The Modern Library Bibliography
HERMANN SUDERMANN. THE SONG OF SONGS. 1929–1941. (ML 162)
182a. First printing (1929)
[written double rules] THE SONG OF SONGS | [rule] | BY | HERMANN SUDERMANN | [rule] | [
Pp. [2], [1–4] 5–640 [641–642]. [1–19]16 [20]16(16+1.2)
[1] half title; [2]
Variant: Pp. [2], [1–4] 5–640. [1–19]16 [20]16(16+1). Contents as 182a except: [2] First statement omitted; blank leaf omitted at end. Note: Pp. 639–640 are an inserted leaf. (Spring 1932 jacket)
Jacket:
Front flap:
The path of Lilly Czepanek’s destiny was made radiant and tragic by her own beauty. Her life was consecrated to love. As it was with Shulamite, who inspired Solomon’s Song of Songs, so love had set a seal upon Lilly’s heart. All the denials of poverty, the violences of lechery and the longings of her own dream world only made her more desirable in the eyes of men. Hermann Sudermann’s novel of a woman who walked in sin is a romance in the cause of love beyond purity. (Fall 1935)
Seltzer translation originally published by B. W. Huebsch, 1909, and after 1925 by Viking Press. ML edition (pp. [3]–640) printed from Huebsch/Viking plates with Huebsch half title used as a fly title. Published October 1929. WR 23 November 1929. First printing: 8,000 copies. Discontinued 1 January 1942.
ML printings do not identify the translator. Huebsch and Viking printings attribute the translation to Thomas Seltzer, but it was actually by his wife Adele Seltzer, who wanted to publicize her husband’s name. Thomas Seltzer’s contribution was typing the manuscript that was submitted to Huebsch (Levin, Dare to Be Different, pp. 85, 269).
The ML paid Viking royalties of 8 cents a copy. There were three additional printings of 2,000 copies each between April 1930 and April 1931 and five known printings of 1,000 copies each between November 1932 and April 1941.
Sudermann’s novel was read more widely in the early decades of the 20th century than it is today. Jackets of early ML printings of Madame Bovary (25.1) state on the front panel: “Today there are two more novels that are likely to be classed with [Madame Bovary] . . . Tolstoy’s ‘Anna Karenina’ and Sudermann’s ‘Song of Songs.’” (see 25.1a).
182b. Title page reset (1940)
THE SONG | OF SONGS | BY | HERMANN | SUDERMANN | [
Pagination and collation as 182a variant. Contents as 182a variant except: [2] blank; [2] COPYRIGHT, 1909, BY J. G. COTTA’SCHE | BUCHHANDLUNG NACHFOLGER.
Jacket: Non-pictorial in deep reddish orange (36) and black on cream paper with front panel divided into upper section in cream and lower section in deep reddish orange; lettering in black on both, torchbearer in reverse on lower section. Designed by Joseph Blumenthal.
Front flap as 182a. (Spring 1940)
Also in the Modern Library
Sudermann, Dame Care (1918–1936) 31
{
"full": "\n**HERMANN SUDERMANN. THE SONG OF SONGS. 1929–1941. (ML 162)** \n\n#### 182a. First printing (1929) \n\n[written double rules] THE SONG OF SONGS | [rule] | BY | HERMANN SUDERMANN | [rule] | [torchbearer A2] | [rule] | THE MODERN LIBRARY | PUBLISHERS : NEW YORK \n\nPp. [*2*], [1–4] 5–640 [641–642]. [1–19]16 [20]16(16+1.2) \n\n[*1*] half title; [*2*] pub. note D5; [1] title; [2] *Copyright,* 1909, *by* | J. G. COTTA’SCHE BUCHHANDLUNG NACHFOLGER | [short double rule] | *First Modern Library Edition* | 1929 | [short double rule]; [3] fly title; [4] blank; 5–640 text; [641–642] blank. *Note:* Pp. 639–642 are an inserted fold. \n\n> *Variant:* Pp. [*2*], [1–4] 5–640. [1–19]16 [20]16(16+1). Contents as 182a except: [2] *First* statement omitted; blank leaf omitted at end. *Note:* Pp. 639–640 are an inserted leaf. (*Spring 1932 jacket*) \n\n*Jacket:* Uniform typographic jacket D. (*Fall 1929*) \n\n> Front flap:
The path of Lilly Czepanek’s destiny was made radiant and tragic by her own beauty. Her life was consecrated to love. As it was with Shulamite, who inspired Solomon’s Song of Songs, so love had set a seal upon Lilly’s heart. All the denials of poverty, the violences of lechery and the longings of her own dream world only made her more desirable in the eyes of men. Hermann Sudermann’s novel of a woman who walked in sin is a romance in the cause of love beyond purity. (*Fall 1935*) \n\nSeltzer translation originally published by B. W. Huebsch, 1909, and after 1925 by Viking Press. ML edition (pp. [3]–640) printed from Huebsch/Viking plates with Huebsch half title used as a fly title. Published October 1929. *WR* 23 November 1929. First printing: 8,000 copies. Discontinued 1 January 1942. \n\nML printings do not identify the translator. Huebsch and Viking printings attribute the translation to Thomas Seltzer, but it was actually by his wife Adele Seltzer, who wanted to publicize her husband’s name. Thomas Seltzer’s contribution was typing the manuscript that was submitted to Huebsch (Levin, *Dare to Be Different*, pp. 85, 269). \n\nThe ML paid Viking royalties of 8 cents a copy. There were three additional printings of 2,000 copies each between April 1930 and April 1931 and five known printings of 1,000 copies each between November 1932 and April 1941. \n\nSudermann’s novel was read more widely in the early decades of the 20th century than it is today. Jackets of early ML printings of *Madame Bovary* (25.1) state on the front panel: “Today there are two more novels that are likely to be classed with [*Madame Bovary*] . . . Tolstoy’s ‘Anna Karenina’ and Sudermann’s ‘Song of Songs.’” (see 25.1a). \n\n#### 182b. Title page reset (1940) \n\nTHE SONG | OF SONGS | BY | HERMANN | SUDERMANN | [torchbearer D1 at right; 3-line imprint at left] THE | MODERN LIBRARY | NEW YORK | [rule] \n\nPagination and collation as 182a variant. Contents as 182a variant except: [*2*] blank; [2] COPYRIGHT, 1909, BY J. G. COTTA’SCHE | BUCHHANDLUNG NACHFOLGER. \n\n*Jacket:* Non-pictorial in deep reddish orange (36) and black on cream paper with front panel divided into upper section in cream and lower section in deep reddish orange; lettering in black on both, torchbearer in reverse on lower section. Designed by Joseph Blumenthal. \n\n> Front flap as 182a. (*Spring 1940*) \n\nAlso in the Modern Library \nSudermann, *Dame Care* (1918–1936) 31 \n\n",
"id": "182",
"year": "1929",
"label": "HERMANN SUDERMANN. THE SONG OF SONGS. 1929–1941. (ML 162)",
"author": "HERMANN SUDERMANN",
"title": "THE SONG OF SONGS.",
"date": "1929–1941.",
"something": "ML 162",
"revisions": [
{
"id": "182a",
"title": "First printing (1929) ",
"full": "\n\n[written double rules] THE SONG OF SONGS | [rule] | BY | HERMANN SUDERMANN | [rule] | [torchbearer A2] | [rule] | THE MODERN LIBRARY | PUBLISHERS : NEW YORK \n\nPp. [*2*], [1–4] 5–640 [641–642]. [1–19]16 [20]16(16+1.2) \n\n[*1*] half title; [*2*] pub. note D5; [1] title; [2] *Copyright,* 1909, *by* | J. G. COTTA’SCHE BUCHHANDLUNG NACHFOLGER | [short double rule] | *First Modern Library Edition* | 1929 | [short double rule]; [3] fly title; [4] blank; 5–640 text; [641–642] blank. *Note:* Pp. 639–642 are an inserted fold. \n\n> *Variant:* Pp. [*2*], [1–4] 5–640. [1–19]16 [20]16(16+1). Contents as 182a except: [2] *First* statement omitted; blank leaf omitted at end. *Note:* Pp. 639–640 are an inserted leaf. (*Spring 1932 jacket*) \n\n*Jacket:* Uniform typographic jacket D. (*Fall 1929*) \n\n> Front flap:
The path of Lilly Czepanek’s destiny was made radiant and tragic by her own beauty. Her life was consecrated to love. As it was with Shulamite, who inspired Solomon’s Song of Songs, so love had set a seal upon Lilly’s heart. All the denials of poverty, the violences of lechery and the longings of her own dream world only made her more desirable in the eyes of men. Hermann Sudermann’s novel of a woman who walked in sin is a romance in the cause of love beyond purity. (*Fall 1935*) \n\nSeltzer translation originally published by B. W. Huebsch, 1909, and after 1925 by Viking Press. ML edition (pp. [3]–640) printed from Huebsch/Viking plates with Huebsch half title used as a fly title. Published October 1929. *WR* 23 November 1929. First printing: 8,000 copies. Discontinued 1 January 1942. \n\nML printings do not identify the translator. Huebsch and Viking printings attribute the translation to Thomas Seltzer, but it was actually by his wife Adele Seltzer, who wanted to publicize her husband’s name. Thomas Seltzer’s contribution was typing the manuscript that was submitted to Huebsch (Levin, *Dare to Be Different*, pp. 85, 269). \n\nThe ML paid Viking royalties of 8 cents a copy. There were three additional printings of 2,000 copies each between April 1930 and April 1931 and five known printings of 1,000 copies each between November 1932 and April 1941. \n\nSudermann’s novel was read more widely in the early decades of the 20th century than it is today. Jackets of early ML printings of *Madame Bovary* (25.1) state on the front panel: “Today there are two more novels that are likely to be classed with [*Madame Bovary*] . . . Tolstoy’s ‘Anna Karenina’ and Sudermann’s ‘Song of Songs.’” (see 25.1a). \n\n"
},
{
"id": "182b",
"title": "Title page reset (1940) ",
"full": "\n\nTHE SONG | OF SONGS | BY | HERMANN | SUDERMANN | [torchbearer D1 at right; 3-line imprint at left] THE | MODERN LIBRARY | NEW YORK | [rule] \n\nPagination and collation as 182a variant. Contents as 182a variant except: [*2*] blank; [2] COPYRIGHT, 1909, BY J. G. COTTA’SCHE | BUCHHANDLUNG NACHFOLGER. \n\n*Jacket:* Non-pictorial in deep reddish orange (36) and black on cream paper with front panel divided into upper section in cream and lower section in deep reddish orange; lettering in black on both, torchbearer in reverse on lower section. Designed by Joseph Blumenthal. \n\n> Front flap as 182a. (*Spring 1940*) \n\nAlso in the Modern Library \nSudermann, *Dame Care* (1918–1936) 31 \n\n"
}
],
"type": "book"
}