Available Copies from Independent Booksellers
DOS PASSOS, JOHN. One Man's Initiation 1917. george allen & unwin london 1920, 1920.
Price: US$52.16 + shipping
Description: first edition 128pp very good- (sl cocked, boards rubbed and marked, spine sunned with scuffed head, corners bruised, front board faded, ex libris stamps and stickers on fep/inside front board/title page and throughout, rear endpaper discolored, rear board starting sl at hinge, sl discoloration to fep) lacks d/w first issue: broken type page 35
Seller: Hard to Find Books NZ (Internet) Ltd., Dunedin, OTAGO, New Zealand
Price: US$225.00 + shipping
Condition: Very Good
Description: Hardcover. Blue cloth with black lettering and borders on cover and spine. The spine is faded a tone or two towards brown/gray from a lifetime on a bookshelf with some exposure to sunlight. No date on title page. Copyright page says only "first published in 1920." A previous dealer's pencil notes on front endpaper identify this as a first printing of the first edition, with the broken type at the bottom of page 35. 128 pages. Very good condition. Both free endpapers are toned from age - from the adhesive used in the binding. No marks or stains or damage. This was Dos Passos' first book -- published when he was just 24 years old, and fresh out of Harvard. He volunteered (along with college classmate e.e. cummings) with the ambulance corp in Spain and Italy during WWI. This novel was written during those war years. Please email with questions or to request photos.
Seller: Riverby Books, Fredericksburg, VA, U.S.A.
DOS PASSOS, John. One Man's Initiation. Allen & Unwin, London, 1920.
Price: US$250.00 + shipping
Condition: Very Good
Description: First edition, first issue with type broken on page 35, line 32. A shallow chip to the cloth at the crown, else a very good or better copy lacking the dustwrapper. A nice copy of the author's first book, preceding the American edition. Dos Passos's impressions of what he saw during the First World War. Scarce.
Seller: Between the Covers-Rare Books, Inc. ABAA, Gloucester City, NJ, U.S.A.
John Dos Passos. One Man's Initiation--1917. George Allen & Unwin Ltd, 1920.
Price: US$250.00 + shipping
Condition: Good
Description: Hardback book (128 pages)- author's first book - based on his experiences in World War One. True first printing with broken "d" and obliterate word "flat" on page 35, line 32. Boards show scuffing/rubbing with spine faded, tips bumped - slightly cocked - name written on front endpapers. Bookseller since 1995 (ULTV-Bottom-R) rareviewbooks
Seller: rareviewbooks, Kensington, MD, U.S.A.
Dos Passos, John. ONE MAN'S INITIATION - 1917. Allen & Unwin, 1920.
Price: US$290.00 + shipping
Description: ONE MAN'S INITIATION - 1917, Allen & Unwin, 1920, first edition (first issue), age toning to the t.p.e.'s, spine quite tanned with tiny closed tear, else a tight vg+ or better copy. 1/750 copies. The authors first book.
Seller: THE FINE BOOKS COMPANY / A.B.A.A / 1979, ROCHESTER, MI, U.S.A.
DOS PASSOS, JOHN. ONE MAN'S INITIATION-1917. GEORGE ALLEN& UNSWIN LTD.: LONDON, 1920.
Price: US$300.00 + shipping
Condition: Very Good
Description: FIRST EDITION, SECOND STATE. BLUE CLOTH, 12MO. THE DUST JACKET HAS VERY SLIGHT CORNER WEAR AND MINOR LOSS AT THE BOTTOM OF THE SPINE, AND IS IN A PROTECTIVE PLASTIC COVER. AN ATTRACTIVE COPY.
Seller: BRIER ROSE BOOKS, TEANECK, NJ, U.S.A.
Passos, John Dos. One Man's Initiation 1917. George Allen & Unwin, London, 1920.
Price: US$322.07 + shipping
Condition: Good
Description: spine and cover have fading, inscrip to f-rep, pp very clean and tidy, some light foxing to f-feps and f-reps, otherwise excellent copy Size: 12mo 0.0
Seller: Bookcase, Carlisle, United Kingdom
DOS PASSOS, John.. One Man's Initiation.. George Allen & Unwin, London., 1920.
Price: US$354.27 + shipping
Description: First edition. Precedes the U.S. edition by two years. Second state, with the type corrected at page 35, line 32. Octavo. 128 pages. The author's experiences in the First World War.Spine faintly faded. Very good indeed in near-fine, very slightly nicked dustwrapper darkened at the spine. Lovely copy.
Seller: Peter Ellis, Bookseller, ABA, ILAB, London, United Kingdom
Price: US$360.00 + shipping
Condition: Near Fine
Description: 1920 First Edition Hardcover Near Fine/Near Fine George Allen & Unwin Ltd, Pub, London, 1920, 1st edition, 2nd state, correction on pg 35 line 32 present, near fine condition with a near fine dust jacket, light soiling to page ends, light soiling to jacket, Author's first book, John Dos Passos, Modern
Seller: Transmutation Publishing, Corning, CA, U.S.A.
DOS PASSOS, John. One Man's Initiation - 1917. Allen & Unwin, London, 1920.
Price: US$400.00 + shipping
Condition: Very Good
Description: 8vo, blue cloth, d.w. (lacking top inch of spine). London: Allen & Unwin, (1920). First Edition. The cloth spine is faded under the chip.
Seller: Argosy Book Store, ABAA, ILAB, New York, NY, U.S.A.
Dos Passos, John. One Man's Initiation. George, Allen and Unwin, London, 1920.
Price: US$400.00 + shipping
Condition: Very Good
Description: Hardcover. First edition, second state. HANDWRITTEN SIGNED POSTCARD FROM AUTHOR LAID IN. This is the author's first novel, published in London before the US edition. Based on his experience in WWI, the novel sets the stage for Dos Passos's Three Soldiers (which brought him international attention). The laid in postcard dated 6/15/59 reads "Shall be delighted to inscribe the book if you'll send it to me here. Have you tried the Gotham Book Mart . or one of the big London secondhand book stores - it was published there by Allen & Unwin in 1920 (?). The only copy I have is the Philosophical Library reprint . Cordial Regards John Dos Passos." The original envelope addressed to John S. Mayfield is also laid in. Very good in blue cloth boards with black title to spine and front board. Fading to spine although the title remains bright. Offsetting to first and last couple of pages and remnants a sticker on the rear pastedown; otherwise the interior is very clean. In very good condition. 128 pages. LIT/051011.
Seller: The Kelmscott Bookshop, ABAA, Savage, MD, U.S.A.
John Dos Passos. One Man's Initiation (First Edition). Allen and Unwin, London, 1920.
Price: US$450.00 + shipping
Description: First edition, first issue with type broken on page 35, line 32. Some offsetting to the second blank, some fading to the book spine, still easily Near Fine in an about Fine dust jacket with light rubbing at the spine ends. A very nice copy of the author's first book, preceding the American edition, documenting his impressions of the First World War.
Seller: Royal Books, Inc., ABAA, Baltimore, MD, U.S.A.
JOHN DOS PASSOS. ONE MAN'S INITIATION - 1917. George Allen & Unwin, London, 1920.
Price: US$700.00 + shipping
Condition: Very Good
Description: A very good and tight copy in a very good jacket/brodart covered. First Edition, First State with error on page 35, line 32. Author's first book. One of only 750 copies. No bumped corners to book. Spine tips are lightly rubbed with a tiny tear to cloth, top of spine. No signatures. Jacket is much nicer than usual. Jacket spine has toned with small chips to top and bottom of jackets spine. Front fold has a couple of splits but still strong.
Seller: Booklegger's Fine Books ABAA, Park Ridge, IL, U.S.A.
John Dos Passos. One Man's Initiation. George Allen & Unwin, 1920.
Price: US$700.00 + shipping
Condition: Near Fine
Description: Hardcover Condition: Near Fine. Dust Jacket Condition: Very Good. First Edition, first state with the broken "d' and the word "flat" missing on page 35, line 32. One of only 750 copies. Near Fine hardcover with clean interior. Square and tight binding. Some tanning/offsetting to endpapers. Spine faded at top and bottom edge. Dustjacket has some repairs to inside, a small chip at the top rear fold, a crease to the top right corner of the front, wrinkle/crease to bottom left corner of rear, spine toning, and a repaired 1" to 1.5" tear to the top front fold where the front panel and front flap meeting. Outside of dustjacket presents very well.
Seller: EGR Books, Centreville, VA, U.S.A.
Price: US$724.00 + shipping
Condition: Fine
Description: First (and only) Impression, First State, of the author's first books, one of only 750 copies printed and bound. Small 8vo: 128pp. Publisher's pale blue mesh cloth, front cover and spine stamped in navy blue, text printed on heavy stock white wove paper; drab dust jacket printed in black and priced 6/- net First State (per Ahearn) denoted by broken "d" and the word "flat" obliterated on p.35, line 32. End papers offset from jacket flaps, else a virtually pristine example, apparently unread, in a superb jacket. Potter 1. Hanna 1027. Ahearn, p. 230. Seybolt, p. 22. Dos Passos's literary debut, an autobiographical antiwar novel, chronicling his experiences as an ambulance driver in France during the First World War. "Although the English printers had demanded changes to avoid charges of libel and blasphemy, they perhaps needn't have worried: the novel was almost totally ignored by both customers and critics alike, and sold only 63 copies in its first six months." (Literary Encyclopedia) N. B. With few exceptions (always identified), we only stock books in exceptional condition, with dust jackets carefully preserved in archival, removable polypropylene sleeves. All orders are packaged with care and posted promptly. Satisfaction guaranteed. (Fine Editions Ltd is a member of the Independent Online Booksellers Association, and we subscribe to its codes of ethics.).
Seller: Fine Editions Ltd, Lancaster, PA, U.S.A.
DOS PASSOS, John. ONE MAN'S INITIATION. George Allen & Unwin Ltd, 1920.
Price: US$750.00 + shipping
Description: DOS PASSOS, John. ONE MAN'S INITIATION. London: George Allen & Unwin Ltd., [1920]. 12mo., blue cloth, stamped in black, in the original dust jacket; 128 pages. First Edition, first state with the broken "d' and the word "flat" obliterated on page 35, line 32. Limited to only 750 copies. Author's first novel, much in the tradition of the likes of Hemingway and E.E. Cummings- Dos Passos presents a fictionalized picture of his life as an ambulance driver for the French in World War I. It was among the earliest novels to debunk the war and its glory, preceding Erich Maria Remarque's "All Quiet On The Western Front" by nine years. Very Good (covers nice with a few light creases to the head of the spine; some foxing to endpapers but text clean & tight; very tiny crease to top corner of two pages); a handful of tiny chips but no serious tears to the extremely fragile d/j. $750.00.
Seller: Antic Hay Books, Asbury Park, NJ, U.S.A.
Dos Passos, John. One Man's Initiation. George Allen & Unwin Ltd., London, 1920.
Price: US$850.00 + shipping
Description: First state with points. Jacket is very bright with three VERY tiny chips
Seller: Robert S. Brooks, Bookseller, Bristol, WI, U.S.A.
Dos Passos, John (1896-1970). One Man's Initiation -1917. London : G. Allen & Unwin, 1920.
Price: US$878.39 + shipping
Description: Fine cloth copy in a very good, slightly edge-nicked and dust-dulled dust wrapper, now mylar-sleeved. Remains particularly and surprisingly well-preserved; tight, bright, clean and sharp-cornered. Author's 1st book. 2nd state with 'flat' on p. 35. Referenced by; Hanna 1027. Physical description; 128 p. ; 19 cm. Subject; World War, (1914-1918) - Fiction. 1 Kg.
Seller: MW Books Ltd., Galway, Ireland
Dos Passos, John (1896-1970). One Man's Initiation -1917. London : G. Allen & Unwin, 1920.
Price: US$964.00 + shipping
Description: Fine cloth copy in a very good, slightly edge-nicked and dust-dulled dust wrapper, now mylar-sleeved. Remains particularly and surprisingly well-preserved; tight, bright, clean and sharp-cornered. Author's 1st book. 2nd state with 'flat' on p. 35. Referenced by; Hanna 1027. Physical description; 128 p. ; 19 cm. Subject; World War, (1914-1918) - Fiction. 1 Kg.
Seller: MW Books, New York, NY, U.S.A.
Dos Passos, John. One Man's Initiation-1917. George Allen & Unwin, London, 1920.
Price: US$975.00 + shipping
Condition: Near Fine
Description: 128 pages. First English edition, first printing. His first book, only 750 copies ptinted. Broken "d" & "flat" obliterated on page 35: 32. Near fine book in a near fine dust jacket with the edges and corners lightly worn. A beautiful copy!
Seller: Fireproof Books, MINNETONKA, MN, U.S.A.
Dos Passos, John. ONE MAN'S INITIATION - 1917. George Allen & Unwin, Ltd., London, 1920.
Price: US$1000.00 + shipping
Condition: Very Good
Description: First edition, first issue with type broken on page 35, line 32. Bottom corners slightly bumped, still Near Fine in a Fine dust jacket which shows very light rubbing at the spine ends. The author's first book, preceding the American edition, describing his experience and impressions of WW I.
Seller: Hoffman Books, ABAA, IOBA, Columbus, OH, U.S.A.
DOS PASSOS, John. One Man's Initiation - 1917. Allen & Unwin, London, 1920.
Price: US$1000.00 + shipping
Condition: Fine
Description: d.w. London, (1920). First Edition. First issue, with the broken type on p. 35. The author's scarce first book, in unusually good condition. The dust wrapper is slightly toned on the spine & , has just a little wear at the corners and the extremes of the spine.
Seller: Argosy Book Store, ABAA, ILAB, New York, NY, U.S.A.
Dos Passos, John. One Man's Initiation-1917. George Allen and Unwin, Ltd, London, 1920.
Price: US$1500.00 + shipping
Condition: Very Good
Description: Second state with errors corrected on page 35. SIGNED and dated "Aug 31 -'40" by John Dos Passos on the front endpaper (the "J" in "John" is very faintly penned). The volume is bumped on the spine ends, sunned on the top edges and spine tail, and there is off-setting to the endpapers from the jacket. The jacket is toned on the spine and along the top edges of the flaps. The spine crown has some very shallow chips. Author's first book.
Seller: Trilby & Co. Books, San Jose, CA, U.S.A.
Price: US$2000.00 + shipping
Condition: Very Good
Description: First British Edition. Original cloth, near fine with only slight fading to crown and foot of spine. Dust jacket, very good with wear to extremities and missing small pieces to crown and foot of spine, contains small offsetting to front and rear endpapers. This copy is the First British Edition, First Issue containing a broken 'd' and an obliterated "flat" on line 32, p. 35. This is one of 750 copies. In a plastic protective cover and custom made cloth chemise case with a custom made slip case, leather spine, raised headbands, gilt titles.
Seller: sonalsorises, los angeles, CA, U.S.A.
DOS PASSOS, John. One Man's Initiation - 1917. Allen & Unwin, London, 1920.
Price: US$2500.00 + shipping
Condition: Fine
Description: 8vo, light blue cloth, d.w. London: Allen & Unwin, (1920). First Edition. Presentation copy to bookseller, bibliographer Louis Henry Cohn. The author's scarce first book, in unusually good condition. Second issue with perfect type on page 35. Protective cloth dust wrapper.
Seller: Argosy Book Store, ABAA, ILAB, New York, NY, U.S.A.
Dos Passos, John. One Man's Initiation. George Allen & Unwinn, London, 1920.
Price: US$2800.00 + shipping
Condition: Near Fine
Description: First edition, first printing. First issue with the word "flat" obliterated on line 32, page 35. Signed by John Dos Passos on the front free endpaper and inscribed to a former owner. Additionally tipped in is a handwritten signed letter from Dos Passos to the inscribee. Bound in publisher's original blue cloth stamped in darker blue. Near Fine with thin fading to cloth at top and bottom edges, short closed marginal tear to page 19/20, this strip of residue to front pastedown likely from a formerly tipped in appendage. In a Near Fine dust jacket, lightly spine toned and with some wear at the spine ends. Housed in a custom clamshell case.
Seller: Burnside Rare Books, ABAA, Portland, OR, U.S.A.
Dos Passos, John. One Man's Initiation-1917. George Allen & Unwin, London, 1920.
Price: US$2975.00 + shipping
Condition: Fine
Description: 128 pages. First English edition, first printing. Inscribed by Dos Passos on the first sheet. His first book. One of 750 copies printed. "d" broken & word "flat" obliterated on page 35, line 32. Fine book with a trace of off setting to the end papers from the jacket flap in a fine dust jacket with it's only flaw a hint of tonening to the spine. A beautiful copy!
Seller: Fireproof Books, MINNETONKA, MN, U.S.A.