Toni Morrison — The Bluest Eye ~ First Edition, First Printing (1970) Holt, Rinehart & Winston
 
Toni Morrison’s first novel, published in 1970 in a small initial print run, remains one of the most sought‑after works of modern American literature. The Bluest Eye introduced Morrison’s unmistakable voice — lyrical, unflinching, and deeply humane — long before the Pulitzer and Nobel Prizes that would follow.
 
Physical Description
Octavo, 164 pages
Publisher’s quarter blue cloth over paper boards
Silver‑stamped spine titles
Original $5.95 unclipped dust jacket
 
Condition Notes
This copy shows the honest signs of its half‑century journey:
Light edgewear and sunning to boards
Slight spine lean
Tape residue to front and rear boards
Toning to endpages
Dust jacket in good or better condition with light edgewear, a repaired closed tear & crease to front flap, and toning to panels and spine
 
Why This Copy Matters
True first printings of The Bluest Eye are genuinely scarce, especially in jacket. Morrison’s debut has become a foundational text in American literature — a novel that reshaped conversations about race, beauty, and identity. This is a compelling example for the serious collector.