John Brown's Body (deluxe American Past Book of the Month Club Edition)

First "American Past" Book of the Month Club Edition, First Printing (Holt, Rinehart & Winston, 1980) A wonderful boxed set. Fine in a fine slipcase box. As new. Illustrated with 10 original wood engravings printed by renowned artist Barry Moser. With a moving introduction by Archibald MacLeish, written in 1980, that still rings true today. A gorgeous boxed book. 

John Brown's Body (originally known as "John Brown's Song") is a United States marching song about the abolitionist John Brown that was created during the Civil War and became a rallying cry for the Union. 

John Brown (b. 1800 – d. December 2, 1859) was an American abolitionist leader who initially reached national prominence for his radical abolitionism and fighting in Bleeding Kansas. Brown was eventually captured and executed for a failed incitement of a slave rebellion at Harpers Ferry, Virginia a short time before the Civil War. The Harpers Ferry raid and Brown's trial, both covered extensively in national newspapers, escalated tensions that led to the South's secession a year later and the start of the Civil War.

Fine box in purple cloth, with a small detailed portrait of John Brown mounted on front of case. Lovely red cloth boards with burgundy cloth spine; orange title inset on front cover; gold printing on spine. Fine light brown paper dust jacket with woodcut design on spine. Internally fine, text clean and bright. Top edge red stain. Brown ribbon marker. Octavo. 8" - 9" tall; 360 pp.