set in a near-future society plagued by youthful "ultraviolence," the novel follows the charismatic Alex and his gang of "droogs." Through the lens of Alex's state-mandated psychological conditioning—the Ludovico Technique—Burgess explores the profound philosophical question: Is it better for a man to choose evil than to be forced to be good? Famous for its inventive Nadsat slang, a Russo-English linguistic hybrid, the novel is a brilliant meditation on free will, the morality of state control, and the inherent darkness of the human soul.
Edition: Book Club Edition (c. 1963).
Publisher: W.W. Norton & Company, New York.
Binding: Original black cloth-backed boards.
Condition Points: This copy is in Good condition. The internal pages are clean and well-preserved. There is some minor shelf wear, including rubbing and light fading to the boards. Note: There is visible marking to the bottom edge of the text block (exterior only).
Dust Jacket: Original jacket in Good condition; intact with minor shelf wear consistent with its age.
Provenance: An early American Book Club printing that retains the iconic cover art and period-specific formatting.
While a true first state of A Clockwork Orange is an increasingly elusive five-figure rarity, this early Book Club Edition offers an authentic mid-century artifact at an extremely accessible price point. It is an ideal specimen for a "Curious Copies" collection or for a student of the genre who wants a tactile link to the era of Burgess's initial fame. The structural soundness of the volume and the presence of the original jacket make it a respectable and durable addition to any dystopian library.
