Books

New York: Random House, 1952. First edition of the author's landmark first novel, which went on to win the National Book Award. Octavo, original black and tan cloth. Boldly signed by the author in the year of publication on the front free endpaper, "Best Wishes Sincerely Ralph Ellison May, 1952." Near fine in a very good dust jacket. Jacket design by E. McKnight Kauffer. Rare and desirable signed. Ralph Ellison’s first novel is "one of the most important works of the 20th century" (New York Times). It went on to win the National Book Award in 1953. It was named by Modern Library as one of the 100 greatest novels of the twentieth century and to TIME Magazine's 100 Best English-language Novels from 1923 to 2005, calling it "the quintessential American picaresque of the 20th century." According to The New York Times, President Barack Obama modeled his memoir Dreams from My Father on Ellison's novel.

A novel by Ralph Ellison, published in 1952, Invisible Man addresses many of the social and intellectual issues facing African-Americans in the early twentieth century, including black nationalism, the relationship between black identity and Marxism, and the reformist racial policies of Booker T. Washington, as well as issues of individuality and personal identity.