Dance of the Happy Shades (First US Edition)
BY Alice Munro
Book Information: 1Thus/1/0/US/MGH/1973/? • 220x150x27 • 465 • Nobel'13 • GGA'68
This US edition of "Dance of the Happy Shade" was published in the fall of 1973 by McGraw-Hill New York, but it is not the true first edition. The true first edition is the Canadian version published in September 1968 by Ryerson Press. To be clear, Munro's early bibliographical sequence is the Canadian version of "Dance of Happy Shades" in 1968, followed by the Canadian version of "The Lives of Girls and Women" in 1971 and then the US version in 1972. This US edition of "Dances" is the fourth published work. As a result, some American booksellers continue to think that "Dances" is Munro's second work. The reason for delaying this short story collection, according to Thacker*, was McGraw-Hill's concern that the sales of such a short story collection by a relatively unknown Canadian author would be weak. This was despite the fact that "Dances" won the 1968 Governor General's Award (GGA), the most prestigious Canadian literary prize akin to America's Pulitzer.
This is the first US edition first printing with first state dust jacket that is unclipped, reflecting the correct price of $6.95. Like the Canadian edition, the dust jacket is made of thick dull yellow cardboard-like paper that feels sturdy, unlike some very fragile jackets produced at that time. The book is bound in black clothed board with silver lettering, and has no topstain. The copyright page should state "First Edition in the United States of America 1973".
This book is increasing rare and a VG copy with first state dust jacket can be purchased at Abebooks for $200 onwards. This is a NF copy with a NF dust jacket and a NF book. There are no official signed first editions but you can find signed copies of this edition. Munro's signature is rather simple, so caveat emptor.
* Thacker, Robert. (2011). Alice Munro: Writing Her Lives, A Biography. Random House.
Book Information: 1Thus/1/0/US/MGH/1973/? • 220x150x27 • 465 • Nobel'13 • GGA'68
This US edition of "Dance of the Happy Shade" was published in the fall of 1973 by McGraw-Hill New York, but it is not the true first edition. The true first edition is the Canadian version published in September 1968 by Ryerson Press. To be clear, Munro's early bibliographical sequence is the Canadian version of "Dance of Happy Shades" in 1968, followed by the Canadian version of "The Lives of Girls and Women" in 1971 and then the US version in 1972. This US edition of "Dances" is the fourth published work. As a result, some American booksellers continue to think that "Dances" is Munro's second work. The reason for delaying this short story collection, according to Thacker*, was McGraw-Hill's concern that the sales of such a short story collection by a relatively unknown Canadian author would be weak. This was despite the fact that "Dances" won the 1968 Governor General's Award (GGA), the most prestigious Canadian literary prize akin to America's Pulitzer.
This is the first US edition first printing with first state dust jacket that is unclipped, reflecting the correct price of $6.95. Like the Canadian edition, the dust jacket is made of thick dull yellow cardboard-like paper that feels sturdy, unlike some very fragile jackets produced at that time. The book is bound in black clothed board with silver lettering, and has no topstain. The copyright page should state "First Edition in the United States of America 1973".
This book is increasing rare and a VG copy with first state dust jacket can be purchased at Abebooks for $200 onwards. This is a NF copy with a NF dust jacket and a NF book. There are no official signed first editions but you can find signed copies of this edition. Munro's signature is rather simple, so caveat emptor.
* Thacker, Robert. (2011). Alice Munro: Writing Her Lives, A Biography. Random House.
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