[Signed] KISS TOMORROW GOOD-BYE (Signed By Cover Artist James Avati) McCoy, Horace [Very Good] [Softcover]

Description

McCoy, Horace. KISS TOMORROW GOOD-BYE. NY: Signet, 1949 (November, #754). First Paperback Edition, first printing. INSCRIBED BY COVER ARTIST JAMES AVATI on the title page in black ink. A Very Good Plus copy, with a touch of edgewear and a small amount of lift to the lamination else bright and square, of this classic crime novel by the author of THEY SHOOT HORSES, DON'T THEY. McCoy, in his preface, notes that he feels this streamlined version of his novel is superior to the original hardcover novel. James Avati (1912-2005) was often called ""The Rembrandt"" of 1940s and 1950s paperback illustration. This particular cover is one of Avati's more famous, a brilliantly steamy hardcore noir piece of seductive cover art. Avati's brilliance in capturing human feeling: tension or fear, suggestiveness or lust, avarice or suspicion, compassion or devotion was unrivaled during the golden age of paperback illustration. He created a visual narrative that brought characters' tragedies and yearnings to life with a tough-minded gritty realism that put Norman Rockwell to shame. We were fortunate to acquire a small cache of his famous Signet first printing covers which were signed by him at his home in Petaluma, California a half-dozen years before he passed away. To the best of our knowledge, he never signed any other books for which he provided illustrations other than the ones which were acquired on this one occasion. Please search the keywords James Avati to see if any other of his signed copies still remains in our stock. As the cover says, this novel is Love As Hot As A Blowtorch, Crime As Vicious As The Jungle!