Today I am offering a very rare true First Edition and First Printing of "The Gin Game" by D.L. Coburn.

Let me preface this by saying that I am neither a book expert, collector, or dealer.

I am not totally familiar with the specific vernacular used to describe collectible books.

That being said I will do my best to describe this treasure.

You must use your own experience, judgement, and expertise to determine if this is a purchase you are willing to commit to.

Message me prior to purchase if you need additional information or pictures.

This won a Pulitzer Prize For Best Play in 1978.

Early Printings of this book are scarce and becoming increasingly more difficult to find.

This is a hardcover book with its original dust jacket.

It is NOT price-clipped.

The original list price shown on the DJ flap is $7.95

Published by Drama Book Specialists: New York, 1978.

A First American Edition printed in the USA.

ISBN 0-89676-002-2

"First Edition" is clearly stated on the copyright page.

There is no number line.

This rare treasure has some clearly visible wear, but is still in highly desirable, highly collectible condition.

The condition must be carefully examined and considered prior to purchase.

It has wheat colored boards with a red lettered stamped spine

It has a yellow and red dust jacket

It measures approximately 8½" from top to bottom, 5¾" from side to side across the front, and about ⅝" thick

The book appears gently read.

There are no missing pages and it is not Ex-Libris nor a book club edition.

The binding is fairly tight.

All of the pages are present and fully attached.

Besides the 73 numbered pages, there are multiple blank pages in the back.

It has some general shelf wear but the boards are very clean with minimal corner wear.

There is slight age-yellowing to the pages, not affecting the text.

I see 3 dog-eared pages: 4, 16, & 19.

There are a couple of light blue highliter dash marks in the margins on pages 5, 17, & 21

The original dust jacket is fully intact but has issues.

The spine is definitely sun-faded.

There is general wear with some scuffing and marks.

The edges are discolored and chipped.

There is a significant 1½" rip to the upper back dust jacket.

There is some kind of white label residue on the back, though it's not sticky.

Overall I would consider this to be an excellent example of this book, especially considering it's nearly 50 years old.

I had to use some collage group pics in order to let you clearly see all the issues.

I can send you each separate photo if you message me PRIOR TO PURCHASE.

This package will ship USPS Priority insured mail, carefully wrapped for safe transit.

✓ You will receive the exact item in the pictures. These are my own photos, not stock photos or screenshots unless otherwise specified.

√ Please review all the pictures and ZOOM IN FOR CLOSE-UPS as they are an integral part of the description.

***USPS shipping cost is for the lower 48 US states only.

***Alaska, Hawaii, etc. must request a shipping quote prior to purchase.

***eBay determines international shipping costs.

CUSTOMS AND/OR TARIFF FEES MAY APPLY.

HERE'S SOME ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT THIS ITEM:

The Gin Game opened on Broadway on October 6, 1977 at the John Golden Theatre and closed on December 31, 1978 after 517 performances.

The play was directed by Mike Nichols and starred the married couple Hume Cronyn and Jessica Tandy.

Comedy/Drama

Characters: 1 male, 1 female

This winner of the 1978 Pulitzer Prize, which originally starred Jessica Tandy and Hume Cronyn and later revived with Julie Harris and Charles Durning, uses a game as a metaphor for life.

Weller Martin is playing solitaire on the porch of a seedy nursing home.

Enter Fonsia Dorsey, a prim, self righteous lady. They discover they both dislike the home and enjoy gin rummy so they begin to play and to reveal intimate details of their lives.

Fonsia wins every time and their secrets become weapons used against one another.

Weller longs for a victory to counter a lifetime of defeats but it doesn't happen.

He leaves the stage a broken man and Fonsia realizes her self-righteous rigidity has led to an embittered, lonely old age.

"A thoroughly entertaining lesson in the fine art of theatrical finesse. The closest thing the theatre offers to a duel at 10 paces."-The New York Times

"Extremely intelligent..fine bittersweet comedy...Funny, sad, profane, eloquent, touching, beautiful."-WABC-TV

"Perfect...A vibrant study on loneliness, disillusion, old age and death yet fiercely funny."-The Boston Globe