Joseph Heller / CATCH-22 Signed 1st Edition 1961

Description: "[O]ne of my favorite novels - still after 28 years."CATCH-22By Joseph Heller1961Beautifully inscribed first edition of this dark satire on the patriotic narrative of American triumph in World War II, with a brief accompanying letter from Heller.Near fine in near fine jacket."He had decided to live forever or die in the attempt." A supreme example of black comedy in 20th-century war fiction, CATCH-22 emphasizes the existential disillusionment of soldiers witnessing their companion's deaths: graveyard humor taken to the same extremes as warfare. CATCH-22 has gone on to become a modern classic, familiar even to those who haven't read it through its influence on our linguistic culture: "Many consider the novel to be the definitive statement of the modern antiwar position. The phrase 'Catch-22', symbolizing the absurdity of all institutional logic, has become a permanent part of our language" (NYPL). A wonderful example in exceptional condition, exhibiting little of the usual fading to the red of the jacket, with a warm and revealing inscription. Rare thus.Read more: Elizabeth Diefendorf (editor), The New York Public Library's Books of the Century, 116; Matthew J. Bruccoli, Joseph Heller: A Descriptive Bibliography, A 1.1.a. New York: Simon and Schuster, 1961. 8.25'' x 5.25''. Original full blue cloth, spine lettered in white. In original unclipped ($5.95) blue and red pictorial dust jacket designed by Paul Bacon, with author photo by Seymour Linden on rear panel. Red topstain, fore-edge machine deckle. 443, [1] pages. Inscribed by Heller on the front endpaper: "To Patrick, Christopher, / Celia, / + / Greg Ross. / It is a pleasure / indeed to inscribe / this first edition / of one of my / favorite novels -- still [underlined] / after 28 years. / Joseph Heller / Feb, 1990 / E. Hampton, N.Y." Brief ALS from Heller on his letterhead and with original mailing envelope also included to same recipients, agreeing to sign book. Touch of fading to spine of jacket, trace wear here and there - close inspection only. Book has bookplate to front pastedown. Some very faint wear to cloth. Else remarkably bright, clean, and sharp. Letter fine. Both book and letter housed in blue custom archival clamshell case, with display window for letter built-in to lid. Type Punch Matrix Type Punch Matrix is a rare book firm founded by Rebecca Romney and Brian Cassidy. Between them, they bring over 30 years of experience in the antiquarian book trade. TPM sells a mixture of beloved classics and innovative texts from throughout print history, for collectors and institutions alike. Handpress and modern books, archives and manuscripts, letterpress and ephemera: TPM aims to make collecting both more accessible and more diverse, and believes in the mindful acquisition, preservation, and celebration of the materials of our literary cultures. Proud member of the Antiquarian Booksellers Association of American (ABAA), the International League of Antiquarian Booksellers (ILAB), and the International Online Booksellers Association (IOBA). Guarantee We guarantee the accuracy and authenticity of all our listings. "First edition" always means first printing unless otherwise indicated. Items may be returned for any reason within 30 days, through prior arrangement, and in original condition. Maryland residents must add 6% sales tax. Shipping We pride ourselves on our packaging. All books are carefully packed to help ensure safe arrival in condition sent. We use new boxes, with not a single bubble envelope to be found in our shipping room. We ship most packages via USPS media mail and include delivery confirmation at no additional charge. Delivery typically takes 5-10 days, but may be longer, especially during the holidays. Orders are shipped within two business days. Priority USPS, UPS, and Fed-Ex services are available on request; please inquire for a specific quote. We combine shipping on items purchased at the same time. If you check out immediately and are overcharged for shipping during checkout, we will issue you a prompt refund, once actual shipping costs are known. International shipping is available, and we are happy to ship to our international customers. Please contact is BEFORE PURCHASING for an exact quote.This listing was created by Bibliopolis.

Price: 16500 USD

Location: Silver Spring, Maryland

End Time: 2025-02-03T04:27:49.000Z

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