Clifford Odets — The Country Girl

New York, The Viking Press, 1951. First edition. Cloth. A copy of the first edition play script, once owned by critic Clive Hirschhorn and later adapted into an award-winning film. A first edition, in publisher's cloth. with original dust wrapper, clipped. From the theatrical collection of Clive Hirschhorn, theatre critic for the Sunday Express from 1966 to 1993. Known for his witty and thorough reviews, features and interviews, Hirschhorn also authored several works on the film industry, including his critically acclaimed biographies of Hollywood stars, Gene Kelly and James Mason.  A renowned book collector, the majority of works from Hirschhorn"s incredible library of theatre-related material have a characteristic pencil inscription with his date of acquisition to the upper corner of the paste down. By American playwright, screenwriter and actor Clifford Odets. His work inspired writers such as Arthur Miller, Paddy Chayefsky and Neil Simon. This work explores the community offered by theatre, as a stage director and his wife try to pull an actor out of alcoholism. It was adapted in 1954 into an award-winning film starring Bing Crosby and Grace Kelly. The film was entered in the 1955 Cannes Film Festival. His play Awake and Sing! was noted for its in medias res beginning, its working class focus, and for being the first Broadway play to entirely focus on a Jewish family. Bound in original yellow cloth. With original clipped dust wrapper. Externally, very smart. Mild bumping to head and tail. Slight fading to board top edges and spine head. Association ink inscription to front paste down. Dust wrapper smart. Moderate sunning to dust wrapper spine. Mild chipping to extremities. Internally, firmly bound. Pages generally bright and clean. Near Fine . Ill.: None. Near Fine/Very Good Indeed.