The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County. By Mark Twain. First Edition, Second State. C.H. Webb. New York, 1867.

Mark Twain, often considered the Father of American Literature, led a full and enigmatic life. He was an acclaimed author of novels and travelogues, but also a riverboat captain, a prospector, a journalist, a public speaker, an inventor, and a publisher. He traveled the world several times over. He adored his daughters and wife. He was friends with many of the most notable people of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Much of his experiences influenced his literature which he infused with incredible humor and social commentary. Yet his earliest literary achievement was rather quaint. It was a short story titled “The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County.” First published in magazines and newspapers in 1865, the story became incredibly popular across the country. Two years later, it became the titular story of Twain’s first book. In this volume, he compiles the Jumping Frog alongside dozens of other short stories he had published in various outlets. The first print run was quite small: only 1,000 copies. While it wasn’t Twain’s first commercial success, this short story collection was his first published book, setting the stage for one of America’s greatest literary careers. It also contains many of his most beloved short stories and sketches.

This first edition, second state is in very good condition. In the original brown cloth, very good expert restoration. Rebacked with the original spine laid down. Corners restored. Some soiling, rubbing, and rippling to cloth boards. Text block about-fine, only minor dampstaining to front matter and rubbing to edges. Without the advertisement leaf, and with broken type on pages 21, 66, and 198, indicating second state.

A very good first edition, second state of Twain’s first book.