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Details
GOLDING, William (1911-1993). Poems. London: Macmillan and Co., 1934.
8° (200 x 138mm). Original green printed wrappers (slight browning and wear at edges). Provenance: Adam Bittleston (1911-1989, presentation inscription on title) -- [sale, Sotheby's London, 19 July 1990, lot 154] -- Roger Rechler (his sale, Christie's New York, 11 October 2003, lot 124).
FIRST EDITION. CONTEMPORARY PRESENTATION COPY OF GOLDING'S SCARCE FIRST BOOK, published when he was just 23 years old, inscribed by Golding to Adam Bittleston, his lifelong friend and Oxford roommate, 'To Adam Bittleston, with the author's affection, and gratitude'. Bittleston took his degree at Oxford in Philosophy, Politics, and Economics. In 1935 he was ordained a priest in the Christian Community, and from 1970 taught at the Christian Community training centre at Emerson College, publishing several books on Christian theology.
FURTHER INSCRIBED AND ANNOTATED BY GOLDING nearly sixty years later, quoting Hamlet on the verso of the title: 'What--hath this thing appeared again tonight?' Golding has also written a lengthy note around the poem 'Mr. Pope' on page 26: 'Mr. Hughes asked me (in 1988?) for a contribution to some collection of peoples' early work. I wrote this out from memory: but judging from this version I improved it unconsciously! I don't think it's too bad a literary quip! Rett Switte my Tutor merely remarked of this collection that I was "rather unfair to Pope." The epigraph on the title page is an original and written in 1934. I got a letter from Ted Hughes which enthused over these verses. He may have been being kind and I don't know whether he got round to publishing them. WGG. 13/4/90.' On the next page, under the poem 'Baudelaire', he has written: 'When I read this to the Poetry Society (London, 1934? 35?) there was a loud applause at the end of this one and we all felt sanctimonious.'
Inscribed copies of Poems, Golding's only book of poetry, are very scarce. Over the years he refused to sign copies of his first book. On one occasion Golding reportedly even denied authorship, citing the initials 'W.G.' on the wrapper and title as conclusive evidence that he was not necessarily responsible. Golding was awarded the Nobel Prize in 1983.
8° (200 x 138mm). Original green printed wrappers (slight browning and wear at edges). Provenance: Adam Bittleston (1911-1989, presentation inscription on title) -- [sale, Sotheby's London, 19 July 1990, lot 154] -- Roger Rechler (his sale, Christie's New York, 11 October 2003, lot 124).
FIRST EDITION. CONTEMPORARY PRESENTATION COPY OF GOLDING'S SCARCE FIRST BOOK, published when he was just 23 years old, inscribed by Golding to Adam Bittleston, his lifelong friend and Oxford roommate, 'To Adam Bittleston, with the author's affection, and gratitude'. Bittleston took his degree at Oxford in Philosophy, Politics, and Economics. In 1935 he was ordained a priest in the Christian Community, and from 1970 taught at the Christian Community training centre at Emerson College, publishing several books on Christian theology.
FURTHER INSCRIBED AND ANNOTATED BY GOLDING nearly sixty years later, quoting Hamlet on the verso of the title: 'What--hath this thing appeared again tonight?' Golding has also written a lengthy note around the poem 'Mr. Pope' on page 26: 'Mr. Hughes asked me (in 1988?) for a contribution to some collection of peoples' early work. I wrote this out from memory: but judging from this version I improved it unconsciously! I don't think it's too bad a literary quip! Rett Switte my Tutor merely remarked of this collection that I was "rather unfair to Pope." The epigraph on the title page is an original and written in 1934. I got a letter from Ted Hughes which enthused over these verses. He may have been being kind and I don't know whether he got round to publishing them. WGG. 13/4/90.' On the next page, under the poem 'Baudelaire', he has written: 'When I read this to the Poetry Society (London, 1934? 35?) there was a loud applause at the end of this one and we all felt sanctimonious.'
Inscribed copies of Poems, Golding's only book of poetry, are very scarce. Over the years he refused to sign copies of his first book. On one occasion Golding reportedly even denied authorship, citing the initials 'W.G.' on the wrapper and title as conclusive evidence that he was not necessarily responsible. Golding was awarded the Nobel Prize in 1983.
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