McCarthy, Cormac. [Ex-libris: Nicholas Potter, bookseller]

The Road [with signed ephemera laid in]

New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 2006. First edition, first printing. Hardcover. 241 pp. Octavo [24 cm]. Publisher’s black and orange paper-covered boards with metallic copper stamping to the spine. Original dust jacket designed by Chip Kidd, with the "$24.00" price and "10/2006" code intact. A Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket; bright, square, and clean.

Laid in at the front are three unique pieces of ephemera which, along with this volume, are from the collection of the late Santa Fe bookseller and McCarthy associate, Nicholas Potter. These items provide rare insight into McCarthy’s restrictive signing habits following the publication of this title:

-Signed Sales Receipt: A Nicholas Potter Books receipt dated October 16, 2006, documenting McCarthy’s purchase of a "Toynbee Set." Signed by Cormac McCarthy in black ink at the bottom.

-Nicholas Potter Autograph Note: A small handwritten note in Potter's hand, dated the same day, providing the context for the receipt. It reads: "October 16, 2006 | Cormac told me today that he would not sign any trade editions of The Road, even for friends. His logic is that he signed 250 copies (the limited edition) and gave them to his son John, the dedicatee of the book, and that some day John would be able to sell them for a good purpose (college, etc.). He felt it was an 'infringement' on John's right to the legacy if he signed other copies. He said if I ever saw a signed trade edition, it was a forgery. Since I won't be able to get one signed, I decided to keep the credit card receipt he signed for a set of Toynbee as a souvenir with my copy of the book."

-McCarthy Handwriting Specimen: A small slip of paper featuring a specimen of McCarthy's "architectural" handwriting in pencil, it reads: "Now is the time for all good men to come to the aid of their country." Attached to this note is a small memo note in Potter’s hand, identifying the specimen, it reads: "Cormac's 'architectural' handwriting | 4.24.07."

All ephemera is in Fine condition, measuring 6" x 4" or smaller, and laid in at the front of the book. Fine / Fine. Item #71328

Representing perhaps the closest approximation of a signed American trade edition of The Road, this copy is accompanied by three pieces of ephemera documenting its provenance. From the library of the late Santa Fe bookseller Nicholas Potter—an avid collector of McCarthy's works—this flawless copy stands as a vital fragment of a forty-year friendship. Throughout that time, Potter’s bookstore served as a frequent destination for McCarthy, the two sharing a rapport rooted in literature, art, music, and history; the included ephemera clarifies the author's refusal to sign this specific title.

Pulitzer Prize-winning and austere, The Road is a harrowing odyssey and a testament to paternal devotion. Set in an ash-covered wasteland, the narrative depicts a father and son navigating a landscape of predatory cannibals among the ruins of civilization. Refining the sparse prose of his late career into minimalist parable, McCarthy captures the endurance of hope in the face of total environmental collapse. The work was adapted into a film directed by John Hillcoat and starring Viggo Mortensen.

Price: $10,000.00