Them.

OATES, Joyce Carol [Annie Dillard].

$3,000.00

Item Number: 146934

New York: The Vanguard Press, 1969.

First edition of the third in Oates’ Wonderland Quartet and winner of the National Book Award. Octavo, original cloth. Association copy, inscribed by the author on the title page, “For Annie – with best wishes – Joyce Carol Oates 7 Sept. 2022.”  The recipient, fellow author Annie Dillard has published works of poetry, essays, prose, and literary criticism, as well as two novels and one memoir. Her 1974 work Pilgrim at Tinker Creek won the 1975 Pulitzer Prize for General Nonfiction and her books have been translated into at least ten languages. Near fine in a near fine dust jacket. Housed in a cloth chemise and half morocco gilt slipcase. An exceptional association.

Based on the life of a real family, 'them' (stylized in all lowercase), is the story of "Loretta Wendall" and her family's struggle to reach the American dream. Loretta's daughter, Maureen, contacts Oates by mail after failing a class taught by the fictionalized author, the contents of which are included (presumably verbatim) in the novel. The book won the U.S. National Book Award for Fiction in 1970 and is one of the books Oates believes she will be most remembered for.