FIRST EDITION OF LOOK HOMEWARD, ANGEL, INSCRIBED BY THOMAS WOLFE

WOLFE, Thomas. Look Homeward, Angel. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1929. Octavo, original navy cloth, uncut, original dust jacket. Housed in custom cloth clamshell box. $15,000.

First edition, first issue, of Wolfe's first and most important novel, inscribed by him: "Sincerely, Thomas Wolfe. Feb 1, 1938."

"Here is a novel of the sort one is too seldom privileged to welcome. It is a book of great drive and vigor, of profound originality, of rich and variant color… Wolfe has a great gift—the ability to find in simple events and in humble, unpromising lives the whole meaning and poetry of human existence" (NYT Book Review, October 27, 1929). First issue, with lower case "g" on page 308, line 26, and missing "t" in "stationed" on page 506, line 23. Rare first-state dust jacket, with photograph of Wolfe on rear panel. Only 3500 copies of the first printing were issued with the first-state dust jacket. Johnston A.2.1.a. Bruccoli & Clark, 417. Hart, 447. The owner (presumably) has added "For N. Halliwell" above the inscription.

Book fine with interior generally quite clean, bright dust jacket with light wear to spine ends and only mildest toning to extremities. A near-fine inscribed copy.