The Black Camel (FIRST EDITION IN SECOND ISSUE DUST JACKET)
Indianapolis: The Bobbs-Merrill Company, 1929.
Hardcover. First Edition in second issue dust jacket. 7 3/4" X 5 1/4". 312pp. Book presents nicely with unclipped dust jacket endcased in protective archival sleeve. Wear to jacket with rubbing, toning, creasing, and chipping to covers, corners, and edges. Sunning to spine of jacket. Bound in gray cloth over boards with spine and front cover lettered in orange. Mild rubbing, toning, and bumps to corners and edges of boards. Small black smudge to spine. Light rubbing to edges of text block. Penciled notation to front free endpaper. Small open tear to rear free endpaper. Pages are clean and unmarked. Binding is sound.
The character of Charlie Chan was created by Earl Derr Biggers as a counter to the stereotype of "Yellow Peril," and as an alternative to the common practice of media to portray Asian characters as stoic, menacing villains. Chan was characterized as heroic, intelligent, handsome, and honorable, and was received well by the general public. His stories would go on to be featured in numerous movies, as well as radio and television adaptations.
ABOUT THIS BOOK:
"Death is the black camel that kneels unbidden at every gate." This is what Charlie Chan tells the guests of the unfortunate Shelah Fane, a glamorous Hollywood movie star who has been murdered while on location beach side in Honolulu. Here the detective confronts his most perplexing case of his long and illustrious career. Chan is aided by a mysterious fortune teller named Tarneverro the Great. It appears that Miss Fane had summoned Tarneverro to Honolulu as she strongly believes in his mystical powers. A number of bystanders do not have alibis in this case, and it takes every bit of Chan's considerable powers to untangle this intricate web of deception and murder.(Publisher). Good / good. Item #11173
Price: $350.00