Samuel Johnson Is Indignant. Stories
New York: McSweeney's Books, 2001. 1st Edition. Octavo, publisher’s plum cloth, spine and upper board gilt, pine endpapers, original illustrated dust jacket.
"One sentence can reveal so much about a person" (Davis in an interview). Signed first edition of award-winning writer and translator Lydia Davis’s 2001 short story collection, one of the Village Voice's 25 Favorite Books and the ALA's 2002 Notable Books. Called "an American virtuoso of the short story form" (Salon), Davis is best known for her eclectic and economical fiction, and translations of French classics (such as Proust, Flaubert, and Blanchot) into English. Written in her hallmark style, this collection, which was published with McSweeney’s after founder Dave Eggers wrote her a fan letter, contains 56 literary miniatures exploring a wide range of topics such as neighbors, old age, and war. Several pieces are only one line long, including the collection’s title story ("SAMUEL JOHNSON IS INDIGNANT: that Scotland has so few trees.") Cover photo by David Byrne. First printing with complete number row to copyright page. Signed by Davis to the title page. Corners gently banged; unclipped dust jacket with minor rubbing to spine-ends. Near fine. Item #5956
$85.00