The Circle Game. by ATWOOD, Margaret - 1966

Toronto: Contact Press,, 1966. Octavo. Original wrappers, printed in red and black. Spine and wrapper edges toned, very mild rubbing to extremities, but an excellent copy. First edition, superb presentation copy of Atwood's first regularly published book, one of 200 copies issued in wrappers aside from a "Library edition" issue of 50 hardback copies. Atwood has warmly inscribed the half-title, "For Jim Carscallen with thanks for help on earlier MSS., & remembrance of large Vancouver slugs, Peggy Atwood. 1966". Professor James Andrew Carscallen (1934-2016) was studying for his English literature PhD under Northrop Frye at Victoria University, Toronto, at the same time that Atwood was studying under Frye for her undergraduate. Carscallen completed his doctorate in 1964 and until 1996 stayed at Victoria University as a professor of literature. He clearly helped Atwood with her writings before publication, and his continued engagement with her text is evident in the very extensive pencil annotations throughout this copy and to a laid-in leaf of notepaper. The reminiscence of "large Vancouver slugs" seems to suggest that Carscallen visited Atwood during her brief teaching placement at the University of British Columbia in 1965. Their familiarity is reflected in Atwood's use of "Peggy" in the inscription. The Circle Game was Atwood's first regularly published book, following only a self-published poetry collection Double Persephone in 1961. It won her the first of her many awards, the Governor-General's Award.