Waters Edward Turpin. THESE LOW GROUNDS. New York and London: Harper & Brothers Publishers, 1937. Stated first edition; publisher's code F-M (printed June 1937). Hardcover. Publisher's teal cloth-covered boards with gilt, pictorial endpapers. 8vo; [8], 344pp. Bookplate on front paste-down of Dr. W. Edward Farrison, former English professor at North Carolina Central University in Durham. Whiteman p. 46.

8 1/4 x 6 in.

Waters Edward Turpin (1910-1968) was a professor, novelist, and playwright. He is best known for his three novels, all important contributions to the literature of the late Harlem Renaissance. These Low Grounds was "written in the intervals when its author could snatch time from other engagements. It is not the story of his family, but a composite of the life stories which are legend among his people in the lowland regions of Maryland" (from back of jacket). A scarce title, especially in first edition.

Boards with light scuffs, some scratches to gilt, heavy sunning concentrated at spine and along edges of lower board, spine with light grime and wear at tail, typical closed tears at head, slight separation from text block; endpapers with browning, staining, and offsetting; pages with light overall toning, and occasional minor grime, offsetting, and fraying with interior largely extremely crisp and clean; a good or better copy/lacking jacket with the exception of a portion of the back of the jacket pasted to final free endpaper verso.