How Green Was My Valley
Richard Llewellyn (Richard David Vivian Llewellyn Lloyd)
📚 Genre
Historical Fiction, Literary Fiction
🏢 Publisher
The Macmillan Company (Printed by American Book-Stratford Press, Inc., New York)
📅 Publication Year
1942 (February print run shown)
🔢 ISBN
N/A (Pre-dates ISBN system)
About This Book
A classic novel set in a South Wales mining community during the late Victorian era. It follows the life of the Morgan family through the eyes of the youngest son, Huw Morgan, as industrialization and coal mining change the landscape and the social fabric of his valley forever. The copyright page shown lists several dozen printings between January 1940 and February 1942, indicating its massive popularity.
Book Details
Language
English
Pages
494 pages
Edition
Early US Printing (Twenty-fourth printing based on cumulative reprint list)
Series
First book in a series of four following Huw Morgan (though often read as a standalone)
Target Audience
Adult
Collector Information
Condition
Good. The paper shows mild age-related yellowing and some 'ghosting' from the title page on the opposite leaf, but the text is clear and the binding appears intact.
Estimated Value
$15-$30
Rarity
Common. While it is an 'early' printing from the 1940s, the copyright page explicitly lists dozens of previous reprints. Collectors typically seek the October 1939 UK first edition or the 1940 US first printing.
Historical Significance
Winner of the National Book Award for Fiction (1940). It was adapted into an iconic 1941 film directed by John Ford, which won five Academy Awards including Best Picture, famously beating Citizen Kane.
Collector Notes
Because this is a later printing (approx. 24th), its value is primarily as a reading copy rather than a high-end collectible. To maintain its condition, keep it away from direct sunlight and high humidity to prevent further acidification of the paper. For this title, the presence of a 1940s-era dust jacket would significantly increase the value even for a later printing.
Similar Books
The Citadel by A.J. Cronin, The Stars Look Down by A.J. Cronin, Rape of the Fair Country by Alexander Cordell, Germinal by Émile Zola
Notable Features
Includes a comprehensive list of all printings up to February 1942, reflecting the book's status as a wartime bestseller.