McGuane, Thomas

Something to Be Desired

ISBN: 0394528735
New York, NY: Random House, Inc., 1984. First Edition. Hardcover. "Something to Be Desired is Thomas McGuane's wisest and wittiest novel to date. Yet it deals with the serious themes of misguided sexual obsessions, the anguish of separation, the rekindling of a child's alienated affections, and the satisfaction of putting to rest a desire that has diminished all others. Lucien Taylor has two loves. He is a man whose inexplicable acts make him the worst possible family man. Suzanne is his wife who has endured it all; Emily is the obsession. When Lucien hears that Emily has shot her husband, he impulsively leaves his job in the foreign service, leaves his wife and child, to return to Emily in Montana...to someone he alone views as a victim. For this curious response, Lucien will learn to pay hugely." (from front flap) The sixth novel by Thomas McGuane, the acclaimed & prolific American novelist, short story-, nonfiction- & screenwriter. Hardcover in unclipped first-issue dust jacket (with $14.95 printed on front flap, "10/84" on rear flap), first edition as stated on copyright page, possible second printing as indicated by number sequence ending in "2" thereon (although this venerable publisher has sometimes used this number sequence for first printings, & the status of jacket per above strongly lead us to the conclusion that this copy is a first printing). Another exemplary & rewarding McGuane collectible in its most-probably rarest original form. Book in fine condition with mild wear, fading, browning & occasional spotting mostly to thin edges & corners of front, back covers & spine (with silver-gilt lettering at spine completely bright & intact); moderate spotting to edges of text block. Interior very fine with only occasional spotting to blank paste-downs & endpapers; mild spotting to inner thin edges at/ outside of paste-downs; miniscule bleeding of spots noted above onto side edges of a few page leaves. Dust jacket fine with very slight rubbing & a touch of browning to front, back covers, spine & flaps; a bit of wear & a few tiny bumps, creases at thin edges & corners of same; mild browning, spotting to thin upper & lower edges, corners of flaps. Fine / Fine. [Item #4703]

Price: $50.00