NOON WINE - INSCRIBED TO JOHN H. THOMPSON

Detroit: Schuman's, 1937. First, Limited Edition. Association copy of Porter's tragic short novel, set on a small South Texas dairy farm between 1896-1905, which the author described as "the history of an innocent man pursued to his death by the will to do evil of another man, a will to work harm almost as blind and pointless as a catastrophe of the elements..." (from the prospectus). A portion of the work was first published by John H. Thompson, editor of the literary semi-annual Signatures, in the Spring, 1936 issue. Noon Wine, along with Old Mortality and Pale Horse, Pale Rider, were published together by Harcourt, Brace in 1939 (under the title Pale Horse, Pale Rider), and together comprise one of Porter's signature works. Filmed for television by Sam Peckinpah in 1966, starring Jason Robards, Olivia de Haviland, and Theodore Bikel. One of 250 numbered copies specially bound and signed by the author, this being copy no.2. Octavo (26cm); patterned cloth-covered boards, with printed title labels mounted to spine and upper front cover; publisher's original paper-covered slipcase; [iv],[5],6-65,[3]pp. Presentation copy, inscribed in a contemporary hand on the colophon: "For John H. Thompson / who edits Signature and who published the first fragments of this work - With all good wishes / Katherine Anne Porter / New York City / February 16, 1937." Hint of sunning to spine, else Fine in a very Near Fine slipcase, with some light wear along the lower edge. With a copy of the publisher's folding prospectus laid in.