RUNYON, Alfred Damon

The Army of God Knows Where

First edition. One sheet folded and ribbon tied to make four pages. Very light pencil name, light edgewear, still a just about fine copy of this attractively printed pamphlet. The only known copy of what is likely to be Damon Runyon's first separate publication, a poem printed by an asphalt company, and dedicated to "Our Civil Engineers" which originally appeared in Bohemian Magazine in Boston. We are unable to conclusively date the pamphlet, but here is what we know: Bohemian Magazine was published between 1900 and 1909. Of the other four surviving pamphlets referenced by OCLC of The American Asphaltum and Rubber Company, one is undated, one is dated 1910, one 1911, and the last 1912. Presumably this was published between 1909 and 1912. Runyon's acknowledged first book, The Tents of Trouble was a volume of poems in flexible boards published in 1911. His best known book, Guys and Dolls, was not published until 1931. Our best guess is that it was printed between 1909 and 1911. While we have not been able to determine conclusively whether this precedes his first book, it appears to be the only copy of a previously unknown piece, and is certainly one of his earliest, and perhaps his first separately published work.

[BTC #64626]