HOKUM: A play in three acts

Wellesley Hills: Sans Souci Press, 1978. First Edition. One of only a small number of review copies, unnumbered and marked on the colophon leaf as "Review". 8vo, publisher's special binding of sepia buckram, the spine with a white label lettered in black, with end-leaves, wrapper and slipcase in off-white and the title-page printed in black. Typesetting by Thomas Todd, the binding by Robert Burlen, designed and printed by William and Raquel Freguson for William Young's San Souci Press, June 1978, preserved in the original slipcase. 138 pp. A pristine copy, as mint, both the book and protective box in excellent condition ONE OF ONLY A SMALL NUMBER OF FIRST EDITION COPIES OFFERED FOR REVIEW AND UNNUMBERED. What led to the eventual publication of this book is a story of significant interest and it is outlined in the long introduction by William and Dorothy Young. The typescript of the play was dated: Chicago 1920-1921 and would therefore qualify as Hemingway's first book, unpublished. Later research proved that at least Acts One and Two were completed and that the play had been copyrighted on June 4, 1921 thus proving that "what was apparently Hemingway's first book lay resting in some dusty corner of the copyright office in Washington."
'The carbon typescript of the book was authenticated by Professor Carlos Baker, the definitive Hemingway scholar. The only fragment remaining of the original manuscript descended from Leicester Hemingway to the publisher. In the Quinlan papers at Yale is a letter from Hemingway to Grace Quinlan, dated November 16, 1920, stating, in substance that he is writing a fifty-fifty collaboration with Musselman. Professor Baker also made note of a second letter from Musselman to Hemingway which states among other matters that they must get to work over the weekend to begin the thrird act of the play. The entire matter is discussed in the introduction to the book. At one time, the book was banned in California but remains as Hemingway's first authored book.' W. Young "Banned in California"
This is the first printing from the original typescript and is thus the first time the book, apparently Hemingway's first, has been available to the public. The handsome typesetting is by Thomas Todd and the binding by Robert Burlen. Design and printing were carried out by William and Raquel Ferguson.