FIRST EDITION OF SILENT SPRING, SIGNED BY RACHEL CARSON
CARSON, Rachel. Silent Spring. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1962. Octavo, original green cloth, patterned endpapers, original dust jacket. $9000.
First edition, review copy, of the pioneering work by Rachel Carson—"one of the greatest nature writers in American letters," signed by her on the half title.
"The first work to address the larger issues of environmental pollution" (The Book in America, 133). "Silent Spring became a runaway bestseller, with international reverberations… It is well crafted, fearless and succinct… Even if she had not inspired a generation of activists, Carson would prevail as one of the greatest nature writers in American letters" (Mattheissen, Time). First edition: with "First Printing" on copyright page. Containing numerous in-text illustrations. With publisher's review copy slip laid in.
Book fine, in a near-fine dust jacket with minor rubbing to corners and spine ends. Rare signed.