The Carpentered Hen and Other Tame Creatures [with] Bech: His Oeuvre

New York / Concord, New Hampshire: Harper and Brothers / William B. Ewert, 2000. Hardcover. Fine/Fine. Two books Signed and/or Inscribed with an accompanying Typed Letter Signed from Updike to Susan Sheehan that reads: "Dear Susan: A pleasure to see you briefly in The Gotham, and a painless pleasure to sign these dear old volumes of mine. Your *Carpentered Hen* is in better shape than my own single copy. You were very definite about just signing them, which I did, on the title page, but I took the liberty of inscribing to you a little bonus book, a small printing of the last Bech story, with charming (and amazingly accurate) illustrations by Arnold Roth. The reading went fine, except I opened with an old man's frog in his throat, which I kept trying to scrape away out of range of the microphone. All best, John Updike."

The author's first book, *The Carpentered Hen*, a collection of poems. First edition. Fine in fine, first issue dustjacket with a later (probably publisher's) price-sticker on the front flap. Signed on the title page by Updike. [With]: *Bech: His Oeuvre*. Illustrated by Arnold Roth. Fine in wrappers and fine dustjacket. One of 90 copies (of a total edition of 110 copies, all of which were) Signed by both Updike and Roth. Additionally Inscribed: "for Susan Sheehan with admiration and warm regards. John Updike. 10/22/01." Updike and Sheehan were colleagues at *The New Yorker* for nearly 50 years, both contributing frequently to *The Talk of the Town*. Both won Pulitzer Prizes: Updike for *Rabbit is Rich* and *Rabbit at Rest*; Sheehan for General Non-Fiction for her 1983 book *Is There No Place on Earth for Me?* As nice a copy as we've seen of *The Carpentered Hen*, and a very nice association. For the two volumes.