Sleepers East

FREDERICK NEBEL

Publication: Little, Brown, and Company, 1933, Boston

First edition. Inscribed in ink on the front free fly leaf to magazine editor and publisher Harry Steeger III: "For Harry Steeger – whose sense of the ridiculous I appreciate as much as his checks – Frederick Nebel." Henry Steeger III (May 26, 1903 – December 25, 1990)[1][2] was an American magazine editor and publisher who co-founded Popular Publications in 1930, one of the major publishers of pulp magazines, with former classmate Harold S. Goldsmith. Fine bright copy in a bright, fresh dust jacket, lightly sunned on the spine, light wear to the spine ends and corners, with a small closed tear to top edge of rear cover. One of the great debuts from the hard-boiled school of writers, written by Nebel over the course of eight months, in which he drew from his early experience as a brakeman on passenger trains. The entire novel is set during a ten-hour train ride from the Midwest to New York, involving a dozen characters; most of the characters appear to be random travelers, though five of the twelve are there to pursue their own agendas in advance of a soon-to-begin murder trial. A significant association copy, inscribed to Harry Steeger (1903-1990), co-founder of Popular Publications, which between 1930-1972 was one of the largest publishers of American pulp magazines. Nebel's prodigious output for the pulp magazines was legendary, as was his popularity. He wrote numerous stories for Popular publications, and several authors in Steeger's stable complained to him for paying Nebel more than them ... four cents a word instead of two. Nebel presentations are uncommon ... we've seen just a handful over the years, and very few of those have been of a significant nature.

Inventory Number: 52358