Brautigan, Richard

Dreaming of Babylon: A Private Eye Novel 1942

New York, NY: Delacorte Press, 1977. First Edition. Hardcover. Signed by Richard Brautigan. “It is early 1942. You are in San Francisco, and you need a private eye. Sam Spade is rumored to be in Istanbul. The Continental Op has been drafted and is a sergeant in the Aleutians. Philip Marlowe is up at Little Fawn Lake investigating the disappearance of Mrs. Derace Kingsley. Lew Archer is in the army. Who’s left? Nobody but C. Card. You haven’t heard of C. Card? That’s alright. Nobody has. When you hire C. Card, the hero of Richard Brautigan’s eighth novel, you have scraped the bottom of the private eye barrel. But you won’t be bored. No indeed. Because when C. Card finds some bullets for his gun, you will be in for some fast, funny, slam-bang private eye adventures” (from interior Front Flap). “Dreaming of Babylon: A Private Eye Novel, 1942” is yet another mysterious-&-beautifully unhinged late work by West Coast Beat Generation author, Richard Brautigan (1935-1984). First published by New York’s Delacorte Press in 1977 -- at precisely the same time, mind you, that Brautigan finds time to crown the group of writers then orbiting around visionary poet-impresario, Thomas Rain Crowe, with a derisive moniker that has stood the test of time [See TMB Item #3071; 3075] – “Dreaming of Babylon” is another wild cipher to crack…another evasive and inventive classic of his oeuvre. Like other works by Brautigan from his (steadily prolific) mid-late period, “Dreaming of Babylon” begins with (what seems, on first readerly glance) a weak or fractured premise. However, it is from these fragmented roots that Brautigan weaves his wild-grown wreaths of West Coast prose. This “trick” is certainly part of his writerly signature; and the effect, for many of his readers, is striking. The truth remains, however that Brautigan’s signature innovations of plot are just one part of why his writing is considered something of a delicacy to the initiated — to the borderless legion of holy-mad miscreants that read him.[ISBN: 0-440-02146-4]. Hardcover in unclipped dust-jacket: First Edition, although not explicated as such on copyright page; First Printing, as indicated thereon. This copy is additionally signed by the doomed Beat novelist on title page below (and slightly to the right of) his printed name. Brautigan signature, in bold, black pen ink, reads: “Richard Brautigan.” Book in remarkably very fine condition, virtually as issued; its description not even meriting our usual microscopic notations. Dust-jacket also in very fine condition with only slightest shelf-wear to fine-edges & corners of front, back cover & spine; a few nonuniform exhibits of chipping, chipping-like flecks, & inside-of-a-millimeter -length closed tears at select exhibits along fine-edges of same. Very Fine / Very fine. [Item #5273]

Price: $625.00