1893; Henry Altemus publishers, Philadelphia; smaller (6-inch x 4-inch) hardbound; pages in good condition and unmarked except for (nice) pencil signature of original owner inside front (pic); boards are good with some abrasion and fading (pic); no dust jacket.
 
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Set in 17th-century Puritan Boston, Massachusetts, during the years 1642 to 1649, it tells the story of Hester Prynne, who conceives a daughter through an affair and will not reveal her lover’s identity. The scarlet letter A (for adultery) she has to wear on her clothes, along with her public shaming, is her punishment for her sin and her secrecy. She struggles to create a new life of repentance and dignity. Throughout the book, Hawthorne explores themes of legalism, sin, and guilt.