The Grapes of Wrath by Steinbeck, John - 1939

Viking Press, 1939. 1st Edition. Hardcover. Very Good/Very Good. Historic association copy. A very good first edition in a very good first issue dust jacket, inscribed by Steinbeck to David Zablodowsky, the notorious Russian spy in the State Department who confessed after being exposed by fellow spy Whittaker Chambers and was subject to attack from Joe McCarthy. David Zablodowsky was Senator Joseph McCarthy's Case Number 103. Zablodowsky worked in the State Department and later as Director of the United Nations Publishing Division. He admitted to being a member of an espionage ring in 1936 and having transmitted secret messages between Whittaker Chambers and J. Peters knowing that they were both Communists. After Chambers gave testimony before the McCarran Committee regarding Zablodowsky's activities on October 23, 1952 Zablodowsky admitted his involvement. Inscribed by Steinbeck on the front free endpaper. Very good dust jacket has First Edition stated on front flap. Slight moisture discoloration in lower corner of some early pages. Housed in a custom-made collector's cloth slipcase.