LOT Old Heritage Auctions  /  2008 Feb Grand Format Book & Manuscript #682  / 

56401

John Kennedy Why England Slept Signed by Jackie

Currency:USD Category:Collectibles Start Price:38,750.00 USD Estimated At:40,000.00 - 60,000.00 USD
John Kennedy Why England Slept Signed by Jackie
<B>John F. Kennedy. </B></I><B><I>Why England Slept.</B></I></B></I> New York: Wilfred Funk, Inc., 1940. <BR>First edition, sixth printing (October 1940). Inscribed by Jacqueline Kennedy on a front flyleaf: "For Jack/on this happiest Christmas/J./December 25, 1960." Additionally inscribed by Jacqueline Kennedy at a later date on a rear flyleaf: "President Kennedy kept this book on his/desk-in his office in the White House/Jacqueline Kennedy." Octavo (7.8125 x 5.25 inches). xxx, 252 pages.<BR><BR>Bound by Sangorski & Sutcliffe in full dark red crushed levant morocco. Covers with gilt single fillet border, spine panelled and lettered in gilt, board edges ruled in gilt, turn-ins ruled in gilt, all edges gilt, marbled endpapers. Spine very slightly faded, light rubbing to corners and spine extremities, a few small stains to the top and bottom edges, just entering the text, especially at the beginning and end. A few scattered pencil markings and underlining. An excellent copy.<BR><BR>This later printing of the first edition of <I>Why England Slept</B></I> is a copy that Jacqueline Kennedy had specially bound to give to "Jack" at Christmas 1960. It followed his dramatic victory in the Presidential election on November 8th, and even more closely the birth of the Kennedy's son, John Fitzgerald Kennedy, Jr. on November 25th. It was also at the point in time that might be considered the "birth of Camelot" as the Kennedy era became known, due to President Kennedy's affection for the British musical Camelot.<BR><BR>She apparently also had a copy of Robert F. Kennedy's <I>The Enemy Within </B></I>bound, which both she and Jack inscribed to Bobby Kennedy at Christmas 1960: "For Christmas that year, Jack and Jackie gave Bobby a red leather, gold-embossed copy of The Enemy Within. Jack teasingly inscribed it, 'To the Brother Within--who made the easy difficult, Jack, Christmas 1960.' Jackie's inscription read, 'To Bobby, who made the impossible possible and changed all our lives. With love, Jackie'" (Richard D. Mahony, <I>Sons and Brothers, The Days of Jack and Bobby Kennedy,</B></I> p. 87).<BR><BR>Jacqueline inscribed this copy at a later date, noting that President Kennedy kept this book on his desk in his office in the White House. This second, signed inscription by Jacqueline Kennedy, clearly made at a later date, obviously suggests that her intention was to authenticate the book and give a sense of its historical importance, an action that would have been taken by her, at some point after she left the White House, in anticipation of giving the book away, either as a personal gesture, or most likely to a charity auction. Indeed, our consignor informs us that a previous owner of the book received it from an aunt who had purchased it at such a charity auction, and that he now intends to donate a significant portion of the proceeds from this auction to colon cancer research and awareness.<BR><BR>This copy is most likely the copy of <I>Why England Slept</B></I> listed on the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library & Museum web page as "among the books that President Kennedy habitually kept on his desk" in the Oval Office, along with leather-bound copies of his other publications, <I>As We Remember Joe, Strategy of Peace, Profiles in Courage,</B></I> and <I>To Turn the Tide</B></I>.<BR><BR>A treasure of American history, with a warm, personal and touching inscription from Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy Onassis to Jack Kennedy, which he cherished and kept close to him in the Oval office through all the days, tumultuous and happy alike, of his presidency.<BR><BR><b>Shipping:</b> Requires 3rd Party Shipping (<a target="_blank" href="http://www.heritageauctions.com/common/shipping.php">view shipping information</a>)
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