Boston: Houghton Mifflin. 1995. First Edition. First Edition. 451pp. Hardcover: FINE. Dust Wrapper: FINE. An out-of-work puppeteer, Sabbath has a strong affinity for prostitutes, adultery, and the casual sexual encounter. Sabbath takes great pleasure in his status as the a ""dirty old man."" Winner of The National Book Award, the book met with controversy when first published,