INSCRIBED BY JAMES CLAVELL

CLAVELL, James. King Rat. Boston and Toronto: Little, Brown, (1962). Octavo, original ivory cloth, original dust jacket. $4800.

First edition of Clavell’s critically praised first novel, inscribed by him, “Hazell—Another part of me which might amuse you & repay some of the nice things you wrote about another part of my work! J.C.” Clavell’s classic war novel was the basis for the Oscar-nominated 1965 film.

Having survived a WWII prisoner-of-war camp, the Australian-born James Clavell later recalled that the Japanese-run Changi prison became "my university instead of my prison… most of all I learned the art of surviving." After moving to Los Angeles, where he became a successful screenwriter, Clavell used his war years as the inspiration for his first novel King Rat, which "was praised as a gripping narrative and a classic of the prison-camp genre" (New York Times). Basis for the 1965 Oscar-nominated film starring George Segal and Tom Courtenay. With "First Edition" on copyright page. Yaakov & Greenfieldt, 127.

Book fine; lightest edge-wear, tiny bit of faint dampstaining to verso of about-fine dust jacket.