"CIVILIZED PEOPLE WERE THE ONES WHO HAD LEARNED TO HURT ACCORDING TO RULES"

MICHENER, James A. The Fires of Spring. New York: Random House, (1949). Octavo, original gray cloth. Housed in a custom chemise and half morocco slipcase. $750.

First edition of the author’s second book and first novel, inscribed by the author on the title page with his Japanese seal below: “Tinicum, Pa. 21 June 75. To Jane Engelhard, On this first day of Spring… a good many years later. Aloha—James A Michener.”

"A warm-hearted, readable story, crammed with lively incident and remarkable characters" (The Atlantic). "Here is a rich segment of American life— a magic blend of longing and wisdom, saltiness, simplicity, and compassion." Groseclose A.004a. This copy is from the estate of Jane Engelhard, cosmopolitan book collector and philanthropist. She read and collected James Michener from his earliest publications. After she meet the author in 1975, their friendship continued and she added other inscribed books to her library. Her husband, Charles Engelhard, chairman of the multi-national minerals conglomerate Engelhard Industries, was the model for Ian Fleming's tycoon Goldfinger.

A near-fine copy.