"A book should serve as the axe for the frozen sea within us."
— Franz Kafka

Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley (née Godwin; 30 August 1797 – 1 February 1851) was an English novelist, short story writer, dramatist, essayist, biographer, and travel writer, best known for her Gothic novel Frankenstein: or, The Modern Prometheus (1818). Shelley also edited and promoted the works of her husband, the Romantic poet and philosopher Percy Bysshe Shelley. She came from a fascinating literary/political lineage, with her father being the political philosopher William Godwin, and her mother the philosopher and prominent feminist, Mary Wollstonecraft.
Although much of her popularity focuses upon Frankenstein, recent scholarship has yielded a more comprehensive view of Mary Shelley’s achievements. Scholars have shown increasing interest in her historical novels, biographical articles, and travel writing. Such studies have posited that Mary Shelley was politically radical, and remained this way throughout her life. Shelley's works often argue that cooperation and sympathy, particularly as practised by women in the family, were the ways to reform civil society. This view was a direct challenge to the individualistic Romantic ethos promoted by her husband and father.
See below our stock of Mary Shelley First Editions, fine bindings, sets and other collectible material.
London: Hurst, Chance, and Co., 1829. Octavo. Bound in green calf, with red and gilt label, raised bands and extensive gilt to spine, boards panelled with triple-ruled gilt and blind tooling, and central blind-tooled motif, all edges gilt and gilt board edge tooling, as well as blind-tolled dentelles. Includes bookplate..... More
London: John Murray, October 1817 and January 1818. [Literary Reviews] REVIEW OF FRANKENSTEIN. Octavo (22 x 14cm), pp.[6]; 554; [2]. Contemporary marbled boards, recently rebacked and re-cornered in tan calf with gilt titles to red morocco label on spine. All edges speckled red. Armorial bookplate of Reverend C. Tucker to..... More
Edinburgh: William Blackwood, March 1823. [Literary Magazine] CONTEMPORARY REVIEW. Octavo magazine in the original grey paper wrapper. pp.[2] 263-384 [4]. Edges untrimmed. An astonishingly well-preserved example, with just the slightest of spotting to preliminaries and some light thumbing and wear to the covers. Near-fine. A rare contemporary review of Mary..... More