Big Sur

Bantam Books, 1963. 1st Edition. Soft cover. Very Good. A notable association copy: From the library of Edith (Edie) Kerouac-Parker, Jack Kerouac's first wife. This is the first printing of the mass market paperback, from September 1963 as stated on the copyright page. Not signed, but her ownership ink stamp with her name ("F.E. Kerouac Parker") and address in Grosse Pointe, Michigan (where she was raised, and to which she returned) is on the first page. Edie appears as Judie Smith in Kerouac's novel The Town and the City, as Elly in Visions of Cody, as Edna "Johnnie" Palmer in Vanity of Duluoz, and as herself in "The Original Scroll"--the unedited edition of On the Road. Her memoir You'll Be Okay: My Life with Jack Kerouac was published posthumously in 2007 by City Lights. A good/very good book with a slanted spine and creasing to spine, and a bump to the lower rear corner of the page block/back cover. Light general wear to corners and also toning to pages, as expected. But a cool copy. An invoice (not included, but a photocopy can be provided) shows that this book was sold in 1997 with other volumes from Parker's library by the bookseller and Beat archive consultant Bill Morgan in NYC.