The Orchard Keeper

(London): Andre Deutsch, 1966. First Edition. Hardcover. Near fine/very good +. First UK edition, first printing, octavo size, 250 pp., signed by Cormac McCarthy. Cormac McCarthy (born Charles Joseph McCarthy, Jr., in 1933), is acknowledged by many as one of the greatest contemporary American writers. His first novel, "The Orchard Keeper", won a 1966 William Faulkner Foundation Award for notable first novel; "All the Pretty Horses" would win the National Book Award in 1992, and "No Country for Old Men", conceived as a screen play (and later turned into a novel) won four Academy Awards. He would eventually author twelve novels, three short stories, five screenplays and two plays.

This work, "The Orchard Keeper" was McCarthy's first novel; it would receive the 1966 William Faulkner Foundation Award for notable first novel. Initial reviews, although somewhat mixed, praised McCarthy's "flashing visual impact" and his "unusual writing furrowed by a stark, visual imagery while the story itself has a shadowed fascination" (n.b., quotes from Orville Prescott and "Kirkus Reviews").

This the first UK edition, first printing, signed simply "Cormac McCarthy" in black ink on the title page. This UK edition somewhat scarce in the marketplace signed; as of this writing, the only other copy we see has McCarthy's signature on a bookplate laid into the book.

___DESCRIPTION: Bound in full red textured paper over boards, gilt lettering and publisher's device stamped onto the spine, signed by McCarthy on the title page; octavo size (8" by 5.25"), pagination: [i-iv] [1-7] 8-246]. Dust jacket has the original price of "25s net" at the bottom of the front flap, illustrated design on spine and front panel (by Stewart Black), lettering in red and yellow, summary of book on front flap, small photograph of McCarthy on the back flap, publisher's ad for "Some of Our Novels" on the back panel.

___CONDITION: Overall near fine; the binding clean and without wear, the corners perfectly straight and unrubbed, the interior clean and bright, and entirely free of prior owner markings; some light foxing to the edges of the text block and rear endpapers, else fine. The unclipped dust jacket better than very good, free of soil; some toning along the top and bottom of the back flap and panel, and also the fold where the back flap joins the back panel, light sunning to the spine (red still visible but somewhat faded), minor overall edgewear with a bit more wear at the head of the spine. Even with its few faults, still an outstanding example of McCarthy's first novel, signed.

___PROVENANCE: We acquired this book from a collector who purchased it from an ABAA member who confirmed the signature, details available upon request.

___POSTAGE: International customers, please note that additional postage may apply as the standard does not always cover costs; please inquire for details.

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