McCarthy, Cormac (2004) ‘No Country for Old Men’, US early uncorrected proof

McCarthy, Cormac (2004) ‘No Country for Old Men‘, US early uncorrected proof issued by Knopf in 2004. Bound in beige card covers and black cloth spine with “No Country for Old Men” written in black on a white label on the spine. Front cover reads: “It’s been seven long years…” and the title page follows: “And now it’s time to scratch the itch.”. Title page quotes “8/23/2005” as date of publication. Accompanied by a photocopied letter of Gary L. Fisketjon, Knopf editor, on his letterhead which is laid in. The letter is signed “Yours, Gary” and reads: “dear Friends, Cormac’s new novel will obviously provoke rather intense interest throughout the trade, but he asks that at this stage the manuscript be treated as stricty confidential. Needless to say, we’re excited to finally be able to share it with you and eager to hear your thoughts.”. It is dated “6 (4?) December”. Most likely, the proof was sent out in December 2004 in a very limited number of copies to ensure confidentiality.

This is No Country for Old Men earliest format preceding both the scarce proof in red wraps and the common advance reading copies in glossy red and black covers.  No copies have been auctioned off in the last seven years and none are listed at the moment of our listing. We have come across only five or six copies in the last fifteen years of following McCarthy items.

Condition: a square and tight copy, with only a faint, barely visible crease across the front cover and minimal edge wear. Easily near fine.

The novel served as a basis for the Coen brothers’ 2007 film starring Tommy Lee Jones, Josh Brolin, and Javier Bardem which won four Oscars, including for Best Picture.