HISTORY AND UTOPIA

New York City, NY: Seaver Books, 1987. First Edition. First Printing.. Hardcover. Fine/Fine Dust Jacket.. New York City, NY: Seaver Books, 1987. Hardcover. Fine/Fine. First Edition/First Printing. 118 pages. The author's sixth book to be translated into English. One of E. M. Cioran's finest achievements. Marks the first appearance of the title in English and in the United States. The 1987 First Hardcover Edition. Precedes and should not be confused with all other subsequent editions, of which there are many. Published in a small and limited first print run as a hardcover original only. The First Edition is now rare. Presents E. M. Cioran's "Histoire et utopie" in the definitive English translation by Richard Howard. Six provocative essays by the inimitable Modernist imitator-disciple of Nietzsche. He describes his political philosophy in some of the most accessible essays he has ever written. "Russia And The Virus of Liberty", in particular, is a singularly - and humanely - sympathetic account of Russia in relation to its difficult and imbalanced history with the West. It deserves to be re-read today in light of contemporary events that do show a bitter and humiliated Russia attempting to overcome its (largely wretched) History in order to realize a feverishly imagined, imperialistic Utopia. Whether one agrees with him or not, Cioran's measured and nuanced account in each essay is indispensable. An absolute "must-have" title for E. M. Cioran collectors. This title is a great collection. This is one of few copies of the First Hardcover Edition/First Printing (American) still available online and despite its imperfection (price-clipped and one bump on the top front board corner) is still in especially fine condition: Every single internal page is clean, crisp, and bright. It is priced accordingly. Please note: There is NO abusive underlining, highlighting, and all kinds of other writing that E. M. Cioran's books are prone to. Copies available online have much more serious flaws yet are priced as though they had collectible value. This is surely an accessible and lovely alternative. A rare copy thus. One of the greatest writer/philosophers of the 20th century. A fine copy. . ISBN 0805003916.