Amateurs. [Signed by Nelson Algren] by Barthelme, Donald - 1976

New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 1976. First Edition, First Printing so stated. Hardcover. Near Fine/Very Good +. viii, 183 p. ; 21 cm. Orange cloth over boards, gold spine lettering, dark charcoal grey spine lettering. Book Condition: about fine with gently pushed spine ends and a sticker ghost on the front pastedown. Dust Jacket Condition: Very Good plus; unclipped with v. mild wear to extremities, superficial shelf wear to panels and a nic to the edges here and there; back flap creased on bottom edge. A one of kind copy signed by Nelson Algren with a fantastic gaudy great big example of his famed customary drawing of a cat. It's the Nelsen Algren cat to be sure but this one is much bigger than usual and is in purple and yellow marker, a rarity. Barthelme was a very vocal admirer of Algren's work, as was just about every other writer of his (Barthelme's) generation. Why Algren signed this copy of Barthelme's 9th book, and with such gusto, we may never know... we do know however that it's a fabulous association, and almost certainly one of a kind.