Books

Random House. New York. 1952. 439 pages. Stated First Edition; 1st printing. Book is about near fine. Laid in is a rare endorsed check made out to Ralph Ellison; issued by the William Morris Agency. On the check's verso is a hand signed endorsement signed by Ralph Ellison. In addition to his signature are the added words 'For Deposit Only.' Tight, clean and crisp with 4 sharp corners. Binding and hinges are strong; pages lay tight and undisturbed; seemingly unread. Previous owner's name neatly written on ffep with a tiny bookseller code at edge. Light rubbing; with ting closed tear to cloth on backstrip. A beautiful copy in original 1st issue DJ. $3.50 price clipped from DJ flap. DJ shows rubbing along folds and shelf-rub along edges. An incredibly unique first printing with Ralph Ellison's endorsed check laid in.

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.