Franklin Library: WILLIAM STYRON: SIGNED 60: CONFESSIONS OF NAT TURNER: SLAVERY

Description: Franklin Library leather edition of William Styron's "The Confessions of Nat Turner," a Limited edition, Illustrated by Ann Grifalconi, one of the SIGNED 60 series, PERSONALLY SIGNED by William Styron, signature protected by tissue paper, published in 1979. Bound in brown leather, the book has red French moire silk end leaves, hubbed spine, a satin book marker, acid-free paper, Symth-sewn binding, gold gilding on three edges---in near FINE condition. William Styron, who lived from 1925--2006, was born in Newport News, Virginia. "The Confessions of Nat Turner, " winner of the 1967 Pulitzer Prize, presented as a first-person narrative by historical figure NAT TURNER, the slave revolt in Virginia in 1831. It is based on The Confessions of Nat Turner: The Leader of the Late Insurrection in Southampton, Virginia, a first-hand account of Turner's confessions published by a local lawyer, Thomas Gray, in 1831. Nat's first slave master, SAMUEL TURNER, a wealthy Virginia aristocrat believed in educating his slaves. Nat learned to read and write, and also became a skilled carpenter. Unfortunately, when he was still a child Nat's mother was brutally raped by an Irish overseer while the master was away. This traumatic experience gave Nat both a burning hatred for white people and a secret revulsion from women's bodies and the sexual act. Samuel Turner vaguely promised Nat his freedom, but through a series of misunderstandings, Nat was sold to an impoverished preacher named Reverend EPPES, a filthy, drooling homosexual who is obsessed with young boys and he is determined to make Nat "pleasure" him. Though Nat is not especially interested in young women at this point, he finds Epps physically distasteful and shies away from physical contact. Epps soon sells young Nat to a pair of cruel redneck farmers who brutally whip the frightened, timid slave and treat him like an animal, intensifying his growing hostility towards whites. After bouncing from different masters for a number of years, Nat finally ends up as the property of a decent, hard-working farmer named Travis who allows Nat to do skilled work as a carpenter and to read his Bible and preach to other slaves. During his religious fasts deep in the deserted woods, Nat begins to have strange visions of black and white angels fighting in the sky. Nat later meets MARGARET WHITEHEAD, the beautiful, vivacious daughter of a wealthy widow who lives nearby. Though her family owns many slaves, high-spirited Margaret opposes slavery and openly admires Nat's preaching. Gradually the two become friends, but Nat is haunted by the fear that if his plan succeeds lovely Margaret must die. The last pages states: "The bodies of those executed, with one exception, were buried in a decent and becoming manner. That of Nat Turner was delivered to the doctors who skinned it and made grease of the flesh. Mr. R.S. Barham's father owned a money purse made of his hide." TIME Magazine included the novel in its TIME 100 Best English-language Novels from 1923 to 2005. 441 pages. I offer combined shipping.

Price: 34.95 USD

Location: Walnut Ridge, Arkansas

End Time: 2024-12-08T20:13:58.000Z

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