"LET'S TAKE IT AND GO FOR A RIDE": FIRST EDITION OF GOREY'S THE WILLOWDALE HANDCAR, 1962

GOREY, Edward. The Willowdale Handcar or The Return of the Black Doll. Indianapolis and New York: Bobbs-Merrill, (1962). 12mo, original pictorial paper wrappers. $300.

First edition of the book about three friends who go for a long ride on a handcar and encounter tragedy, repeatedly.

Falling somewhere between gothic humor and surrealism, The Willowdale Handcar tells the story of three friends who decide to escape their boring lives by taking a months-long trip on a railroad handcar. On their journey, they encounter the signs of horrible tragedy all around them, but fail to process any of it. As they fail to heed the warnings they've been given, their handcar journey ends in quintessential Gorey style. According to Toledano, this story was first published in Holiday Magazine in May of 1962 as "The Imprudent Excursion." That version was apparently more explicit. Toledano A10a.

Fine condition.