Steinbeck John

1970 · Best.-Nr. 272146 — Grace Hoper Press 1970. First Edition. Pamphlet. 9 leaves. Includes a facsimile of a letter from Steinbeck declining to allow publication of verse he wrote in college and a facsimile of a poem Latoniquem which he wrote in a made-up language. The remainder of the book is a six-page introduction by James D. Hart and a printers note. Two issues of this book have been identified. The first is in cream-colored wrappers with a cancelled leaf 7 beginning 'is a prose passage'. The second issue is in bright white wrappers with leaf 7 integral and the text matching the cancelled leaf of the first issue. In both cases the facsimile of the Steinbeck letter is tipped in. This pamphlet was issued in an edition of 150 copies for a joint meeting of the Roxburghe & Zamorano Clubs. One suspects that the second issue may actually represent a second unacknowledged printing as the cancelled pages were inserted after binding based on evidence of a knife cut into the adjacent page in one copy of the first issue seen by this cataloguer. Goldstone and Payne A45a for first issue; Morrow catalogue 279 for first issue; Holmes catalogue A49a for first issue; Ahearn's Author Price Guide for Steinbeck noting both issues. First edition second issue in white wrappers with an integral leaf 7. Covers slightly grubby with evidence of an erase pencil note in one corner. Grace Hoper Press unknown