The Penitent by Isaac Bashevis Singer (RARE, SIGNED LIMITED FIRST EDITION), 1983 📜✍️💎

 

1. Introduction 📜🔍🏛️

This is a rare, signed limited first edition of The Penitent, a compelling work of fiction by the Nobel Prize-winning author Isaac Bashevis Singer. Published in 1983 by The Franklin Library, this book is a powerful and challenging exploration of faith, identity, and the modern world. As a signed first edition from a prestigious publisher, this volume is a premier acquisition for any serious collector of modern literature, Jewish studies, or books with documented provenance.

• The acquisition of first editions signed by their authors has an interesting and venerable tradition. Most authors regard their books as quite personal things, and a signed copy is even more so. Many authors, in fact, envision themselves writing for a single individual out there, or for a small, close group of friends.

• This edition is a tangible connection to the enduring legacy of a celebrated author whose work has a sober chord beneath the bawdy escapades.

• The Franklin Library's letter to the collector emphasizes the historical context of Singer's writing and the enduring legacy of his work.

 

2. About the Artwork/Book/Object 📖✍️✨

The Penitent tells the story of Joseph Shapiro, a Holocaust survivor who, after a successful yet dissolute life in America, flees to Israel to find spiritual certainty in ultra-Orthodox Judaism. The narrative is a profound examination of the nature of faith, the search for meaning in a post-Holocaust world, and a critique of modern consumerism. The book’s frontispiece illustration of the Wailing Wall in Jerusalem by Herbert Tauss adds a visual richness and spiritual dimension to the text.

• The book is an essential primary source for any scholar or dedicated reader of modern literature and Jewish studies.

• The physical book itself, with its special full-leather binding and gilded pages, is a testament to the high-quality publishing of the era.

• The book's unique narrative and illustrations make it a fascinating artifact.

 

3. About the Artist/Author/Maker ✍️🏛️

Isaac Bashevis Singer (1904-1991) was a Polish-born American writer who stands as one of the most significant figures in modern Yiddish literature. A winner of the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1978, his work is renowned for its blend of irony, wit, and wisdom, often flavored with Jewish folklore, mysticism, and the occult. Singer’s writing, which was translated from Yiddish into English, brought the vanished world of Polish Jewry to a global audience.

• Singer’s relationship to Judaism was complex; he considered himself a skeptic and a loner, but identified with his orthodox roots. He developed a philosophy he called "private mysticism," where he believed that because God was "eternally silent," He could be endowed with whatever traits a person chose.

• Singer was a prominent Jewish vegetarian for the last 35 years of his life and often included vegetarian themes in his works. When asked if he did it for health reasons, he famously replied: "I did it for the health of the chickens."

• The Franklin Library, a division of The Franklin Mint, specialized in producing high-quality limited editions of classic works, making them a popular choice for collectors. The company's letter to the collector provides unique insights into Singer’s life and artistic process.

 

4. Historical/Political Era Context 🌍🕰️📜

Published in 1983, this book is a "time capsule" of a transitional era. It reflects a period of immense change in American Jewish life and a growing conversation about the relationship between tradition and modernity. The book's narrative, with its focus on a man who rejects the secular world for a life of faith, was a powerful commentary on the consumerism and moral relativism of the time.

 

5. The Ideal Collector 💡🧐🏛️

This book is for a curator of modern literature, a scholar of Jewish studies, or a private collector of unique first editions. It is an ideal acquisition for an individual who values a book for its literary and historical significance. The author's signature makes this a perfect fit for a collection that cherishes the intimate story behind an artifact. The book appeals to a collector who is interested in the intersection of faith, history, and the power of ideas.

• A true bibliophile would appreciate the high-quality binding and the rich intellectual history contained within its pages.
  
  

 

6. Value & Rarity 💎✨🏛️

As a signed, limited first edition from a Nobel Prize-winning author, this book is a rare and desirable asset. The Franklin Library's editions, especially those signed by the author, are highly sought after by collectors. The value is a direct reflection of the book's enduring literary influence, its physical beauty, and the scarcity of a signed copy.

• The book's value as a literary and physical artifact makes it a strong acquisition.
  

• This is a unique and non-replicable asset class that is unlikely to reappear on the market for years to come.

 

7. Condition 🔎📚✨

This volume is in pristine, collector-grade condition.

• The hardcover, a full genuine leather binding, is in a solid state, with a tight binding and clean pages. The covers show some rubbing and scuffing, which is expected for a book of this age.

• The gilded pages are bright, with some minor fading.

• The overall condition is an honest and transparent portrayal of a well-cared-for volume that was likely a cherished part of a home library.

 

8. Translation of Inscriptions/Ephemera (Conditional) ✍️📜🔤

This book is a signed edition from The Franklin Library and is personally signed by Isaac Bashevis Singer. The signature is in blue ink and is a clean, bold example of Singer’s handwriting. The frontispiece illustration is a drawing of the Wailing Wall in Jerusalem by Herbert Tauss.

• This limited first edition has been published by special arrangement with Farrar, Straus & Giroux, Inc. and Jonathan Cape Limited.

• The Franklin Library's letter to the collector provides context for the book, noting that Singer's books "seem to speak very personally" to his readers and that his career was "topped by the Nobel Prize for Literature".

 

9. Fun Facts & Unique Features 🤓📜🤩

• Singer was a lifelong vegetarian and he often included vegetarian themes in his books, once famously stating that he did it "for the health of the chickens".

• His short story "Yentl, the Yeshiva Boy" was adapted into a stage version and a film starring and directed by Barbra Streisand.

• Singer's book Enemies, a Love Story was also adapted into a popular film, bringing new readers to his work.

• He was a member of the Writers and Artists for Peace in the Middle East, a pro-Israel group.

 

10. Supporting Information 🏷️📦💰

• Title: The Penitent

• Author/Maker: Isaac Bashevis Singer

• Year: 1983

• Publisher/Foundry: The Franklin Library

• Place of Origin: Franklin Center, Pennsylvania, USA

• Format/Binding: Limited Edition, Signed, Full Leather, Gilt Accents

• Edition: Limited First Edition

• Rarity: Rare, Signed

 

Letter from the Publisher: The Franklin Library 📜✍️🏛️

This book includes a letter from the publisher, Joseph Sloves of The Franklin Library, which serves as a detailed and engaging overview of the novel. The letter provides a unique insight into the author's work, creative process, and personal connection to the story.

The letter, addressed to "Dear Collector," introduces this volume as the "First Edition of The Penitent" and notes that it contains a "moving special message" written by Nobel Laureate Isaac Bashevis Singer for members of "The Signed First Edition Society". The publisher emphasizes that a signed copy of a first edition is particularly valuable because many authors envision themselves writing for a small, close group of friends. The letter also highlights that Singer's books speak "very personally" to his readers, and that his distinguished career was "topped by the Nobel Prize for Literature".

The letter also provides a summary of the novel's plot. The story begins with a prominent American author on a pilgrimage to Jerusalem, where he encounters another pilgrim who recounts a "fascinating odyssey". This man's life journey takes him from the uprootings of World War II in Poland and Russia, through displaced-persons camps in post-war Europe, to the "glittering promise" of New York where he achieves wealth and superficial wants, and finally to Israel, where he longs for faith. The publisher concludes by inviting the reader to enjoy the book, which was prepared by the Franklin Library's staff of editors, designers, illustrators, and production staff.