Books

First American edition, first printing. Signed and inscribed by Dylan Thomas during his 1950 tour of the United States, "With best wishes to.Lilian [sic] and Harry Dick Ross from.and with love of their house, hills, and sea, April 1950." The recipients were Lillian Bos Ross, who was known to her friends as Shanagolden, and Harry Dick Ross, who were fixtures in the Big Sur art community; Lillian wrote a trilogy of novels about a family in Big Sur. Bound in publisher's original red cloth with spine lettered in gilt. Very Good with lean to spine, light rubbing to cloth at corners and spine ends, shallow sunning to spine ends and stain to textblock edge slightly protruding into margins; pages toned and endsheets browned. In a Very Good unclipped dust jacket with a creased snag at the foot of the spine, toning to spine and light soiling. A collection of short prose pieces written by the Welsh poet.

"A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man" by James Joyce is a bildungsroman that chronicles the intellectual, emotional, and spiritual development of Stephen Dedalus. The novel is divided into five chapters, each representing a different phase in Stephen's life. In the early chapters, Joyce portrays Stephen's formative years in a strict Catholic environment. He grapples with the conflict between religious devotion and burgeoning individualism. Stephen's experiences at Clongowes Wood College and Belvedere College expose him to the harsh realities of authority, conformity, and social expectations. As Stephen matures, he becomes increasingly disillusioned with the rigid dogmas of the Catholic Church. His intellectual awakening leads to a rejection of religious constraints and a pursuit of artistic expression and self-discovery. Throughout the narrative, Stephen grapples with guilt over his perceived sins, especially his sensual desires and lapses in religious devotion. His internal struggles are depicted with introspective depth, as he grapples with conflicting emotions and the tension between societal norms and personal freedom. The novel culminates in Stephen's departure from Ireland, symbolizing his rejection of the confines of his homeland, both religiously and artistically. He seeks to forge his own identity as an artist, embracing the idea of self-exile to achieve intellectual and creative independence. Joyce's prose employs stream-of-consciousness technique, offering readers insight into Stephen's inner thoughts and emotional turmoil. Through vivid and evocative language, he captures the intricacies of Stephen's mind as he grapples with his evolving beliefs and desires. "Portrait" is a groundbreaking work that explores themes of identity, alienation, religion, and the pursuit of artistic integrity. It stands as a seminal example of modernist literature, challenging traditional narrative structures and delving into the complexities of human consciousness. Joyce's masterpiece remains a significant contribution to literature, celebrated for its innovative style and profound exploration of the artist's journey toward self-realization and autonomy.