Description

A SUPERB PRESENTATION ASSOCIATION COPY, FAULKNER’S DOCTOR MARTINO AND OTHER STORIES, PRESENTED AND INSCRIBED BY HIM TO HIS INTIMATE FRIEND ELSE JONSSON

FAULKNER, William. Doctor Martino and Other Stories. New York: Harrison Smith and Robert Haas, 1934. Octavo, original gilt-lettered blue cloth, original dust jacket.

First edition, trade issue, inscribed on the title page, “William Faulkner, for Else, 11 Oc 1950.”

Faulkner’s second story collectionannounces “a clear shift from [a] preoccupation with war, wilderness and town life? to a focus on sex, death and loss” (Skei, 15). The 14 tales collected here include the title story, “Turnabout,” “Leg” and “Mountain Victory,” “each of which seems like a tone poem” (Parini, 323). “Smoke” marks Faulkner’s first foray into detective fiction, while “Beyond,” “Black Music” and “Leg” invoke the supernatural. “Leg” and “Black Music” make their first appearance in print. Published simultaneously with a signed limited issue (360 copies) of the first edition. Petersen A16.1.b. Brodsky 160.

The recipient of this copy was Else Jonsson, the widow of Swedish journalist Thorsten Jonsson, who had met with Faulkner to plan the translation of his novels into Swedish. Else was designated by the Swedish publisher Bonniers to be Faulkner’s liaison on his visit to Stockholm to receive the Nobel Prize. A romance ensued and they corresponded, often passionately, and met several times over the next ten years.

Book about-fine with lightest fading to spine ends. Light wear to extremities and toning to spine of very good unrestored dust jacket with split at front cover/spine fold. Books inscribed by Faulkner are quite scarce and desirable, especially with such personal provenance.