FIRST EDITION OF GADDIS' FIRST BOOK, THE RECOGNITIONS, INSCRIBED AND SIGNED BY HIM

GADDIS, William. The Recognitions. New York: Harcourt, Brace, (1955). Octavo, original black cloth, original dust jacket. Housed in a custom chemise and slipcase. $3200.

First edition of Gaddis' important first novel, inscribed and signed by Gaddis on the half title: "For Don Kaufmann (all problems understood), William Gaddis. Sarasota, June 1977."

"The Recognitions is an astonishing first novel… the subsequent course of post-war American fiction has confirmed Gaddis's achievement: his erudite and sophisticated satire on the mechanisation of human emotion and commercialisation of religious and artistic experience provides the model for many later (and better-known) writers" (Parker, 319-20).

Book fine, dust jacket very nearly so. A lovely copy, quite scarce and desirable inscribed.