A ROOM OF ONE'S OWN. Earle Birney's Copy.
Toronto: McClelland & Stewart, Limited, [1932]. First Canadian Edition. First (or possibly an early reprint?) of the extremely scarce Canadian edition. Octavo, original blue cloth lettered in gilt on spine. 199 pp. Formerly, Canadian poet Earle Birney's copy, signed by him on the front fixed endpaper. Front free endpaper lacking; light wear to cloth at edges, some small stains to cloth, spine lettering dull. An uncommon edition, and certainly an uncommon association. Item #312546
¶ A ROOM OF ONE'S OWN is a major political essay by Woolf, wherein she shows how societal prejudice against women forms and distorts their lives. Earle Birney would have been entirely sympathtic with her views; Birne(1904-1995) was a much loved Canadian poet, famous for his emotive poetics. The provenance here is unknown - I first had this book several decades ago, and sold it along; recently, I got it back, but I cannot for the life of me remember where I originally obtained it. I do know that I met Birney as a young child, when visiting my grandfather's property on Bowen Island in the mid 1960's my mum introduced me to "a poet" who was beachcombing - that was Birney. But I was about 6 years old, and I'm pretty sure that he didn't give me this book back then.
Price: $100.00