TWAIN, MARK — Extract from Captain Stormfield's Visit to Heaven

New York, NY: Harper & Brothers, 1909. 1st Edition Thus; 1st Printing. Hardcover. The revised larger edition. This book is in Very Good+ condition and is lacking a dust jacket. First Edition, First Printing with MCMIX on title page and Published October 1909 on the copyright page, one of three variants (9/16ths inch thick) , not second state, as no C-F on the copyright page. (BAL 3511, Vol. 2). The spine ends and corners of the book covers have some lightish bumping and rubbing, along with some beginning fraying and nicking. The cloth on the spine of the book has noticeable fading, and rubbing to the lettering. The blue and white decoration on the front cover of the book is in mostly clean, bright condition. There is a strip of fading to the foredge of the front cover. The text pages are generally clean and bright. There is a previous owner's ink stamped name on the front pastedown page. All three edges of the text block have foxing and toning. "The story follows Captain Elias Stormfield on his decades long cosmic journey to Heaven; his accidental misplacement after racing a comet; his short-lived interest in singing and playing the harp (generated by his preconceptions of heaven) ; and the general obsession of souls with the celebrities of Heaven such as Adam, Moses, and Elijah, who according to Twain become as distant to most people in Heaven as living celebrities are on Earth. Twain uses this story to show his view that the common conception of Heaven is ludicrous, and points out the incongruities of such beliefs with his characteristic adroit usage of hyperbole. " (from Wikipedia). Very Good .