FIRST EDITION OF MILES GONE BY, INSCRIBED BY WILLIAM F. BUCKLEY
BUCKLEY, William F., Jr. Miles Gone By. Washington: Regnery, 2004. Octavo, original half black cloth, original dust jacket.
First edition of Buckley's literary autobiography, presentation copy inscribed by him on the half title to noted American literary, film and television critic John Leonard: "For John Leonard, ever, your pal, Bill."
"When liberalism was dominant but hidebound in the second half of the last century, William F. Buckley pioneered a new direction that transformed American politics" (Wall Street Journal). Buckley's literary autobiography complete with the compact disc in the rear pocket with selections read by Buckley. Recipient John Leonard (1939-2008) was given his first job in journalism by none other than William Buckley at the National Review in 1959, where he worked alongside Joan Didion, Garry Wills, Renata Adler and Arlene Croce. Leonard went on to contribute regularly to dozens of national publications, with columns at The Nation (where he was co-literary editor, 1995-98), Life and The New York Times, receiving the National Book Critics Circle's Ivan Sandrof Lifetime Achievement Award in 2006.
A few light rubs to dust jacket. A near-fine inscribed copy.