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“GOD’S MERCY ON THE WILD GINGER MAN”: BEAUTIFUL FIRST EDITION OF THE GINGER MAN INSCRIBED BY J.P. DONLEAVY

DONLEAVY, J.P. The Ginger Man. Paris: Olympia, [1955]. Small octavo, original green printed paper wrappers.

First edition of Donleavy’s first and most celebrated novel, boldly inscribed by him on the title page, “God’s mercy on [printed title] The  [handwritten] Wild [printed title] Ginger Man, [signed] J.P. Donleavy.”

Singled out by Dorothy Parker as “lusty, violent, wildly funny,” Donleavy’s first novel remains his most famous, notorious not only for its hero but also for the controversies surrounding its publication. “While Donleavy’s first novel was not quite as much of a coup for the Olympia Press as Vladimir Nabokov’s Lolita, which they published the same year, it was nevertheless more literary than some of their publications, and added a certain luster to their list. Unfortunately, it also led to the Press’ downfall, when the author sued the proprietor, Maurice Girodias, for breach of contract. Girodias was obliged to sell his firm’s title and had the further humiliation of seeing Donleavy buy it at auction? The attendant publicity ensured that Donleavy’s reputation as a writer of bawdy farces became firmly established in the reading public’s mind” (Parker, 319). First edition with “Francs: 1.500” on rear panel. Issued without dust jacket. Kearney 82.

An exceptionally fine copy, quite scarce inscribed.