Horton Hears A Who!

SEUSS, Dr. [Theodor Geisel].

Item Number: 16025

New York: Random House, 1954.

First edition of this Dr. Suess work. Quarto, original boards. Presentation copy, inscribed by the author on the verso of the front free endpaper, “For Greg Barrett with best wishes Dr. Seuss.” Near fine in a very good price-clipped second issue dust jacket.

Dr. Seuss began work on Horton Hears a Who! in the fall of 1953. The book's main theme, "a person's a person no matter how small", was Geisel's reaction to his visit to Japan, where the importance of the individual was an exciting new concept. Geisel, who had harbored strong anti-Japan sentiments before and during World War II, changed his views dramatically after the war and used this book as an allegory for the American post-war occupation of the country. It was adapted to film in 2008, the cast included Jim Carrey and Steve Carell.