Barabbas [Signed; JACK PALANCE'S COPY] by Lagerkvist, Par - 1950

Stockholm: Albert Bonniers Forlag, 1950. First Edition, First Printing. Wrappers. Very good +/near very good. A Very Good + copy of the TRUE FIRST EDITION, first printing in the Publisher's original white wrappers with the front panel lined in blue and which, together with the spine and real panel is printed in black and blue, wearing a near very good copy of the scarce orange and white dust jacket which shows general wear - including some loss as well as some toning and tide marking to the spine as well as tape repairs to the verso at the spine and flap folds, SIGNED BY PAR LAGERKVIST on the title page (which also shows a small section which has been marked over in black). Not only is this copy signed but it also has a wonderful Provenance, having been the copy of Jack Palance. [The half-title bears a small sticker showing his image and attesting that this copy was sold in the 2006 auction of Palance's personal property held at his Pennsylvania farm on October 12-14, 2006.] Par Lagerkvist was a Swedish writer who authored poetry, plays, novels, stories, and essays, often using his writing to examine the fundamental question of good and evil. In his novel "Barabbas", he used Barabbas to examine that theme. [When time for the Jewish Passover feast arrived each year, it was customary for the Romans to release a prisoner scheduled to be executed to the Jews. Barabbas, having been convicted of having committed murder during the insurrection against the occupying Roman forces, was scheduled to be executed. Pilate, who had questioned Jesus and found him innocent, then asked the Jews gathered in Jerusalem for the Passover if they would prefer that he release Barabbas or Jesus. The crowd responded that he should release the murderer Barabbas rather than Jesus who was then crucified. The crowd calls for Barabbas to be the one released. Lagerkvist's version of the story was promptly considered to be a literary masterpiece. In Lagerkvist's version of the story, Barabbas then watches Jesus as he bears the cross to Golgotha, witnesses his crucifixion, and then spends the rest of his life trying to understand why he, rather than Jesus, was chosen to live. Par Lagerkvist won the 1951 Nobel Prize in Literature. In his presentation speech, Anders Österling, Permanent Secretary of the Swedish Academy, stated the following: "That the moving interpretations of the inner conflicts of Barabbas have found such repercussions even in foreign languages clearly shows the profoundly inspired character of this work, which is all the more remarkable as the style of it is original and in a sense untranslatable. Indeed, in this language at once harsh and sensitive, Lagerkvists compatriots often hear the echo of Småland folklore reechoing under the starry vault of Biblical legend. This reminds us once more that regional individuality can sometimes be transformed into something universal and accessible to all." The novel provided the basis for the 1961 movie starring Anthony Quinn as Barabbas. The film also features Silvana Mangano, Katy Jurado, Arthur Kennedy, Harry Andrews, Ernest Borgnine, Vittorio Gassman, and Jack Palance, with Palance playing Torvald, the top gladiator in Rome. A Very Good copy of this highly-notable work by Nobelist Par Lagerkvist, SIGNED BY PAR LAGERKVIST, AND HAVING AN EXCELLENT PROVENANCE, BEING THE COPY OF JACK PALANCE WHO WAS CAST IN THE 1951 MOVIE BASED ON THE BOOK. RARE.