Description

“THE PEAK OF FAULKNER’S FICTIONAL ACHIEVEMENT”: FIRST EDITION OF ABSALOM, ABSALOM!, PRESENTATION COPY INSCRIBED BY FAULKNER IN 1937

FAULKNER, William. Absalom, Absalom! New York: Random House, 1936. Octavo, original black cloth, original dust jacket. Housed in a custom chemise and half morocco slipcase. 

First trade edition of “the greatest American novel since the turn of the century,” a very rare presentation copy inscribed by Faulkner on the front free endpaper, “For Richard R. Kilroy, Jr. William Faulkner, Los Angeles, Cal. 25 March 1937.” Only a few copies of Absalom, Absalom exist that were inscribed by Faulkner.

“Absalom is the peak of Faulkner’s fictional achievement. It is unquestionably the greatest American novel since the turn of the century… Its sole competitors among contemporary American novels are Dreiser’s American Tragedy and Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby, neither of which approaches Faulkner’s innovative daring” (Karl, 582). Of Faulkner’s novels, “Absalom Absalom! remains a favorite of many—if not most—critics” (Parini, 212). With black and red folding map of Faulkner’s fictional Yoknapatawpha County. Published simultaneously with the signed limited edition. Petersen A18.2b. Hamblin & Brodsky 187. Copies of any of Faulkner’s works inscribed by him are quite rare, but this is especially so with Absalom, Absalom!, with only a small handful having appeared on the market in the last 30 years.

Book with only very faint rubbing to spine; dust jacket exceptionally beautiful, with none of the fading to the spine usually seen. A stunning copy, very rare and desirable inscribed by Faulkner.