Knock On Any Door

New York: D. Appleton-Century Company, Inc, 1947. First Edition. First Printing, with (1) following final paragraph. Octavo (22cm); gray cloth-covered boards, with titles stamped in dark purple on spine and front cover; dustjacket; [viii],[2],3-503,[1]pp. Tiny indentation to upper front board edge, some trivial dustiness to pastedowns, else a fresh, Near Fine copy. Dustjacket is unclipped (priced $3.00), lightly edgeworn, with several tiny nicks, tears, and attendant creases, with light dust-soil to rear panel, and a few tiny numbers scribbled at upper rear corner of same; Very Good+.

The life of a career criminal in Chicago, from juvenile lock-up to the electric chair. The African-American author's first novel, published to great critical acclaim, and the basis for the 1949 film starring Humphrey Bogart. Reprints abound (usually mis-identified), but in our experience the first edition is a surprisingly difficult book to turn up in anything close collector's condition. HANNA 2582. RIDEOUT p.299. COAN p.110.