CHILD OF GOD FIRST WITH POIGNANT INSCRIPTION TO ANNIE DELISLE. Child of God. New York: Random Ho...

CHILD OF GOD FIRST WITH POIGNANT INSCRIPTION TO ANNIE DELISLE. Child of God. New York: Random House, 1973. 8vo. Publisher's black cloth-backed red paper boards, upper cover stamped blind with 'CMC' monogram, spine lettered in gilt, tape to upper joint, teeth marks to upper hinge with paper loss. Provenance: Cormac McCarthy, long poignant inscription to: Anne Delisle; note to endpaper from Annie Delisle to explain damage: 'These are the teeth marks of Blackie, our beloved plot [sic] hound....' FIRST EDITION, A LOVING PRESENTATION TO MCCARTHY'S SECOND WIFE, ANNIE DELISLE, 'To my lovely Annie / With admiration and love / and thanks for your help. You deserved / so much better than / I ever gave you & / you will always be the love of my life. / Cormac.' This warm, poignant inscription for Annie was likely written soon after Cormac moved out west, where he would then spend most of his time. Annie helped type both Child of God, and importantly Suttree, as recalled in the New York Times, and likely the inscription references this. Unfortunately, Annie and Cormac's beloved Plott Hound Blackie, got to this copy. Cormac was keenly interested in the traditions of Appalachian hunting and trapping, and in getting Blackie, he sought out the breed that is most prized by bear hunters in the southern mountains. The full note from Annie, in pencil to the paste-down explains, 'These are the teeth marks of Blackie, our beloved plot hound [sic]. Cormac left him as well as me. Annie.' Her rather raw note reinforces the sentiment Cormac has expressed in his own inscription. An important relic from a vital time in McCarthy's development as a writer. For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com For further information about this lot please visit the lot listing