"WE ARE WHAT WE PRETEND TO BE, SO WE MUST BE CAREFUL ABOUT WHAT WE PRETEND TO BE": FIRST EDITION OF MOTHER NIGHT, BOLDLY SIGNED BY VONNEGUT

VONNEGUT, Kurt. Mother Night. New York: Harper & Row, 1966. Octavo, original half red cloth with black paper boards, original dust jacket. $2500.

First hardcover edition of Vonnegut's satirical World War II novel, boldly signed by him, featuring an added introduction in which Vonnegut discusses his experiences in Dresden, an episode he later made the central event of Slaughterhouse-Five, in original dust jacket.

In his Introduction, new to this hardcover edition, Vonnegut claimed that the moral of this novel about an American spy in Germany who transmits secret messages via pro-Nazi radio talks is: "We are what we pretend to be, so we must be careful about what we pretend to be." Preceded by a 1962 paperback edition. "First Edition" with code "C-Q" on copyright page; first issue dust jacket with $4.95, code 0466 at lower edge of front flap.

Book fine; only tiny closed tear to rear flap seam of about-fine dust jacket. A splendid signed copy.