Vanity of Duluoz by Kerouac, Jack - 1968: An Adventurous Education, 1935-46

New York, NY: Coward-McCann, Inc., 1968. First Edition. Hardcover. Good/good. A first edition of the last novel by Jack Kerouac published in his lifetime, in the year before his death. A fictionalized memoir as are almost all his works, this book recounts the early experiences of the author, from childhood through young adulthood. The nucleus of the Beat Generation in NYC during the early-mid 1940s is featured in his reminiscences, including the notorious murder of David Kammerer by Lucien Carr in which he, William S. Burroughs et al. became involved, with fictional names representing the participants as usual. A look back, a summing up of youth from the perspective of the tragically sodden middle age of a legendary life soon to end. A sad but important item for the Kerouac collector, in relatively good condition. Book with soiling, spotting & sunning to decorative paper boards, cloth spine (and with very faded gilt lettering) & all edges, minor scratches & small gauges at top edge. Interior fine with only light browning, previous owner's ink signature on upper right corner of front right end page. Dust jacket also relatively good, with mild rubbing to front & back covers, more pronounced rubbing to spine, mostly minor creases & chipping to all edges, esp. top edge of spine with small pieces chipped off, unclipped front & rear flaps very clean except for minor browning & soiling at edges, tiny gauge at top edge of front flap.

Charters, A25(a), pg. 47.