Kerouac, Jack

Visions of Gerard

New York, NY: Farrar, Straus and Company, 1963. First Printing. Hardcover. Charters, A19(a.), pg. 42. "...a novel unlike any other by Jack Kerouac. In it he recaptures the scenes and sensations of earliest childhood, the first four years... as they unfold in the short tragic-happy life of his brother Gerard."(front flap) The first printing (as stated) of the first edition of Jack Kerouac's elegiac, poignant memoir-fantasy of his early childhood. It centers on the author's experiences with & impressions of his older brother, who died at age nine when Kerouac was four. Although this work was published later in his life, Kerouac was obviously greatly impressed & then haunted by his brother, & began writing about this topic long before. A beautiful production in decorative boards, with exquisite illustrations by James Spanfeller across the dust jacket & throughout the text. A very important collectible in the Kerouac canon, in better condition than we've usually encountered. Book fine with mild spotting to lower & side edges, more to upper edge; very mild browning, soiling & sunning of boards. Interior very fine except for moderate spotting & browning of front & rear endpapers; very small stamp of bookseller at lower left corner of right rear endpaper causing a slight residue on left rear endpaper. Dust jacket in near fine condition with browning esp. at edges & spine; very mild spotting & soiling; creases & chips mostly at upper & lower spine & top edge esp. upper spine & at upper left edge slightly effecting the first letter "I"; front & rear flaps mostly clean with browning, creasing & soiling at edges; very tiny chip at upper corner of front flap. Charters, A19(a.), pg. 42. Fine / Near Fine. [Item #1823]

Price: $200.00