Hokum: A Play in Three Acts.

MCNEIL, Morris [Morris S. Musselman] and apparently Ernest Hemingway.

$275.00

Item Number: 120983

Wellesley Hills: The Sans Souci Press, 1978.

First edition, first printing of what is rumored to be Hemingway’s first book, from the original typescript dated 1921 (which precedes the publication of Three Stories and Ten Poems in 1923) and published for the first time in 1978. Octavo, original off-white buckram, antique green endpapers, title page in green and black. One of 73 copies hors-commerce numbered 1-73, this is number 24. Fine in a near fine dust jacket. Housed in the original antique green slipcase which is in fine condition. A superior example.

"The carbon typescript of [Hokum: A Play in Three Acts] was authenticated by Professor Carlos Baker, the definitive Hemingway scholar. The only fragment remaining of the original manuscript descended from Leicester Hemingway to the publisher. In the Quinlan papers at Yale is a letter from Hemingway to Grace Quinlan, dated November 16, 1920, stating, in substance that he is writing a fifty-fifty collaboration with Musselman. Professor Baker also made note of a second letter from Musselman to Hemingway which states among other matters that they must get to work over the weekend to begin the third act of the play. The entire matter is discussed in the introduction to the [present volume]. At one time, the book was banned in California but remains as Hemingway's first authored book" (W. Young, Banned in California).