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First Edition, first print as stated, nice clean square book, no dust jacket

Backstrip slightly rubbed. Some browning on rear endpapers from the adhesive used under the pastedown. Otherwise, very good condition. No dust jacket. ]. 64p. Jocular eight-line inscription on front free endpaper from O'Hara to Kate Bramwell, a close friend of his first two wives, and the godmother of his daughter. Signed, "Love, John O'Hara, 5 Nov 56"

Signed by author on Title page in black pen, signature only. First printing stated. 5 1/2 x 8 1/4 Book; binding tight, boards straight and clean; slight toning to paste downs and front free end page else text free of marks, appears unread. Dust jacket ($1.95) has mild chipping with minimal paper loss to spine and flap fold ends, minor toning to cover edges with mild toning to top flap folds and spine, 1/2" closed tear to top rear cover by spine. Color sharp to covers. Under archival quality mylar cover. Photos upon request. Packed well and shipped in a sturdy box.

Attractively bound in green and gray lined paper-covered boards with a gray cloth spine stamped brightly in red and black. Clean and tight throughout with gray topstaining. In a very good minus, complete dustjacket with the original price of $1.95 at the top of the inside front flap and the date of "8/56" at the bottom of the flap. Light rubbing and a touch of chipping to the top and bottom of the spine ends at at the corners. The spine is darkened and there is some light soiling to the front panel. "A delightful and heart-warming novelette about small-town American.The story develops from a family party, a testimonial dinner, in honor of Dr. Sam Merritt's first forty years of service to his community, Lyons, PA. This short novel is Mr. O'Hara's first book since he won the 1955 National Book Award for fiction. This copy has been inscribed in black ink and presented: "To Pat Outerbridge who never thought he would end up breaking coal (p. 9) Affectionately John O'Hara 7 August 1956". On p. 9 O'Hara has underlined the name of the mine: "Short Mountain and Outerbridge Colliery" where it appears. Joseph W. ('Pat') Outerbridge of Princeton, NJ was a very close friend and drinking companion of O'Hara who gave him many signed copies of his books over the years. The books are from the collection of Pat Outerbridge's surviving son David. Quoting from Pamela Mac Arthur's book "The Genteel John O'Hara" about O'Hara's relationship with Joseph 'Pat' Outerbridge: "O'Hara's companionship with Sister (his sister-in-law Winnie Gardiner who later became his wife) ended his long nights with his best friend, Pat Outerbridge. Those nights began at eleven o'clock in the evening and terminated at three o'clock in the morning. Now, he could resume his late night cycle of writing." (p. 175) First Edition with "First Printing" on the copyright page