John Hersey: Two Signed Copies of Hiroshima

The New Yorker's issue of August 31, 1946 was entirely devoted to a single editorial piece, John Hersey's "Hiroshima." The landmark article on the nuclear destruction of a Japanese city was published in book form that year by Alfred A. Knopf. Nearly forty years later, author Kirby Congdon had Hersey sign copies of the magazine and the first edition of the book. They were both inscribed to the poet on February 24, 1985. Yesterday, they were sold together at auction by PBA Galleries of Berkeley.

The auction house provides us with a few photographs of the very collectible issue of the magazine. Unfortunately, we don't get to see the final page of the article where Hersey signed.

Wraparound band

The book is signed and inscribed on the title page with a quotation from the book:

The presale estimate was $500 to $800 plus a 25% buyer's premium. Bidding started at $250.

John Hersey
PBA Galleries listing accessed April 23, 2023

https://www.pbagalleries.com/view-auctions/catalog/id/648/lot/212615/Hiroshima-two-inscribed-editions?url=%2Fview-auctions%2Findividual-lots%2F%3Fkey%3DHersey

Sold!

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The Peter Arno of Novelists

In 1930 Wood Kahler, author of a novel called Early to Bed, published Smart Setback. In reviewing it, the Philadelphia Inquirer called Mr. Kahler "the Peter Arno of novelists." Cartoonist Peter Arno, now five years at the New Yorker, had established quite a name for himself. To be worthy of this comparison, one imagines Wood Kahler must have been as witty and sophisticated as Arno, a writer made up of equal parts Fitzgerald and Wodehouse mixed into a perfect cocktail. Alfred A. Knopf, publisher of the novel, was eager to let the New Yorker's readers know of the Inquirer's review.

The New Yorker, November 8, 1930, page 116

Today, Peter Arno remains one of the most famous cartoonists of his generation and is the subject of a new biography. Wood Kahler is forgotten.

Note:  Peter Arno: The Mad, Mad World of The New Yorker's Greatest Cartoonist will be released on Tuesday. Author Michael Maslin is a New Yorker cartoonist and the Peter Arno of biographers.

Michael Maslin will join Edward Sorel in conversation on April 18 at Columbia University, the Peter Arno of American academic institutions.

More Arno links:

Peter Arno posts on Ink Spill.

Peter Arno in Chris Wheeler's Cartoon(ist) Gallery. Mr. Wheeler is the Peter Arno of cartoon book collectors.

Peter Arno in April's Vanity Fair.

Peter Arno in a recent Wall Street Journal article.

Peter Arno here on Attempted Bloggery, where I am generally regarded as the Wood Kahler of bloggers.

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