IRONWEED

New York: The Viking Press, 1983. First printing. Near fine in near fine jacket.. Signed first edition of this Pulitzer Prize-winning novel, following Francis Phelan as he experiences homelessness in the Great Depression - adapted into an Oscar-nominated film starring Meryl Streep and Jack Nicholson. IRONWEED, initially rejected by 13 publishers, earned the 1984 Pulitzer Prize and won William Kennedy a MacArthur grant. After Kennedy's former teacher Saul Bellow "shame[d]" Viking into finally publishing the work, it earned rave reviews: THE GUARDIAN called it "euphoric from the get go," noting that there "is joy and consolation among the horror and tragedy." Its 1987 film adaptation also earned Oscar nods for both Meryl Streep and Jack Nicholson. Reflecting on this success that almost wasn't, Kennedy lamented that "[s]o much of the publishing world is run on the basis of MARKETPLACE success... if you have a major reputation, you're not going to have any problem getting published. But it's the writers that fall in the middle... they have the problem" (THE PARIS REVIEW). A particularly attractive copy. 8.25'' x 5.25''. Original black boards with grey spine and silver spine lettering. Original unclipped (with $14.95 sticker) pictorial dust jacket, designed by Neil Stuart with photograph by Margaret Bourke-White. 228 pages. Signed by Kennedy to title page. Article from the BOSTON GLOBE loosely laid in. Jacket with mild edgewear, a couple tiny scuffs. Binding a touch bumped to spine ends. Sharp and bright.