Crawford, M.D.C. – The Come-Back

Description

Crawford, M.D.C. ‘The Come-Back’ Scarce 309-page novel. Yellow cloth covers in good condition. Straight, tight binding and very clean internally.

The 1925 first edition hardcover of The Come-Back by M.D.C. (Morris De Camp) Crawford is a 309-page sports drama and boxing fiction novel published concurrently in New York by Minton, Balch & Company and in London by Geoffrey Bles.

Book Details:
• Author: Morris De Camp (M.D.C.) Crawford (1882–1949, a noted American textile researcher, author, and design historian who occasionally wrote fiction)
• Publishers: Minton, Balch & Company (US); Geoffrey Bles (UK)
• Publication Year: 1925 (First Edition)
• Format: Hardcover octavo (approx. 7″ x 5″ / 190mm x 130mm), originally bound in vibrant orange cloth boards
• Length: 309-pages

Content & Overview:
• A Tale of the Prize Ring: Deviating from the author’s primary career writing academic texts about industrial history and textiles (such as The Heritage of Cotton), this novel delves directly into the high-stakes, dramatic world of 1920s prizefighting.
• The “Come-Back” Narrative: The plot centers on a traditional, fast-paced sports fiction arc of a fallen or retired fighter seeking redemption, navigating the dark underbelly of combat sports, and fighting through betrayal to stage a monumental return to the ring.
• Cinematic Adaptation: The novel’s compelling boxing narrative quickly caught the attention of early Hollywood. It served as the direct literary source material for the 1925 silent drama film The Knockout, directed by Lambert Hillyer and starring iconic silent film star Richard Barthelmess as the fighter.