White Mule [with] In the Money

Norfolk, Conn: New Directions, 1940. First Edition. Hardcover. Near fine/very good. Each book the first printing, octavo size, 303 and 382 pp. respectively, "In the Money" inscribed by Williams. William Carlos Williams (1883-1963), although a medical doctor by profession, was likely one of the most important poets of the twentieth century. A leading poet of the Imagist movement, along with Ezra Pound and H.D., an inspiration to the beats and the San Francico Renaissance, he "was known as an experimenter, an innovator, a revolutionary figure in American poetry" (n.b., quote from the web site of the Poetry Foundation).

"The White Mule" is the first novel in what would become a trilogy, following the Stecher family; although a trilogy, each book is a complete novel by itself. While WCW is primarily thought of as a poet, his "novels are of great interest. They are important books in their own right, because they present with a poet's insight, and in a prose style of striking originality, aspects of American life which few other writers have approached" (n.b., this quote and the one below from the web site of New Directions).

"In the Money" is the second book in the trilogy and is "Joe Stecher's success story - the tale of his fight against graft and injustice to found his own business and get 'into the money'." This volume inscribed by WCW "To my friend Bob Wetterau / William Carlos Williams" (undated).

___DESCRIPTION: "White Mule": bound in white linen cloth over boards, black lettering stamped onto the front board and spine, title page with press device and triple ruled border; octavo size (7 3/4" by 5 1/4"), pagination: [i-vii] [1, blank] [1] 2-293 [1, blank] [1, publisher's ad]; in a dust jacket of white paper with red lettering and horizontal rules, the flaps with a quote praising Williams by Ezra Pound followed by summary of the book, original price of $2.50 at the bottom of the front flap, back panel with publisher's ads. "In the Money: bound in full navy blue cloth over boards, silver lettering on the spine, the inscription by WCW on the FFEP in black ink as set forth above, title page design matches that of "White Mule"; octavo size (7 3/8" by 5 1/2"), pagination: [1-8] 9-382; dust jacket in shades of blue and white, summary of book on front flap with original price of $2.50 at the bottom of the flap, the back flap with other WCW titles by New Directions with short summaries and review blurbs.

___CONDITION: Both volumes near fine, with clean boards, straight corners without rubbing, strong, square text blocks with solid hinges, the interiors clean and bright, and other than the WCW inscription in the second volume entirely free of prior owner markings; light dustiness to both volumes, both very slightly cocked, and "Money" with a single leaf with a vertical crease at the fore-edge (pp. 117-118) not at all touching the text, the page following with a few small marks of soil. Both jackets very good, "Mule" with some overall edgewear (mostly noticeable at the head of the spine and the top where the panels meet the flaps), overall light soil, sunning and a few spots to the spine, sunning around the perimeters; "Money" with light overall edgewear, some sunning to the spine, overall light dustiness. Overall, both volumes near fine in very good or better jackets.

___CITATION: "White Mule" Wallace A18, and "In the Money" Wallace A21.

___POSTAGE: International customers, please note that additional postage may apply as the standard does not always cover costs; please inquire for details.

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