The True Adventures of John Steinbeck, Writer.

NY, Viking, 1984, first edition, first printing, dust jacket . Hardcover.. This is The Bible of all John Steinbeck biographies, it was 12 years in the research and writing, followed by another three years in getting it published, there are several suites of photo illustrations, a great accomplishment, this is an Association Copy of the highest order, this copy is Inscribed by Benson in the year of publication to fellow Steinbeck scholar Robert DeMott ("Salinas, Ca./August 3, 1984/II International Congress/For Bob DeMott,/a Steinbeck scholar/longer than I,/with affection,/Jack Benson) at the II International Steinbeck Congress in combination with the annual Steinbeck Festival in Salinas, Steinbeck's hometown, DeMott has been among the best of Steinbeck scholars for decades and is easily the most accessible writer who can explain and expound on Steinbeck in something other than English professor-speak, he was acting director of the Steinbeck Research Center at San Jose State University at the time of this book's publication, he helped launch "The Steinbeck Quarterly," a mostly scholarly publication dedicated to Steinbeck, he is also the author of a trilogy of books on Steinbeck beginning with his influential Steinbeck's Reading published in 1984, followed by Working Days which follows Steinbeck's own journal kept while writing The Grapes of Wrath, that was followed by Steinbeck's Typewriter, he also wrote the introduction to his friend Jim Harrison's bibliography, laid in loosely is an announcement of this massive biography from Viking. Color fade to the jacket, mostly along the spine panel, as is so common with this title, else a very solid copy of a bulky book.