Jaws

5W Peter Benchley. First Book Club Edition. 1975

Notes

Jaws is a 1974 thriller novel by Peter Benchley that tells the gripping story of a great white shark that terrorizes the small beach town of Amity on Long Island. When a series of brutal attacks begins to threaten both lives and the town’s summer tourism, local police chief Martin Brody teams up with a grizzled shark hunter, Quint, and a marine biologist named Hooper to hunt down and kill the deadly predator. The novel builds suspense through the looming, unseen threat of the shark and explores human fear, greed, and survival in the face of nature’s power.

The book was a massive bestseller and became a cultural phenomenon, especially after it was adapted into the iconic 1975 film directed by Steven Spielberg. The film took some creative liberties but kept the core of the story, particularly the chilling sense of dread beneath the water. With its memorable tagline, "You're gonna need a bigger boat," and its influence on everything from beach safety to blockbuster filmmaking, Jaws remains one of the most enduring and terrifying thrillers in both literary and cinematic history.

Description 

Red canvas binding with gilt lettering to spine and original wrapper. Chipping to extremities.