A Sense of Where You Are

New York: Farrar , Straus and Giroux, 1965. First Edition. Hardcover. Fine/near fine. Association copy inscribed by Bill Bradley with two handwritten letters by John McPhee. Fine in an about near fine jacket, unclipped ($3.75), faded on the spine, lightly rubbed on the back panel. Black cloth with gilt lettering on the spine. Square and firmly bound, clean and seemingly unread. A unique copy warmly inscribed on the title page by Bill Bradley to Peter Briggs, an accomplished educator who served as the headmaster at a number of prep schools. McPhee acknowledges that fact in his letter, written on Princeton University letterhead, addressed to Payson Stewart Briggs. McPhee writes in part that Payson was "born very close to the time when I was a visiting writer at Western Reserve Academy and your father was headmaster there." This connection betwen McPhee and Peter Briggs explains the second handwritten letter by McPhee. Written on a folded 8.5x11" piece of paper, McPhee addresses Peter Briggs and writes, "Two of my nephews, now 47 and 55, went to The Potomac school. I hope this inscription is what you had in mind. Sandy sends his best wishes to you. Regards, John." It appears that Peter Briggs sent this copy to John McPhee so McPhee could get it inscribed by Bill Bradley. Perhaps it was Briggs cashing in on a favor earned years ago at the Western Reserve Academy. Regardless, a one-of-a-kind copy of McPhee's debut.