Song of Solomon

First edition, first impression: New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1977. Inscribed and dated by the author to the front endpaper in the year of publication, in the month following the title's initial release. Octavo. Original black cloth, spine lettered in gilt, top edge stained red. With the original dust jacket designed by R. D. Scudellari, priced $8.95. A near fine copy, the binding square and firm with bright gilt lettering; one or two very faint marks to the covers and a small area of faint toning to the front endpaper, but otherwise clean and fresh throughout. This copy is inscribed by the author on the front free endpaper: "Love to you Edythe & good luck always Toni 9.16.77". The original and unclipped dust jacket is very good, showing notably little fading to the yellow spine panel, which is frequently found heavily sunned; there is one tear to the bottom edge of the upper panel and to the top and bottom edges of the lower panel, along with minor edge-wear to the spine tips. It remains a notably bright, attractive example of a fragile jacket. "Song of Solomon" was the novel that truly established Toni Morrison as a preeminent voice in American literature. It was awarded the National Book Critics Circle Award in 1978 and was chosen as a Main Selection for the Book-of-the-Month Club. Morrison?s use of the "Flying Africans" myth and her exploration of African American identity through the character of Milkman Dead earned the novel immense critical acclaim. The work played a pivotal role in the trajectory that led to Morrison being awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1993.