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The Anatomy Lesson by Philip Roth (RARE, SIGNED FIRST EDITION), 1983 📜✍️🎭

Name: The Anatomy Lesson by Philip Roth (RARE, SIGNED FIRST EDITION), 1983 📜✍️🎭
Brand: Wall Antiques
Price: 300.00 USD
Availability: InStock

$300.00

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1. Introduction 📜🔍🏛️

This is a cornerstone work of modern American fiction, the third installment in Philip Roth’s acclaimed “Zuckerman” trilogy. As a rare signed first edition from 1983, this volume is a premier acquisition for any serious collector of modern literature, Jewish studies, or fine press publications. It offers an unparalleled window into the intellectual and creative life of a literary giant whose works have earned him a Pulitzer Prize and two National Book Awards.

This edition is a tangible connection to Roth's profound legacy, chronicling the journey of a writer grappling with his own body and mind.

2. About the Artwork/Book/Object 📖✍️✨

The Anatomy Lesson is a dark and often painful novel that follows the travails of Nathan Zuckerman, Philip Roth’s literary alter ego. At 40, Zuckerman is afflicted by an agonizing, undiagnosable pain that forces him to abandon his successful career as a novelist. He becomes a student once more, paradoxically choosing to study medicine in a desperate attempt to understand his own body, which he has come to view as a foreign country. The narrative is a profound exploration of identity, illness, and the complex relationship between a writer and his creations.

The novel is the final book in the "Zuckerman" trilogy, following The Ghost Writer and Zuckerman Unbound. The three novels were later collected and republished as Zuckerman Bound.
The book's central focus on physical pain as a source of betrayal is a resonant metaphor for the anguish and frustration that can plague a writer's life.
The original frontispiece portrait of Roth, drawn from life by Burt Silverman, was specially commissioned by The Franklin Library for this limited edition.

3. About the Artist/Author/Maker ✍️🏛️

Philip Roth (1933–2018) was a towering figure in modern American literature, renowned for his candid and often controversial works. Born in Newark, New Jersey, Roth’s fiction often explored themes of Jewish-American identity, masculinity, and the human condition with a distinctive style that blended satirical humor and self-reflection. A student of English literature, Roth taught comparative literature at the University of Pennsylvania before retiring from academia in 1991.

His work received numerous accolades, including the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction for American Pastoral and a special medal from the American Academy of Arts and Letters.
Roth was named one of the four greatest American novelists of his day by literary critic Harold Bloom.
He was known for his reclusiveness, which makes a signed copy of his work particularly rare and valuable. His work is a monumental achievement, and this book showcases Roth’s willingness to grapple with the most intimate and challenging aspects of life.

4. Historical/Political Era Context 🌍🕰️📜

Published in 1983, this book is an artifact of the early Reagan era in the United States, a period that saw a cultural shift toward a new conservatism and focus on personal wealth. Roth's novel, with its themes of physical pain and artistic crisis, serves as a counterpoint to the era's dominant social narrative of health and prosperity. The book is a work of introspection in a time of external, public-facing optimism.

The novel is also a "time capsule" of the American literary scene in the early 1980s.
It captures the intellectual discourse of a period when the American novel was being questioned and redefined.
The book reflects the intellectual currents of the time and the application of new scientific principles in the fields of medicine and psychology.

5. The Ideal Collector 💡🧐🏛️

This book is intended for a curator of modern American literature, a scholar of 20th-century fiction, or a private collector of fine press publications. It is an ideal acquisition for an individual who values a book’s dual significance as a literary masterpiece and a physical artifact of its time. This is a perfect fit for a collection that cherishes a signed copy from a major author. It appeals to a collector who is interested in the intersection of literature, history, and the art of fine bookmaking.

6. Value & Rarity 💎✨🏛️

As a rare signed first edition, this book represents a genuinely scarce and non-replicable asset class. It was published as a limited edition for the Franklin Library's series of "First Edition Society" books, which were produced in small quantities for a dedicated group of collectors. A signed copy from Roth, who rarely made public appearances later in his career, is an especially desirable find.

7. Condition 🔎📚✨

This volume is in pristine, collector-grade condition.

The full genuine leather binding is in solid state, with a tight and sound binding.
The original marbled endpapers are intact and vibrant.
The book has been well cared for over the years and remains a functional, readable object. Its preservation is a powerful indicator of the high regard in which it was held by its previous custodians.

8. Translation of Inscriptions/Ephemera (Conditional) ✍️📜🔤

This book contains a personal autograph from the author on a blank endpaper. The signature is in black ink, consistent with other known examples of Roth’s handwriting. The presence of the autograph transforms the book from a standard first edition into a unique and highly personal artifact. The book also contains a collector's letter from The Franklin Library, which details the book’s limited edition status.

9. Fun Facts & Unique Features 🤓📜🤩

The Anatomy Lesson is the third and final novel in Roth's "Zuckerman" trilogy. This trilogy is considered a major literary achievement that blurred the line between autobiography and fiction.
The book is a true record of an author's personal journey intertwined with his creative work.

10. Supporting Information 🏷️📦💰