DIVINE DAYS
Inscribed first edition of the famously rare Black Modernist masterpiece.
Fine in fine jacket.
Price: $1,500.00
DIVINE DAYS
"The ULYSSES of Chicago's South Side" — John Cawelti
Forrest's career began at Random House under the patronage of Toni Morrison when she was an editor there; after she left, Forrest turned to a local Chicago press to publish his "Black ULYSSES" (Sinykin, 184). Set in Chicago during a week in 1966, DIVINE DAYS follows an ambitious playwright as he navigates the realities of life as an artist. Upon its reissue in 2023, Kenneth W. Warren commented, "It may seem outrageous to say of a novel of more than 1,100 pages, but reading it makes you want immediately to reread it."
This first edition features rear cover blurbs from Saul Bellow, Ralph Ellison, and Toni Morrison and is now famous for its rarity. As Dan Sinykin recounts: "almost immediately [the press's] distributor went bankrupt and its warehouse sustained a fire that destroyed five hundred copies from the full run of 1,500. It basically became impossible to find a copy." Inscribed copies are even more uncommon.
Read more: Sinykin, Big Fiction; Warren, "Leon Forest: Make a Way Out of No Way," Public Books, 15 February 2023.
The Object
(Chicago): Another Chicago Press, (1992). 9'' x 6''. Original grey cloth lettered in metallic blue. In original unclipped ($32.50) color pictorial dust jacket. 1138 pages. Inscribed by Forrest in black ink to title page: "Dear ____, it is a / pleasure to see you again / and recall the old days at / JIMMY'S / Leon Forrest." Only light signs of use. Firm.
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 Ground Advantage. International orders over $1000 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.
