In the Money: White Mule - Part II

Norfolk, CT: New Directions, 1940 First edition, first printing. Presentation copy; inscribed by Williams to Norman Mcleod: "To / Norman Mcleod / - with expectations / of the best for the new / novel - / William Carlos Williams / Oct 29/40". Publisher's indigo cloth, lettered in silver. Very good, with some light sunning and a slight lean to the spine, a touch of fraying to the spine ends, small spot to the rear board, light offsetting to the endpapers, otherwise clean interior. A very sturdy copy, signed by the author. Williams inscribed this copy of In the Money to his long-time friend and fellow poet Norman Macleod. In this inscription, Williams references Macleod's second novel, The Bitter Roots, which was published in 1941. The two men maintained a long-term correspondence, and Williams edited several of Macleod's collections of poetry. A fan of the younger poet's verse, Williams professed his admiration poetically with "A Poem for Norman Macleod." In addition to writing his own poetry and prose, Macleod founded the Briarcliff Quarterly magazine and was the first director for the Poetry Center at the 92nd Street Y. In the Money is the second volume in Williams' trilogy featuring the Stecher family. Inspired by his wife's family history and his experiences working in pediatrics, Williams uses this trilogy to examine the life of a European immigrant family in New York, and specifically focuses on Flossie, the Stecher's young daughter whose birth begins the trilogy. In the Money follows Flossie's father Joe Stecher as he establishes a printing company and moves to the suburbs of New Jersey as an endeavor to cultivate a more middle-class life for his family. This novel is preceded by White Mule (1937) and followed by The Build-Up (1952).. Inscribed by Author. 1st Edition. Hard Cover. Very Good.