Long Live Man.

inscribed to Jean Seberg and Romain Gary - with the author's personal corrections

An exceptional association copy, with autograph corrections and additions to seven poems, inscribed by the author in blue ink to the title page: 'For Jean, my only movie star - whose humanness celluloid were at a loss to render unreal and for Romain, a fellow singer, and spirit - love, Gregory P.S. This is the only copy in which I have made personal corrections - surely when you see the completion of a film you've made you wish you could have done some scenes differently - so the same for poems + the poet - I feel this book to be my finest work - mine "Breathless" + " Roots of Heaven" - on spirit I always hold you + Romain fondly + well - Romain helped me when I was in dire need once - you both did.'

This inscription is accompanied by a long note written after the last poem in the collection, Writ on the Eve of My 32nd Birthday:

'a poem like this shouldn't be too long, or talk too much, I feel – yet I hate to omit anything so truly heartfelt – but it makes no difference – to end it – the world owes me a million dollars is happy. Tongue in cheek, audacity – to continue it as I do is to crowd too much feeling into a single poetry – like old letters, I can't stand to read my yesterday's poems – Basta – the poesy to follow this can't help but be goodly wisely compassionate expressions of heart and spirit – whoops! I just remembered that the world only owes me 999,900 dollars as Romain once bestowed 100 dollars to me when I was in dire need, but truly I owe the world everything and it owes me nothing – so as a gentleman I must return his aid to him, someday, when I get lots of doubloons – I wish both of you the loveliest of things and non-things – Gregory.'

From the library of Jean Seberg and Romain Gary. This copy is likely the only witness to date of Romain Gary's meeting with one of the major members of the Beat Generation.

First edition, first printing, inscribed by the author with his personal corrections; 8vo; publisher's pictorial wrappers, cover design by Gilda Kuhlman, very slight rubbing to extremities, rear cover slightly toned; housed in custom grey chemise and slipcase by elbel libro.