Wade Hall

The Smiling Phoenix: Souther Humor from 1865-1914 [Inscribed to Worth Bingham]

Gainesville, Fla. University of Florida Press, 1965. Very Good / Very Good. Item #003256

Gainesville, FL: University of Florida Press, 1965. First Edition. Signed by Wade Hall on front free endpaper to newspaper heir and reporter Worth Bingham with inscription, "For Mr. Worth Bingham / With my best wishes / Wade Hall / May, 1966." Quarto. 375 pages. Illustrated dust jacket with original $8.50 price intact; book in red boards with gilt lettering to spine.

Bingham, for whom the Worth Bingham Prize for Investigative Reporting is named after, was a member of the Louisville newspaper dynasty, but died in July 1966 at 34 in a surfboard/driving accident. His son Robert, an infant at the time, would go on to become a founding editor of Open City Magazine and write two acclaimed novels. He would die from a heroin overdose at age 33.

Jacket heavily chipped along edges, with front flap separated along fold, front panel separated along spine with tape repair to interior. Jacket now protected in removable, paper-backed mylar. Spine is faded and toned. Front board cracked at top and bottom of joint, but still holding securely. Binding otherwise sound. Some staining to top of text block but pages otherwise unmarked.

Price: $50.00