The Women Who Got Away by Updike, John; Moser, Barry (Artist) - 1998

Concord, New Hampshire: William B. Ewert, 1998. Limited Edition. Hardcover. Fine. Moser, Barry. One of 15 copies of the deluxe edition (total edition 150), octavo size, [27] pp., signed by John Updike and Barry Moser, with separate signed print (AP). John Updike (1932-2009) is one of only three authors (to date) to receive the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction more than once (the others being William Faulkner and Booth Tarkington). He is perhaps best known for his series of books focusing on the character Harry "Rabbit" Angstrom, which deal with the emptiness and futility found in middle-class life in America. "The Women Who Got Away" is a short story, first published in "The New Yorker" in 1995, and tells of the relationships between people in a small suburban community; the characters must deal with the effects of sex and adultery in their personal lives.

The story is preceded by a wood engraving by Barry Moser (b. 1940), owner of Pennyroyal Press, who has illustrated many books such as Lewis Carroll's "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland" and "Through the Looking-Glass". His engraving here offers a delicate beauty, a sensuality to accompany Updike's text; in addition to the engraving printed in the book, this deluxe edition contains a separate signed print by Moser, an artist's proof of the print found in the book.

___DESCRIPTION: Quarter aubergine leather with lilac paper boards, gilt lettering on the front board, fore-edge uncut, title page in red and black, black-and-white wood engraving by Barry Moser preceding the text; Zerkall Book paper, octavo size (9.5" by 6.25"), [27] unnumbered pages, one of 15 copies of the deluxe edition (of a total edition of 150), signed by John Updike and Barry Moser on the colophon. Laid into a three-fold flap affixed to the rear paste-down endpaper is a separate black-and-white wood engraving, the same image as the one in the book, signed by Barry Moser in pencil below the plate and marked "AP".

___CONDITION: A fine copy; the covers clean, the corners straight and unrubbed, the binding tight with solid hinges, the interior clean and bright, and free of prior owner markings; clean, crisp, as new. The separate print is fine also, clean and without wear.

___POSTAGE:  International customers, please note that additional postage may apply as the standard does not always cover costs; please inquire for details.

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