Invisible Man.

ELLISON, Ralph.

$2,750.00

Item Number: 147961

New York: Random House, 1952.

Association copy of the author’s landmark first novel, which went on to win the National Book Award. Octavo, original black and tan cloth. Association copy, inscribed by the author on title page, “To Michael Harper who has made this here book much better known. With thanks for his insights, Ralph Ellison.” The recipient, Michael S. Harper was a poet, professor and close personal friend of Ralph Ellison. Harper’s Dear John, Dear Coltrane was reviewed in Time Magazine in 1970, the same issue to feature Ellison’s essay, “What America Would Be Like Without Blacks,” and the two authors shared a passion for jazz, literature, and interrogating the American experience. In an interview, Harper clarified that they were not chums, as one did not naturally become chums with Ralph Ellison, though he knew him well enough to note he was a tremendous dancer, his favorite book was Moby Dick, and he was angry with Charlie Parker. Clearly they maintained a correspondence, as Harper is featured in The Selected Letters of Ralph Ellison, (Random House, 2019). [Jerry Jazz Musician: “The Ralph Ellison Project: Poet Michael Harper on Ralph Ellison.” Later printing of this classic work. Near fine in a very good dust jacket, with Harper’s name stamped to the endpaper. Jacket design by E. McKnight Kauffer. An exceptional association.

Ralph Ellison’s first novel is "one of the most important works of the 20th century" (New York Times). It went on to win the National Book Award in 1953. It was named by Modern Library as one of the 100 greatest novels of the twentieth century and to TIME Magazine's 100 Best English-language Novels from 1923 to 2005, calling it "the quintessential American picaresque of the 20th century." According to The New York Times, President Barack Obama modeled his memoir Dreams from My Father on Ellison's novel.