Mailer, Norman (1979) ‘The Executioner’s Song’, US first edition, signed and inscribed by Stephen King

Norman Mailer (1979) ‘The Executioner’s Song‘, US first edition, first printing, published by Little, Brown and Company. Signed with a lengthy inscription by author Stephen King: “For Phil – | Can’t tell you to “enjoy” | this sad, dreadful story – but it’s Mailer’s best writing | since The Naked and the Dead, | I think – and it will move | you. | Be well, | Steve | 9/28/79″

Provenance: from the library of perhaps the most complete Stephen King collection in the world. Judging by the inscription and the ‘Steve’ signature this was gift to either a very good friend – possibly a fellow writer -, and at the very least somebody who could read and stomach this fictionalised account of Gary Gilmore (1940-77), his double murder and followed execution by firing squad in the US. Stephen King usually does not inscribe nor sign works of other authors, and we have heard that King has only done this on five occasions.

Condition: The book is in acceptable to good condition with no previous owner’s scribble, no stamps and no bookplates. The book has been read, the boards are soiled, and the spine faded as shown. Internally generally clean but a few pages have light soiling as shown. The dust jacket is near fine with no major issues to report.

The Executioner’s Song won Mailer the 1980 Pulitzer Prize proving King right that it was Mailer’s best novel since The Naked and the Dead (1948). It was adapted as a 1982 TV-film starring Tommy Lee Jones.