THE DARING YOUNG MAN ON THE FLYING TRAPEZE - INSCRIBED TO VALENTI ANGELO

New York: Random House, 1934. First American Edition. Saroyan's first book, a collection of 26 short stories produced in small numbers. An important copy, showing a young Saroyan's early admiration for Valenti Angelo, the renown Italian-American illustrator and printmaker. Their friendship would evolve, and the two would ultimately collaborate on at least two different projects - 'The Fiscal Hoboes' (1949) and 'The Simple Songs of Katchick Minasian' (1950). A warm inscription in the year of publication, linking two important literary Californians. First Printing, one of 2,000 copies. Octavo (23.5cm); black and gray cloth, with gold foil wraparound title band printed in black on spine and front cover; terracotta topstain; 270pp. Inscribed by Saroyan on front endpaper in the year of publication: "To "Val" Valenti Angelo, a painter whose work I sincerely admire: With good wishes / William Saroyan / Dec. 1934." Mild sunning to upper board edges, endpapers and text edges tanned (as is nearly always the case), with a touch of softening at the crown and mild dustiness to top edge; Very Good+ or better. Dustjacket is unclipped (priced $2.50), lightly sunned at spine and extremities, with some minor edge wear, a few tiny nicks to spine ends, and some light staining along upper edge of front panel; Very Good+.