1458400 1944 Charles Jackson. The Lost Weekend. Inscribed First Edition.

 

SCARCE FIRST EDITION OF THE LOST WEEKEND, RARE PRESENTATION COPY WARMLY INSCRIBED BY CHARLES JACKSON ONLY DAYS AFTER PUBLICATION.  JACKSON, Charles. The Lost Weekend. New York and Toronto: Farrar & Rinehart, (1944). Octavo, original red cloth, original dust jacket.   First edition, first printing of Jackson’s first novel, a rare presentation copy warmly inscribed by Jackson and dated only four days after its publication, "Jan 31st ’44, To Dan-for old sake’s sake. From Charlie. P.S. I’d give anything to be able to turn back the calendar to the summer of 1926 & that palm-reading session in your Abingden Square apartment-just to hear again what you said & thought at that time. Do you remember? Think of all that has happened to each of us since then-and gawd! Where will we be after the next 18 years? Good luck to us both! Affectionately, CJ."  Charles Jackson’s groundbreaking first novel about an alcoholic writer was praised by the Saturday Review as "so powerful and understanding that many readers will find themselves riveted to their chairs until the end" A mystery story, a horror story and a revelation of the forces that can move a man; a journey into fear, into the abyss."  Jackson inscribed this copy on January 31st, 1944, only four days after the novel’s publication on January 27. Basis for the 1945 film classic by director Billy Wilder that won the festival Grand Prize at Cannes (1946) and was nominated for seven Oscars, winning four-among them Best Picture and Best Director. First edition, first printing, sized larger and thicker than later wartime printings; with Farrar & Rinehart logo on copyright page.  Interior quite fresh, single closed tear to edge of title page without affecting text; very minor small dampstain to rear board of near-fine book; some chipping with loss affecting one letter of spine title, tape repair to verso of bright dust jacket. A highly desirable inscribed copy, very scarce in original dust jacket.