Leila; Further in the Destines of Darcy Dancer, Gentleman
Franklin Center, Pennsylvania: The Franklin Library, 1983. First Edition [stated]. Presumed first printing [thus]. Hardcover. [14], 379, [1] pages. Color frontis. James Patrick Donleavy (23 April 1926 – 11 September 2017) was an American-Irish novelist, short story writer and playwright. His best-known work is the novel The Ginger Man, which was initially banned for obscenity. He served in the US Navy during World War II. Donleavy's first published work was a short story entitled A Party on Saturday Afternoon, which appeared in the Dublin literary periodical Envoy in 1950. He gained critical acclaim with his first novel, The Ginger Man (1955), which is one of the Modern Library 100 best novels. The novel, of which Donleavy's friend and fellow writer Brendan Behan was the first person to read the completed manuscript, was banned in Ireland and the United States by reason of obscenity. Lead character Sebastian Dangerfield was in part based on Trinity College companion Gainor Crist, an American Navy veteran also studying at Trinity College on the G.I. Bill, whom Donleavy once described in an interview as a "saint", though of a Rabelaisian kind. Correctly or incorrectly, his initial works are sometimes grouped with the kitchen sink artists as well as the "Angry Young Men". Another novel, A Fairy Tale of New York, provided the title of the song "Fairytale of New York". In 2015, Donleavy was the recipient of the Bob Hughes Lifetime Achievement Award at the Bord Gáis Energy Irish Book Awards. In 2016, Trinity College Dublin awarded him with an honorary doctorate. This sequel to The Destinies of Darcy Dancer, Gentleman finds Darcy desperately departing Dublin as a pauper. But once home amid the leaking, bat-infested halls of Andromeda Park and his eccentric family and retainers, Darcy meets the servant Leila, who becomes the one bright star in his eternal darkness. The Franklin Library edition pictured here is the 1983 first signed edition, which preceded the trade edition. It is notable because aside from being signed by the author, it contains a special message for the first edition from the author. The binding is in genuine leather boards in a rich brown color, with a beautiful 22-karat gold gilt design on the cover. The spine contains raised horizontal ridges and the end papers are marbled. The book also contains a satin ribbon page marker. Most importantly for collectors, the pages are acid neutral, ensuring this work can be passed on down through the years without fear of discoloration. This outstanding book is bound in genuine leather and features gilded, sewn in pages and ribbon marker, simply superb quality, Franklin Library at its best. The Franklin Library was a division of The Franklin Mint that produced fine collector edition books over three decades ending in the year 2000. For this reason all Franklin Library editions are now considered "out of print" and are no longer available for sale from the Franklin Mint. The Franklin Library produced books in three different binding styles referred to as full genuine leather, imitation leather, and quarter bound genuine leather. The full leather bound editions were produced through out the Franklin Library's full life span and the other two styles (imitation and quarter bound) were only produced through the 1970's and 80's. Below are some of the characteristics found in all Franklin Library editions along with more detailed information about the different binding styles. All Editions: • High quality paper; • Pages that are sewn not glued into the binding; • Gold gilded page edges on all three sides; • Raised spine bands that give each book that distinctive antique look. The genuine full leather bound editions are the highest quality of the three. While most characteristics remained constant through out the different series and years of production the style of end papers varied from silk moiré to decorative paper. Some of the characteristics that remained constant: • Full genuine leather binding; • 22k. gold lettering and stampings on the spine and covers; and • Attached silk page marker. Condition: Very good.
Keywords: Darcy Dancer, Dublin, Andromeda Park, Servant, Maid, County House, Novel, Ireland
[Book #85528]
Price: $200.00