All the Pretty Horses (Signed Advanced Reading Copy)

BY Cormac McCarthy
Book Information1/1/1/US/AF/1992/?  •  210x135x17  •  344  •   NBA'92  •   NBCCA'92

Cormac McCarthy's writing career can be conveniently divided into two phases. The first was the Random House period where he wrote five tales of macabre, including his first four Appalachians ("The Orchard Keeper", "Outer Dark", "Child of God", and "Suttree") and the fifth, a morbid western in "The Blood Meridian" that is now regarded as McCarthy's best work. These books are sought after by McCarthy collectors today because they were not commercially popular when published, each selling no more than a couple thousand copies. 

Then there is the second (and current) Alfred Knopf period when, after switching publisher, accolades sales and accolades poured in for McCarthy's subsequent publication, starting with "All the Pretty Horses", a probing romantic story, that sold a few hundred thousand copies and won both the National Book Award and the National Book Critics Circle Award. What we have here is the advanced reading copy (ARC) of "All the Pretty Horses". ARC are free copies of a to-be-published book, usually bind in paper and without dust jacket, given free to journalists and reviewers. This ARC also comes with a paper casing, and more importantly, it is officially signed by McCarthy. Signed copies of McCarthy's book are very desirable because he does not sign many. The book won the National Book Award and the National Book Critics Circle Award in 1992. 


This is the signed softbound advanced reading copy that comes with a paper slipcase, and is the only official signed copy for this title. McCarthy signed on the first blank page and "First Edition" is stated on the copyright page. There is no official signed copy of the first edition, and Cormac McCarthy is known for being a very private man who signed very few of his books so signed first edition of this title is very rare and therefore valuable, pricing in excess of $2,000. That also means bogus signatures abound so caveat emptor.

This ARC is somewhat rare, and a VG copy usually priced at $600 and above on eBay or Abebooks. This is a VG+ copy with some rubbing and shelf wear on the corners of the paper slipcase and a NF softbound book that is tight and clean.
















Comments