Anthony Burgess | A Clockwork Orange. London, 1962, first edition, inscribed by the author, the Neville copy

Anthony Burgess

A Clockwork Orange. London: Heinemann, 1962

FIRST EDITION, INSCRIBED BY THE AUTHOR, 8vo, inscription on title page ("To James | Packard | with kind | regards | Anthony Burgess | Harrow | 1991"), original black cloth, second-issue dust-jacket, housed in a black clamshell case with red morocco label, stain to pp. 1–2, upper flap of dust-jacket price-clipped with residue from price-label, inside of dust-jacket dampstained and chipped at spine-ends; spine head and lower corners repaired, closed tear to upper flap, slight wear to covers

A Clockwork Orange is Burgess's dystopian view of a near-future Britain beset by urban violence, technological excess, and authoritarianism. The ending was altered for the American edition published in 1963, with the last chapter being omitted; it was not until much later that the novel was re-issued with the original ending restored. The classic 1971 film of the book by Stanley Kubrick was based on the text of the first American edition.

PROVENANCE:

Inscribed by the author to James Packard; Maurice F. Neville, his sale in our New York rooms, 16 November 2004, lot 282

LITERATURE:

Pringle, Science Fiction: The 100 Best Novels 36