King Solomon’s Mines
Unabridged Classic Authorized Edition
by H. Rider Haggard
When originally published in 1885 “King Solomon’s Mines” quickly became the best-selling book of the year, with the publisher working feverishly to print copies fast enough to meet demand. Ironically the book, which was written in less than four months and perhaps in as little as six weeks, had been rejected by numerous publishers who believed its novelty left it without commercial value.
It was both the first example of the popular “lost world” genre and the first English adventure novel set in Africa. The use of first-person subjective viewpoint and a narrative in familiar conversational style were radical departure from the ornate language and omniscient viewpoint of the books of the day. Continue reading “King Solomon’s Mines”