Telling Stories (association copy)
Berkeley: Friends of the Bancroft Library, 1978. First edition. Softcover.
A pair of books. The first, a significant association copy, inscribed the year after first publication on a preliminary page to her biographer: "For Mark Winchell, with gratitude for among other things his patience, Joan Didion, April 1, 1979." Scarce signed. Winchell wrote the Joan Didion biography for the Twayne series, so her inscription likely refers to his patience when it comes to that project; that biography was published the following year. He later wrote the biography for Didion's husband John Gregory Dunne. Winchell was also an essayist, literary critic, historian, and professor at Clemson University. Near fine in very dark blue/black printed wrappers with silver lettering. Number 26 in series of Bancroft imprints. 6 1/2" x 9 1/2"; 51 pages. A collection of three short stories from Didion and an introductory essay, "Telling Stories," that describes some of her early writing history as a student at UC Berkeley and describes the making of these stories. The stories are "Coming Home," originally from the Saturday Evening Post; "The Welfare Island Ferry" from Harper's Bazaar; "When Did Music Come This Way? Children Dear, Was It Yesterday?" from the Denver Quarterly. Didion wrote strong novels such as Play It As It Lays, but is probably best known at this point for her National Book Award--winning memoir The Year of Magical Thinking. Near fine on account of light bumping to overhanging corners of wraps and spine (no doubt common to this production, as it is with many chapbooks). Pages pristine. Doubtful there are many signed copies of this limited volume, and a great association.
Included also is a scarce signed copy of Winchell's biography: Twayne Publishers, 1989. First edition of the revised edition. Hardcover. An association copy, inscribed on the front free endpaper: "For Walter and Jane Sullivan -- fellow sojourners -- Mark Royden Winchell, 5-27-89." Uncommon signed. Walter Sullivan was a novelist and important literary critic at Vanderbilt University. This revised edition also discusses Didion's books that were published between 1980 and 1989: Salvador, Miami, and Democracy. Fine book in and near fine yellow jacket (an iconic photo of Didion on her couch on the front cover) with light sunning to spine, a bit of wear to corners, and one nick to lower edge of front panel. Together a wonderful and rare pairing. Near Fine. Item #1526
Price: $7,500.00 save 5% $7,125.00