The Cadence of Grass
New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 2002. First Edition. Boards. Fine / Fine in Mylar Cover. Item #5096
ISBN: 0679446745
A brand new First Edition of Thomas McGuane's novel SIGNED by the author on the title page at a local bookstore. In brown and grey-white marbled boards, it is in unread condition as received from the bookstore where it was signed. The price is intact on the inside jacket, the dustjacket has a Mylar cover, and the back dustjacket holds the bookstore's label, easily removed, which verifies this as being an authentic signature on a true first edition. Thomas McGuane's other novels include "The Sporting Club," "The Bushwhacked Piano," "Ninety-Two in the Shade," "Panama," "Nobody's Angel," "Something to be Desired," "Keep the Change," and "Nothing But Blue Skies." A lovely copy.
In an interview with Charlie Rose, Thomas McGuane discussed his novel "The Cadence of Grass," describing it as an exploration of longing for a value system, noting that there are elements in the natural world that are cyclical, and that patterns of life on Earth will persist despite human fears and anxieties, persisting long after we are all gone. McGuane drew inspiration from Samuel Coleridge's fascinating "Kubla Khan" for the book's epigraph, tapping into the duality of land as both sacred and untamed ("holy" and "savage").
Much like John Updike's characters, McGuane's protagonists are characterized by their penchant for poor life choices and self-destruction. The narrative centers around the Whitelaw family, particularly the formidable patriarch Sunny Jim --"the man who never smiled" -- and contrasts him with Bill Champion, a man deeply shaped by the land, embodying its intrinsic values. McGuane has expressed a deep appreciation for individuals who remind him of Bill Champion. In a 2002 Denver Post interview, McGuane likened Sunny Jim to figures Robert Mugabe and Ariel Sharon, using the character to represent "national dysfunction". The first edition of "The Cadence of Grass" was limited to 60,000 copies.
McGuane has expressed tremendous affection for Montana, where he lives "immersed in animals" on his ranch raising cattle and breeding horses. He is involved in wildlife and land conservation. His literary accolades join inductions into the National Cutting Horse Hall of Fame and the Fly-fishing Hall of Fame, as we as being named Fly Rod and Reel's Angler of the Year in 2010.
Price: $50.00 other currencies