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21.
A Spaniard in the Works.
London: Jonathan Cape, 1965. First edition.
SIGNED and inscribed by John Lennon at his drawing on page 6: “For Nathaniel Tarn from John Lennon”.
12mo. Laminated boards. 96pp. Book design and front cover photograph by Robert Freeman.
Lennon’s second book, produced in a similar format of whimsical poems, satirical short stories and comic line drawings as “In His Own Write”, but written almost entirely over the course of 1964 and, he later stated, “more disciplined because it was started from scratch”.
The book was published on June 24, 1965, went through four impressions and sold 100,000 copies within three months, fewer than his debut but still a bestseller.
Nathaniel Tarn, whose first poetry collection had been published by Jonathan Cape a few months before, and who was later to join Cape as General Editor of the international series Cape Editions, has signed this copy on the front free endpaper, adding “at J.C. 1965”, suggesting that the book was inscribed to him by Lennon at Cape’s London office in Bedford Square, possibly prior to the publication date.
The book remains in pristine condition. Signed presentation copies of Lennon’s second collection seldom appear on the market, especially first printings in perfect condition.
Price:
£5,000.00
