CAPTAIN BLACKMAN
Inscribed first printing of this speculative fiction novel about a wounded Black soldier in the Vietnam War who hallucinates about fighting in major American battles across history.
Very good in very good jacket.
Price: $90.00
CAPTAIN BLACKMAN
"It suggests just how much has been purposely left out of American military history." – contemporary review by George Davis in the NEW YORK TIMES
While delirious, the title character experiences fighting at Lexington and Concord during the American Revolution; the Battle of New Orleans -- under Jackson -- during the War of 1812; and further battles through the Civil War, Spanish-American War, both World Wars, and more. His interactions with white soldiers and leaders highlights both the consistent erasure of Black contributions to American military history and the ill treatment of Black soldiers by the government they were serving. Ambiguously moving across time and ending with scenes from a future war, CAPTAIN BLACKMAN is a provocative entry in Black Power SF that "answers white bigotry with black gaucherie" (William Couch, Jr.).
Read more: Davis, "A Revolutionary War soldier in Vietnam," in The New York Times, 21 May 1972; Bould, "Come Alive by Saying No: An Introduction to Black Power SF," in Science Fiction Studies Vol. 34, No. 2, Afrofuturism (July 2007); Couch, "The Image of the Black Soldier in Selected American Novels," in CLA Vol. 20, No. 2 (December 1976).
The Object
Garden City, New York: Doubleday, 1972. 8'' x 5.25''. Original quarter tan cloth, black cloth boards. In original price-clipped white dust jacket with design by Kiyoshi Kanai. Fore-edge machine deckle. 336 pages. Publisher stamp "With compliments of Doubleday & Company, Inc." on front pastedown (likely advance or review copy). Inscribed by Williams on front free endpaper: "9/22/88 / To A___ F___ / All Good Wishes / John A. Williams." Book with slight lean, small spot to top edge, light soil to spine. Jacket with some soil and edgewear, including one short closed tear.
The Fine Print
We work hard to meet our ethical responsibility to describe our material accurately. All items are guaranteed as described and may be returned for any reason within 30 days. Please notify us before mailing a return.
We guarantee the authenticity of our items. All materials are original (meaning not facsimiles or reproductions) unless otherwise noted. First editions (meaning first edition, first printing) are explicitly stated. TPM is a member of the Antiquarian Booksellers Association of America and upholds their Code of Ethics.
All photographs are of the actual item for sale. We're happy to provide additional images on request.
All domestic orders ship gratis. For orders under $250, free USPS media mail shipping is included; orders $250 and over ship USPS Priority. International orders over $500 also ship gratis. Expedited, overnight, as well as other carriers (UPS, Fed-Ex, etc.), may carry additional costs beyond quoted rates. All orders receive tracking information and a direct contact in case of any questions.
International buyers are responsible for any customs, taxes, and related import fees. Please note that we are unable to accomodate requests to misrepresent, misdeclare, or otherwise falsify customs documents when shipping internationally. We appreciate your understanding.
We accept all major credit cards, Paypal, Venmo, check, money order, and bank wire. We are happy to bill institutional buyers' needs. Sales tax will be added to applicable purchases. Items subject to prior sale.
If for any reason you are dissatisfied with your purchase, please contact us. We prioritize our long-term relationships far above any individual purchase, and we want you to love your item as much as we loved cataloguing it.
