The Kingdom of this World by Alejo Carpentier - LEC 1988

The Kingdom of this World by Alejo Carpentier - LIMITED EDITIONS CLUB 1988

A PICTORIAL REVIEW

No.233 of 750 copies
Seven bound-in monochrome copper etchings by Roberto Juarez printed letterpress.
Translated by Harriet de Onis.
Six page introduction by John Hersey.
Designed by Benjamin Shiff.
Signed by introducer John Hersey, and by illustrator Roberto Juarez.
Illustrations printed on a handmade Japanese paper tipped onto a handmade Richard de Bas paper from France and protected by translucent wax paper loose inserts.
Printed by Daniel Keleher at Wild Carrot Letterpress, Massachusetts.
Printed on pure cotton paper made at the Cartiere Enrico Magnani.
Plain white endpapers.
Ragged fore-edge pages.
Hand-sewn and hand-bound by Carol Joyce in black Nigerian Oasis goatskin on the spine and fore-edge, with burgundy Japanese silk on the covers.
Gilt spine title.
Black linen slipcase lined with suede but untitled.
xiv + 104 pages
39.9x28.9cm.
US$190

Written in 1949, this is a work of historic fiction, seen by some as a harbinger of magic realism. The novel has no conventional, continuous plot. Rather, it is a series of vignettes, of vivid moments spanning the life of its one steady character, the slave Ti Noël. it tells the story of Hispaniola before, during, and after the Haitian Slave Revolution led by Toussaint Louverture. Carpentier mingles his fictional characters and situations with those drawn from history as he explores history as a function of destiny, the parallel nature of violence and sexuality, and the religion of Voodoo.
A short book in a very large format.



































































The Monthly Letter for this book can be downloaded here.

An index of the other illustrated reviews in the this series can be viewed here.

Thanks as usual for this review, Warwick. I like these large Schiff-era LECs, and found this story interesting, in all its unfamiliarity. Since I read it, Sudhir Hazareesingh, a scholar of Balliol College Oxford has published Black Spartacus: The Epic Life of Toussaint Louverture which won the Wolfson History Prize, and other prizes.

I love this volume—it's tremendously underrated and one of my favorite books overall (as in, prrrrrroooooobably in my top ten or top twenty). Unlike many Schiff books, the fine art illustrations here genuinely enhance the book rather than feeling like mere status symbols, the materials are about as good as you can get, it has some of the best spine title stamping period, the half leather binding manages to feel both traditional and innovative, the list goes on.

A good novel too, does the subject justice without feeling preachy.

Just saw three copies of this book in a local bookstore. The best of the three is $350 and does not have major flaws but is lacking the letter. Didn’t check the prices on the other two but one had a faded spine and foxed edges. The other didn’t have the slipcase. I already have a copy so wasn’t interested even if there was a good deal.

As always an excellent review and I agree with the other commenters that this is a great, underrated book.

I would very much love a press to tackle Carpentier's The Chase, among some of his other work.

This is one of my favorites in my collection. I actually gasped as I pulled it out of the slipcase for the first time! It is beautiful, with incredible art.

The letter discusses how Juarez was guided by Bruce Chandler, who printed the three etchings for the Secret Sharer, another outstanding Schiff-era release, in printing the etchings for this title. The process was quite interesting and worth a read!

The letter also notes how three different bookbinders put together this edition, with a little ticket on the inside of the back cover letting you know who did yours. I’m not sure if they did this with any other releases but if so, it’s not many.