Boston: Houghton, Mifflin Company, 1967. First edition of Raymond Carver's first book publication, in a short story anthology. Signed twice by Carver, a presentation copy inscribed to his sister-in-law, Bonna Rose "Jerry" Burk, with a short signed letter on an index card to her laid in, in the year of publication. Signed on the front endpaper: "For Jerry with love Raymond Carver," and signed by Carver at his contribution on page 37.

Notecard reads in Carver's holograph script:

"Jerry - A bit late but happy birthday and much love. - Book was late getting off-press and only just now rec'd my copies. Paperback edition will be out in March... so you might keep an eye out for that. They usually quote reviews from the N.Y. Times, Sat. Rev, etc. and its always an attractive job - word-for-word reprint of this hardcover edition... working on other things right now - have acquired a N.Y. agent, so waiting to see what will happen on that end. Perhaps some dough. Everyone here is okay... Maryann very busy with school, house, etc. - we did take time out to drink a bottle of champagne, though, when this arrived. - Best to Gordon and the little ones. Love (as always) Ray."

16 lines, on both sides of a 3 x 5 inch card in blue ink.

xvi, [ii], 357 pp. Bound in publisher's yellow cloth with gray and black stamping. Very Good with some light soiling to boards, a few small coffee stains internally, a little wave to pages, tape ghosts on rear endpaper where notecard was once affixed. Lacking dust jacket. Loose notecard has tape along edges.

A superb early presentation from Raymond Carver to someone who played an important role in his life. Jerry Burk was his wife Maryanne's older sister, and played a key role in the years of his courtship and early married life. Raymond would show her the stories he wrote for his Palmer correspondence courses in writing.

His contribution to this volume is the acclaimed short story "Will You Please Be Quiet, Please?" (originally published in December magazine the previous year). Please note that this original, award-winning version of one of Carver's most important stories appears here in considerably different form than that issued in later collections, including as the title story of his first major-press short-story collection in 1976, where it appears heavily revised under the guidance of Gordon Lish, who became a major influence some two years after the first publication of this story. Carver's short stories are widely recognized as major works in the genre and have been widely anthologized and studied since publication.