The Twelve Seasons: A Perpetual Calendar for the Country (signed)
NY: William Sloane Associates, 1949. First edition. Hardcover. Signed by Krutch at the top of the front free endpaper (his usual location). An uncommon book in general, particularly with jacket, and scarce signed. A review copy with the publisher's slip laid in. His fifth book and first about the natural world (following his biography of Thoreau), reflections and explorations on the seasons set in and around his Connecticut home and organized by the months. "[S]tirred by the sights, sounds,and feelings of the seasons, Mr. Krutch's calm wit and penetrating good sense make whole thought from such seemingly diverse considerations as the struggle between two weeds for a few square inches of soil, a kind of beetle whose progeny must survive a ludicrous impossibility of coincidence to survive at all, the death of a bird at the leap of a cat, and the fortunately extravagant wastefulness of Nature's ways." Krutch was an acclaimed critic who would go on to a distinguished career in natural history writing upon moving to Arizona. He was the winner of a National Book Award and the John Burroughs Medal for nature writing. With drawings by Armin Landeck. A very good copy with a crack to the text block after the first blank and faint staining to the rear board at top edge. Rubbing to corners. A tidy non-authorial gift inscription on the pastedown ("Christmas 1949"). In a very good jacket with a mild dampstain to left side of the front panel and to front flap (book unaffected), a couple streaks of rubbing, a few short tears or nicks to edges. But any jacket uncommon. Very good / Very good. Item #1694
Price: $475.00 save 5% $451.25