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The Painted Bird
Boston, Houghton Mifflin, 1976. The uncorrected proof copy of the revised second edition of his first book, here with a new introduction (titled "Afterward") by the author. Signed by Kosinski on the title page, and additionally inscribed by him on the first blank: "For ___ and ___ - ten years after,/ affectionately, Jerzy/ Feb 1976." Light bump to spine base, else fine in wrappers. His powerful -- and later controversial -- first novel, of the Holocaust. Part of the controversy around this book stemmed from Kosinski's originally implying that it was an autobiographical novel, and the experiences of the main character -- a gypsy child wandering around Eastern Europe during the war -- were based on his own experiences. After publication he refrained from making such claims publicly, but even in the new introduction here, ten years after the original publication, he strongly implies that his childhood experiences in the war were of the devastating variety that the book's protagonist underwent. The Painted Bird, despite all the controversy surrounding it, was named by Time magazine in 2005 as one of the top 100 novels from 1923-2005. Kosinski, hounded by controversy and scandal, committed suicide in 1991 at the age of 57. An uncommon proof, especially warmly inscribed. [#032301] SOLD

All books are first printings of first editions or first American editions unless otherwise noted.

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