Laura

New York: Dell, 1966. Later edition. Softcover. Very good. 12mo, 221pp. Stated first printing (June, 1966) of the "new Dell edition." A very good, sound copy, with a crack at the front outer joint, some mild edgewear, but clean and crisp internally. Spine a tinge sunned, but not notably creased. This copy SIGNED and a bit self-deprecatingly INSCRIBED by Caspary on the title page soon after publication: "To Andy Siegel - Hoping you enjoy this period piece - Vera Caspary February '67." This is only speculation, but there is a good chance that the recipient is Andy Siegel, the son of Sol Siegel, a Hollywood producer who was among the first to welcome Caspary back to Hollywood after she was greylisted and harrassed by HUAC for her left-wing politics and associations. Siegel had purchased the rights to her story, "Les Girls," and Siegel employed her to adapt it for the screen in 1957. Despite the death of Joe McCarthy and HUAC's waning influence, Caspary still was compelled to sign a letter stating she had never been a communist; something she had fought against on the grounds of principle for several years, even living in Europe for most of the 1950s to avoid appearing before HUAC. Given the dearth of signed copies known to us, we presume that Caspary tended only to sign copies presented to her by friends and acquaintances. As such, we presume this "Andy Siegel" is quite likely the son of the Hollywood producer. A nice signed copy of this wonderful book, adapted for the screen by in the 1944 Otto Preminger-directed classic of the same name, starring Gene Tierney, Dana Andrews, and Clifton Webb. Signed first editions are extremely rare, and command four or five figures. This is an appealing substitute.