Walker Percy

Symbol as Need

originally published:
New York
1954

awards:

  • National Book Award for Fiction(1962)
  • Burgess 99(1966)
  • First Book(1954)
  • Modern Library 100 Best Novels(060)
  • Time Magazine 100 Novels(1961)

reference info

bio notes:
born: 5/28/1916
died: 5/10/1990
born as: Walker Percy

American novelist who wrote of the search for faith and love in the New South, a place transformed by industry and technology. - Merriam-Webster's Encyclopedia of Literature

Collecting tips:

Percy was a hot ticket for a while, but the only one of his regularly published books to command a real premium is his first The Moviegoer, (1961). Legends abound about how many copies were printed with speculation ranging between 1,000 and 5,000, with many copies going to libraries (beware of books and jackets that don't quite seem to go together, as this has always been a favorite target for matchmakers). Signed copies especially command a premium, even though by all accounts Percy was generous with his signature. Early offprints of his scholarly work in wrappers, such as Symbol as Need, (1954) are more peripheral and have a more limited audience, but are nice things to add to a collection if you're in the mood.

We also offer a comprehensive Walker Percy Bibliography and Price Guide.