The Smile at the Foot of the Bed
Tokyo, Japan: Japan Publishers Association, 1954. First Japanese Edition. Association copy, inscribed by Henry Miller to author Edwin Corle: “For Edwin Corle with illustrious gratification. Which language next? Hebrew, perhaps. Henry Miller 11/13/54.”. Octavo, 112, [4] pages, publisher's original dust jacket. Publisher's original cloth covered boards. Dust jacket now in a protective mylar sleeve. Text in Japanese. Association copy, inscribed by Henry Miller to author Edwin Corle, whose connection to the work is direct and significant. When The Smile at the Foot of the Ladder first appeared in English, it was accompanied by Corle’s essay, “About Henry Miller,” making him an actual contributor to the book’s original publication rather than a merely friendly recipient of a later presentation copy. As such, this inscribed Japanese edition has special appeal as an association copy, linking the translated appearance of the work to a writer who helped introduce and frame it for its early readership.
The Smile at the Foot of the Ladder is one of Henry Miller’s most unusual and affecting works, a short philosophical tale centered on a clown whose outward success conceals a deeper spiritual and emotional quest. First published in 1948, the work stands apart from Miller’s more overtly autobiographical and controversial writings, presenting instead a fable-like meditation on art, suffering, performance, and the search for genuine human connection. Both literary and allegorical, the book has long appealed to collectors of Henry Miller, modern literature, and existential or spiritually inflected twentieth-century fiction, and translated editions such as the Japanese issue testify to its international reach and enduring resonance.
Also included are a mailing label addressed to Henry Miller from Charles E. Tuttle, Bookseller, in Japan, and a couple of laid-in cards in Japanese dated 1954. Minor rubbing and wear, minor discoloration, else in very good + condition. Item #249
Price: $1,250.00