"THE BRANDO OF BALLET": NUREYEV'S AUTOBIOGRAPHY, BOLDLY SIGNED BY NUREYEV, WITH TWO CARDS INSCRIBED BY AVEDON AND A SELECTION OF PHOTOGRAPHS OF NUREYEV LAID IN

NUREYEV, Rudolf. Nureyev: An Autobiography with Pictures. New York: E.P. Dutton (1963). Octavo, original blue cloth, original dust jacket. WITH: Nine laid-in items: two cards inscribed (each measures 3 by 5 inches), three color photographic prints, two black-and-white postcards (each measures 3 by 5 inches), promotional photographic print (measures 5-1/2 by 4-1/2 inches), single dollar bill with photographic image tipped to bill recto.

First American edition of Nureyev's Autobiography, boldly signed on the double title page by him, with 35 black-and-white photogravures, including 12 revealing portraits by Avedon (most full page), this copy featuring nine laid-in items including two cards inscribed by Richard Avedon with his date of '85," a selection of six color and black-and-white photographs, and a dollar bill with an image of Nureyev tipped to the recto, in scarce dust jacket.

"Rudolf Nureyev was the Brando of ballet… a meteor shattering all expectations onstage and off… He didn't walk onto the stage. He strutted with the air of a prince and a prowler, the pride in his own beauty offset by a knowing humor. He owned his audience before he even started dancing. Energy made flesh, he brought sex to ballet like no one had before—or has since. In doing so he brought the classical art form to which he indentured himself an audience of millions who might otherwise not have been interested. In this alone, his legacy is lasting and enormous" (New York Times). This first edition of Nureyev's Autobiography, which was written when he was only 24, describes his defection from Russia and his dynamic ascent to leading classical ballet dancer of his generation. Preceded by the 1962 London edition. Illustrated with 35 black-and-white photogravures of Nureyev, including dust jacket, title page, frontispiece images and 12 portraits by Richard Avedon, together with images by Anthony Crickmay, Michael Peto, Serge Lido, Houston Rogers and others. Introduction by Alexander Bland.

Interior generally fresh with single closed tear (measures 4 inches) to one leaf with archival repair; lightest edge-wear to bright dust jacket. A scarce signed copy in about-fine condition.