New York: A Signet Book, 1952. Inscribed by Caldwell to the publisher: "To Kurt Enoch with the grateful thanks of Erskine Caldwell." A lovely, just about Fine copy with little nicks at the spine ends. The first paperback printing of the Broadway play, based on Caldwell's novel, with a new introduction written by Caldwell. Several pages of photos from the stage production bound in the middle. Scarce to find signed by Caldwell with any type of association.

Depicting the plight of Depression-era Georgia sharecroppers who cannot escape the vicious cycle of poverty, Caldwell's novel was transformed into a Broadway play almost immediately after publication. Running for eight continuous years it broke records and remains the second-longest running play in Broadway history -- a marvel for a non-musical drama.

Provenance: From the library of Kurt Enoch, who founded the New American Library and subsequently its Signet and Penguin imprints, and who in the late 1940s invented the mass market paperback, bringing the work of many great authors to a vast and entirely new readership. About Fine (Item #2064)