portrait of an artist,as an old man - a novel.

UK,slim,small 8vo HB+dw/dj,1st edn. [Complete number line 1 3 5 7 9 10 8 6 4 2.] FINE/FINE. No owner inscrptn and no price-clip to dw/dj.Bright, crisp,clean,matt,monochrome photographic illustrated dw/dj panels,with white+gilt lettering; with negligible shelf-wear or creasing to edges and corners - no nicks or tears present.Top edges barely toned,fore-edges bright and clean; contents bright,tight,clean,solid and sound - virtually pristine - no dog-ear reading creases to any pages' corners,appears unread apart from my own collation.Publisher's bright,crisp,clean,sharp-cornered,original plain black cloth boards with bright, crisp,blocked gilt letters to spine/backstrip and immaculate plain white endpapers.UK,8vo HB+dw/dj,1st edn,9-233pp [paginated]; plus [unpaginated] critics' reviews,title page,and title separator page. Published posthumously as Joseph Heller died December 1999.
Joseph Heller,whose famous best-seller 'Catch-22' brought him unversal acclaim,finished his final novel just before his death in 1999. 'Portrait of an Artist,as an Old Man' is a fascinating foray into the mind of an artist as he examines his life,seeking a source of inspiration for his last book. Imagine becoming a legend in your own lifetime,all because of a novel you wrote many years before,in the first flush of your career.Eugene Pota is that modern day cultural icon,struggling to write what will undoubtedly be his final novel.But what to write about when all of his output since that first, landmark book has been scrutinized and dissected - and found wanting? 'Portrait of an Artist,as an Old Man' follows the journey that Eugene Pota undertakes in his effort to settle on a subject for his final work.His wife,his agent, his editor,and even his doctor are called to join the quest,but while everyone has ideas,no one offers any real answers. Throughout his search,Heller - through Pota - pays homage to his favourite authors and discusses the problems that have plagued those whose later works failed to live up to the successes of their first; among them the literary greats, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Henry James and Joseph Conrad. In his own life,Heller's subsequent work never achieved the critical acclaim to match that which he garnered with 'Catch-22'.'Portrait of an Artist,as an Old Man' is a poignant exploration of the pain and frustration that this caused.It is,also,his final novel,and a fitting testament to the life of a leading light in modern literature. Please contact seller,because of the lighter weight of this item for correct shipping/P+p quotes - particularly ALL overseas buyers - BEFORE ordering through the order page!
N.B. ALL buyers please note,stocks' actual shipping/P+p costs are adjusted and any difference is refunded,after order receipt and before the order's despatch, especially if item is offered P+p included/FREE.
** N.B. US/Canada customers please be aware: Standard AIR postage from UK to these destinations can now cost more than the price of the book! If speed is not of the essence,then Economy rate is recommended - at approx. between 1/2 to 2/3rds of standard US AIR quote/ rate - sometimes arriving within a week or so,and sometimes before the quoted 42 days - but not always. **