"The Wayward Bus, by John Steinbeck, First Edition, First Printing of the 'Book of the Month Selection' (printed from the same plates as the first trade edition), published by Viking Press, 1947.

Hard boards, original publisher's cloth with blind stamped bus and gilt title some spine fade and soiling: see photo], 5.1/4" x 8", 312 pages, clean, no stains, very good/ fin condition.

Points of First Printing: red-orange cloth, date '1947' on the title page, 'Published in February 1947' without any other printings on the copyright page . Point of First Printing: 'Printed in USA by the Haddon Craftsmen' is imprinted on the copyright page (later printings were printed by Kingsport, Tennessee). The only marking of "Book of the Month Selection" is a dot on the back-board and the embossed bus on the front board looks darker as background, otherwise identical to the first trade printing.

Once again John Steinbeck has written a beautifully crafted novel in this tale of a Bus Trip to San Juan de la Cruz. The bus driver is Juan Chicoy who is seeking Redemption and Meaning in his life. Aboard the bus are an ensemble of characters . We are introduced to Camille Oaks, a former stripper who is bewildered by her sexual attractiveness to men and Mr. Pritchard and his wife who are perfect examples of rigid Upper Class American Society. Also on the bus are 17 years old "Pimples" Carson who is confused by his Raging Hormonal Desires and Norma , a shy girl who takes refuge in a fantasy world of celebrities that she admires. Along the way we see the lives of these characters altered forever. This book was first published in 1947 and yet the prose is so fresh and beautifully written that one could easily think that it was written yesterday. Such was the talented writing ability of John Steinbeck.

US: Priority (c.2-5 days) -------- ---- $16.50
Canada: Priority (c.2-8 weeks) ------- $32.50
World: Priority (c.2-10 weeks) ------- $45.50