Nineteen Eighty-Four

First edition, first impression of Orwell's final and most influential novel, published in June 1949 with an initial print run of 26,575 copies. A landmark of modern political literature and one of the defining novels of the 20th century, introducing concepts such as 'Big Brother', 'Newspeak', and 'Thoughtcrime' that have since become embedded in global political vocabulary. Mostly written while Orwell was battling Tuberculosis on the remote Scottish Island of Jura. Original pale green cloth with spine lettered in red. Top edge red. No dust jacket. A hint of the usual sunning to spine - which has not affected the vivid brightness of the lettering - and toning to board edges; a little spotting to fore-edge of text-block with some fraying to cloth at spine tips. Top edge prone to heavy fading, but remains noticeably strong in this case. Contents clean. Early contemporary ownership inscription on front free endpaper ('J. A. Hamilton / June 1949 / Reading'). The date of which suggests that the present copy was purchased and possibly read within the first few weeks of the novel's first publication. A very good copy of a classic work of modern dystopian political fiction.