History of the Conquest of Mexico and History of the Conquest of Peru

Description

Author: Prescott, William H.  (1796-1859)

Publisher: Modern Library (Random House)

Pub Date: None listed

Binding: Hardcover

Condition: Fair.  Binding tight.  No bends, folds.  Without dust jacket, as issued.  Previous owner’s name on upper edge ffep.  Upper front cover corner at spine head bumped.  The gutter between the Publisher’s Announcement and the title page is wearing, starting to split at the spine foot.  Rear board gutter worn, one small wear hole about the size of a pencil eraser plus 4 or 5 smaller holes and wear along that gutter.  Light edge wear.

Notes: Prescott lost the sight in one eye while in college (blinded by a crust of bread–go figure).  He wrote most of his historical works in a dark room, and was said to possess a “phenomenal memory” (generally considered a photographic memory).  Prescott began writing “Mexico” in 1839.  There was very little written on pre-conquest Mexico or the Aztecs so Prescott relied on primary sources.  When the book was published in 1843, it received “rave” reviews.  “Peru” was published in 1847, again to complimentary reviews.  The bulk of each book are political and military events, rather than social conditions.