The Serpent
First Edition:
THE SERPENT | by | NEIL M. GUNN | [space] | FABER AND FABER | 24 Russell Square | London
Collation:
[A] (8), B - I (8), No J, K - Q (8), 128 leaves.
p. [1] [ital] The Serpent; p. [2] By the same author; p. [3] Title page; p. [4] For | Keith and Helen Henderson | [space] | [ital] Publisher's and Printer's notices: First published in MCMXLIII : Statement re economy standards; pp. 5 - [256] Text.
5" x 7 1/2". Bound in turquoise cloth, spine stamped in gold:
THE | SERPENT | [double horizontal lines] | NEIL M. | GUNN | [ornament] | [space] | FABER
Other Editions:
G.W. Stewart | New York | 1944 (With the title "Man Goes Alone")
Club Leabhar | Inverness | 1969
Souvenir Press | London | 1978
An extract comprising part of p. 175, p. 176 and part of p. 177 appeared in : Glimpses of Gunn | Ann Yule and Alan Haldane | Neil M. Gunn Memorial Trust | Dingwall | 1990 | pp. 7 - 8.
An extract comprising part of p. 180 appeared in: Glimpses of Gunn | Ann Yule and Alan Haldane | Neil M. Gunn Memorial Trust | Dingwall | 1990 | p. 27.
An extract comprising part of p. 87 appeared in: Glimpses of Gunn | Ann Yule and Alan Haldane | Neil M. Gunn Memorial Trust | Dingwall | 1990 | p. 28.
An extract comprising part of p. 113 appeared in: Glimpses of Gunn | Ann Yule and Alan Haldane | Neil M. Gunn Memorial Trust | Dingwall | 1990 | pp. 28 - 29.
An extract comprising part of pp. 252 - 253 appeared in: Glimpses of Gunn | Ann Yule and Alan Haldane | Neil M. Gunn Memorial Trust | Dingwall | 1990 | p. 29.
An extract comprising part of p. 5 appeared in: Glimpses of Gunn | Ann Yule and Alan Haldane | Neil M. Gunn Memorial Trust | Dingwall | 1990 | p. 29.
An extract comprising part of p. 56 appeared in: Glimpses of Gunn | Ann Yule and Alan Haldane | Neil M. Gunn Memorial Trust | Dingwall | 1990 | p. 29.
An extract comprising part of p. 113 appeared in: Glimpses of Gunn | Ann Yule and Alan Haldane | Neil M. Gunn Memorial Trust | Dingwall | 1990 | p. 30.
An extract comprising part of pp. 21 - 22 appeared in: Glimpses of Gunn | Ann Yule and Alan Haldane | Neil M. Gunn Memorial Trust | Dingwall | 1990 | p. 36.
An extract comprising part of p. 240 appeared in: Glimpses of Gunn | Ann Yule and Alan Haldane | Neil M. Gunn Memorial Trust | Dingwall | 1990 | p. 37.
An extract comprising part of pp. 241 - 242 appeared in: Glimpses of Gunn | Ann Yule and Alan Haldane | Neil M. Gunn Memorial Trust | Dingwall | 1990 | p. 37.
An extract comprising part of p. 178 appeared in: Glimpses of Gunn | Ann Yule and Alan Haldane | Neil M. Gunn Memorial Trust | Dingwall | 1990 | p. 49.
An extract comprising part of p. 5 appeared in: Glimpses of Gunn | Ann Yule and Alan Haldane | Neil M. Gunn Memorial Trust | Dingwall | 1990 | p. 55.
Canongate | Edinburgh | 2000
North House Press | Rogart | 2026
Notes:
A letter from Faber, 23rd. July 1965, confirmed that the copyright had reverted to Gunn.
The Highland action of this book is set around Brae, where Gunn did much of his writing.
The story of Tom, "The Philosopher", covering his youth in Glasgow in the 1880's and his subsequent return to his Highland home. On his return he tends to be feared and shunned by his friends due to his atheism and socialistic beliefs. With time the fear dwindles and Tom becomes merely "The Philosopher". The story is told as a recollection by Tom in old age and reaches a highly symbolic ending.