THE NATIONAL PASTIME: THE LIMITED EDITION

Los Angeles, CA: Sylvester & Orphanos, 1982. First Edition. First Printing.. Hardcover. As New/No Dust Jacket, As Issued.. Los Angeles, CA: Sylvester & Orphanos, 1982. Hardcover. As New/None, As Issued. First Edition/First Printing. 33 pages. The author's autobiographical essay on subject. One of John Cheever's finest achievements. Limited Edition of 330 numbered and signed copies. Published as a hardcover original only. There is no ISBN. The Limited Edition is now scarce. A brilliant production by Sylvester & Orphanos: Regular-sized volume format. Tan cloth boards with stunning wraparound original art by Vance Gerry. Text by John Cheever. Frontispiece illustration by Vance Gerry. Printed on archival Arches Mouldmade stock paper by Patrick Reagh in the United States to the highest standards. Without DJ, as issued. Presents, in its Limited Edition format, John Cheever's "The National Pastime". Baseball. The now-classic remembrance-piece originally appeared in the September 26, 1953 Issue of the New Yorker Magazine. Almost seventy years later, it has not been surpassed in its descriptive power and insightful observations about the greatest - and cleanest - American sport - and the author's shameful inability to play the game. As such, the piece's opening line resonates like poetry: "To be an American and unable to play baseball is comparable to being a Polynesian and unable to swim" (John Cheever) . Is this still true today? If it is, then to be an American and be able to play baseball is comparable to being a great ballet dancer. An absolute "must-have" title for John Cheever collectors. This is a copy of the Limited Edition of 330 numbered and signed copies, indicated/numbered as such on the Back Limitation Page. It is very prominently, neatly, and beautifully signed in black ink-pen by John Cheever. This title is a great autobiographical essay. This is one of few copies of the Limited Edition still available online and is in especially fine condition: Clean, crisp, and bright. Please note: Copies available online command hundreds of dollars. This is surely an accessible and lovely alternative. A scarce signed copy thus. One of the greatest American writers of the 20th century. A fine copy. .