The Carpentered Hen and Other Tame Creatures [with] Bech: His Oeuvre

New York / Concord, New Hampshire: Harper and Brothers / William B. Ewert, (1958) / 2000.

Price: $6,000.00

Hardcover. Two books Signed and/or Inscribed with an accompanying Typed Letter Signed from Updike to Susan Sheehan that reads: "Dear Susan: A pleasure to see you briefly in The Gotham, and a painless pleasure to sign these dear old volumes of mine. Your *Carpentered Hen* is in better shape than my own single copy. You were very definite about just signing them, which I did, on the title page, but I took the liberty of inscribing to you a little bonus book, a small printing of the last Bech story, with charming (and amazingly accurate) illustrations by Arnold Roth. The reading went fine, except I opened with an old man's frog in his throat, which I kept trying to scrape away out of range of the microphone. All best, John Updike."

The author's first book, *The Carpentered Hen*, a collection of poems. First edition. Fine in fine, first issue dustjacket with a later (probably publisher's) price-sticker on the front flap. Signed on the title page by Updike. [With]: *Bech: His Oeuvre*. Illustrated by Arnold Roth. Fine in wrappers and fine dustjacket. One of 90 copies (of a total edition of 110 copies, all of which were) Signed by both Updike and Roth. Additionally Inscribed: "for Susan Sheehan with admiration and warm regards. John Updike. 10/22/01." Updike and Sheehan were colleagues at *The New Yorker* for nearly 50 years, both contributing frequently to *The Talk of the Town*. Both won Pulitzer Prizes: Updike for *Rabbit is Rich* and *Rabbit at Rest*; Sheehan for General Non-Fiction for her 1983 book *Is There No Place on Earth for Me?* As nice a copy as we've seen of *The Carpentered Hen*, and a very nice association. For the two volumes.

Item #382440

Add to Cart Ask a Question Add to Wish List

item image

Item #382440 The Carpentered Hen and Other Tame Creatures [with] Bech: His Oeuvre. John UPDIKE.

John Updike
birth name: John Updike
born: 3/18/1932
died: 1/27/2009

View Reference Info

Biography

American writer of novels, short stories, and poetry, known for his careful craftsmanship and realistic but subtle depiction of "American, Protestant, small-town, middle-class" life. - Merriam-Webster's Encyclopedia of Literaturemore

Collecting tips:

If you want to collect John Updike in detail, you'd better build an addition onto your library. Its not true that he publishes a new book every week, it just seems like it, and his cheery indifference to writers' block has probably made him an editor's dream. He is generous with his signature, and apparently open to offers from publishers of limited editions. His first three books, a book of poetry The Carpentered Hen and Other Tame Creatures (1958); a book of short stories, The Poorhouse Fair (1959); and a novel Rabbit, Run (1960); are all moderately scarce in fine condition. The Carpentered Hen, despite being a slim volume of verse, tends to have a weak binding, so check to see if the text block has fallen forward much. The jacket copy also has to mention that the author has two children, as he apparently kept busy and two more children had appeared when the second issue came out. Reportedly the jacket on Rabbit, Run was identical through the first few printings, so you might want to check to see if it's been "married" to a first edition from a later printing (be suspicious if the jacket, which usually absorbs the most wear, is in better condition than the book). Because Updike has done so many limited and ephemeral pieces, some are truly rare: Dog's Death (1965), a short poem on a single mimeographed sheet, supposedly done in an edition of 100 copies is rarely seen (we've had it once). Although not so rare, his celebration of the last plate appearance of Ted Williams Hub Fans Bid Kid Adieu (1977), a signed, limited edition, enjoys extra collecting pressure from baseball hobbyists, and especially Red Sox fans, and copies are occasionally seen signed by Williams, although they weren't necessarily intended to be. His work on Buckner's Bobble has yet to be written, but don't mention it or he'll have it out sometime next week.

Email us to request a printed copy of our catalog of John Updike Rare Books and First Editions (or download it via the link as a 3.73 MB pdf file).

We also offer a comprehensive John Updike Bibliography and Price Guide.more