Wise Blood. by O'CONNOR, Flannery - 1952

New York: Harcourt, Brace and Company,, 1952. Presented to the patients of The National Jewish Hospital with the compliments of the author", with the scarce first issue jacket First edition, first printing, presentation copy. This copy was presented by the author to the Shoenberg Library of the National Jewish Hospital in Colorado, with a presentation note pasted to the front free endpaper, "This book presented to the patients of The National Jewish Hospital with the compliments of the author", and the library's stamp to the first blank. Previously tipped in, and now loosely inserted, is accompanying typed signed letter from O'Connor to Phillip Houtz, director of the hospital, dated 28 June 1952, informing him that the book would arrive shortly from her publishers. This is the author's landmark first book, the first chapter of which was expanded from her masters thesis. Octavo. Original yellow boards, titles to spine in black. With dust jacket. Spine rolled and rubbed with a couple of small splits to spine ends, circulation card envelope laid down to front pastedown, inscribed note tipped-in to front free endpaper, tape residue to front free endpaper, flaps from a later edition of the book taped to rear endpaper. Overall a very good copy, internally clean, in the repaired and restored jacket.