"IN THOSE OLDEN DAYS, WHEN THEY BUILT CATHEDRALS, MEN WANTED TO BE CLOSE TO GOD": FIRST EDITION OF CATHEDRAL, SIGNED BY RAYMOND CARVER

CARVER, Raymond. Cathedral. Stories. New York: Alfred E. Knopf, 1983. Octavo, original half gray cloth, original dust jacket. $1100.

First edition of Carver's award-winning collection of stories, signed on the half-title by the author.

Cathedral was a landmark in Carver's career; shortly after its publication, he said that it was his favorite collection. Cathedral won high critical praise as summoning "remembrances of Hemingway… written with a dry intensity, and moving, at the climaxes, from the commonplace to the unnerving" (New York Times). Nominated for a national Book Critics Circle Award,, Cathedral includes "A Small, Good Thing," first-place winner in 1983 of the prestigious O. Henry Award, as well as "Where I'm Calling From" and the title story.

Book near-fine with a few spots of foxing, mild toning to edges. Price-clipped dust jacket very nearly fine. A handsome copy.