Fun Facts Friday: The Scarlet letter

Today is the anniversary of the publication of Nathaniel Hawthorne‘s The Scarlet Letter. Besides a great tale, The Scarlet Letter also had a wonderful that goes with its own publication.

Great price on this book in paper or FREE in elec­tronic For­mat
through the Man of la Book Affil­i­ate Account

More books by Nathaniel Hawthorne

1 )      The Scarlet letter is set in 17^th century in Puritan Boston between 1642 – 1649.

2 )      The story that Hawthorne planned to publish the book as a novella and was convinced by his publisher to make it a full length novel is untrue.

3 )      The manuscript for the novel was written at 14 Ma.. St., Salem MA at the Peter Edgerley House. The house still stands.

4 )      Hawthorne believed the book would not be popular due to some portions which were “powerfully written”.

5 )      Contradictory to Hawthorne’s forecast, The Scarlet Letter was an instant best seller.

6 )      The Scarlet Letter started Hawthorne’s best period as a literary author.

7 )      Even though the novel sold many copies, it only brought in $1,500 to its author over a period of fourteen years.

8 )      Upon publications, protests arose in Salem due to the town’s depiction.

9 )      In the second edition of The Scarlet Letter, Hawthorne wrote an introduction in which he defended his choice to reprint “without the change of a word…”.

10 )   Lastly, The Scarlet Letter was one of the first books to be massed produced in the US.

Great price on this book in paper or FREE in elec­tronic For­mat
through the Man of la Book Affil­i­ate Account

More books by Nathaniel Hawthorne

Zohar – Man of la Book

Related articles

• Nathaniel Hawthorne and the Scarlet Letter (thegreatestwork.wordpress.com)
• I Wear a Scarlet Letter (lifeandcrimesofmistressrosie.com)
• Scarlet Letters (streetsofsalem.com)