Confessions of An English Opium Eater by De Quincey, Thomas - 1932

Cleveland, OH: World Publishing Company, 1932. Hardcover. Laurence Chaves. 228pp. Octavo [21 cm] 1/2 blue cloth over tan boards. Very good/Very good. Jacket lightly rubbed at extremities and nicked at corners. Backstrip is rubbed and cloth is rubbed at corners. An illustrated edition with artwork by Laurence Chaves and a surrealistic Dali-esque dust jacket by Corydon Bell.This book is a childhood volume belonging the late author, Edward Abbey. He has signed the book in a large childish block lettering "Edward Abbey/Home, Pa." Although undated, judging from the 1932 publication date of the book, and the young author's handwriting, it is likely he was perhaps 10-12 years old at the time. It is highly unlikely as precocious as he was, that the author, born in 1927, was reading DeQuincy at age five. But the volume is clearly indicative of a young inquiring mind and speaks volumes about the author's interests and intellect. This is the first book from Abbey's early childhood that we have ever handled.