Books

Inscribed first printing of this quasi-feminist romance novel by radical individualist, conservative New Deal critic, and onetime inspiration and intimate friend to Ayn Rand. According to the author, IF IT PROVE FAIR WEATHER was, and perhaps still is, "the only love story ever written." The novel is relentlessly focused and absolutely empty of plot contrivances and exterior conflict, opening up chasms of philosophic depth and psychological interiority without parallel in contemporary popular fiction or modern genre romance. FAIR WEATHER was not a bestseller, being both "too responsive to romantic emotions" and "too intellectual and abstract" (Cox) for broad appeal. The greater tragedy of Paterson's literary career was entirely self-inflicted: she is now best known not as a novelist, where her peculiar talents shone brightest, but as a political theorist, and worse, as a mere influence: on Ayn Rand, whom she first captivated and then fell out with. Shortly before their rift in 1948, Rand wrote, "I am looking forward most eagerly to staying up with you all night, if you care to. Incidentally, the sunrises here are very beautiful, so I think we will have a good time." A rare inscribed copy of a contrarian, subtle, aggravating, and genuinely remarkable novel. 8'' x 5.25''. Original rust cloth stamped in brown and gilt. In original price-clipped dust jacket. 306 pages. Inscribed by Paterson on front free endpaper. Light edgewear and bumping to boards, minor offsetting and faint foxing to endpapers. Creasing and moderate wear to jacket; several small closed tears and a few tiny chips to jacket edges. Very good plus in very good minus jacket.

This book, written by Margaret E. Bell, presents a compendium of poems intertwining human emotions with the tranquility of nature. A must-read for poetry enthusiasts.