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James Agee. Autograph manuscript notebook and diary, written in pencil....
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Sold on Dec 11, 2024 for:
$1,187.50
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Description
James Agee. Autograph manuscript notebook and diary, written in pencil. No place, no date [but possibly Florida, circa 1940s].Approximately 40 pages in Agee's hand, in a spiral notebook, (notebook measures 8 7/8 x 5 3/4 inches; 225 x 145 mm). Also with approximately 18 pages in an unknown hand. Housed in a custom quarter morocco folding case.
JAMES AGEE AUTOGRAPH NOTEBOOK. The notebook contains various musings, poetry, diary entries, and even records of dreams. In one entry, Agee records dreams of Father Flye and the buildings at Saint Andrews. Agee attended Saint Andrews, a high school in Sewanee, Tennessee, where he met history teacher Father Flye, who would become his mentor and a life-long correspondent. Agee's letters to Father Flye were collected after Agee's death and published in Letters of James Agee to Father Flye (George Brazilier, 1962).
Some days are better than others for Agee. In one entry, the tortured writer records: "Sat a bad day. No work at all..." The next day: "Sunday: I slept. Clean up kitchen: Clean up table to write on. Write of dreams & acct of Sat..." Later he records writing attempts and less than pleasant dreams: "Monday a.m. Wrote quite a bit yesterday... Some pretty good. Some pretty lousy... Read till 1 (Time) and up late (10) this am. Bad. Wonder if artists write more letters because they are bed time workers. Another lousy dream last night. No memory except: was in Chip's cabin. A swinging door seemed called a trap door. And title of the movie seemed Escape Trap. Was talking with capt. [captor]. Knew that if door swung out... catastrophe wd [would] follow. Of what sort I didn't know..."
Later pages include poetry, "movie scenarios," and more reflections. An intimate portrait of some of Agee's most private reflections.
Condition: Some edgewear and mild staining to covers; pale spotting and light soiling to pages; dampstain to rear half of the notebook, not affecting the Agee pages, but affecting the pages in an unknown hand.
Provenance: Purchased from Hamill & Barker, Chicago, in 1990. From the William A. Strutz Library.
View all of [The William A. Strutz Library ]
Auction Info
2024 December 11 Important English and American Literature: The William A. Strutz Library, Part II, Rare Books Signature® Auction #6300 (go to Auction Home page)
Auction Dates
December, 2024
11th
Wednesday
Bids + Registered Phone Bidders: 1
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