MILLER, Henry. Tropic of Cancer. (FIRST AMERICAN EDITION PRESENTATION COPY - 1940)

AUTHOR: MILLER, Henry

TITLE: Tropic of Cancer.

PUBLISHER: NY: Medusa, 1940.

DESCRIPTION: FIRST AMERICAN EDITION PRESENTATION COPY. 1 vol., Inscribed and signed by Miller on the title page: "For Bill Meek with pleasant memories of Washington. Henry Miller. 10/31/40.". Bound in the original magenta wrappers, spine sunned, covers sunned unevenly, corners rubbed.

CONDITION: Slight slant to spine, internally clean and bright, overall still a VERY GOOD copy.

REFERENCE: Shifreen & Jackson A9q.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: A nice early inscription the year of publication.
This work went through five legitimate editions in Paris before the first pirated version of this book appeared in America. This was the so-called "Medusa" edition of 1940, published by Jacob R. Brussells and was printed on Lexington Ave. The ruse of printing "Imprenta de Mexico" on the last page failed to mislead authorities, and Brussells served a 2 year sentence in jail for his involvement in the project. Miller new about this edition. The bulk of the 2000 copies were sold through Francis Setloff at Gotham Book Mart and through Ben Abrahamson in his bookshop in Chicago for $10 per copy. It has been suggested that Miller received a lump sum of $1,000 from each of the booksellers instead of a 10% royalty on sales, nut he makes no reference to any such windfall in his letters, and the story is probably apocryphal.