PULITZER PRIZE-WINNING VERSE IN WRAPS

Dove, Rita (b. 1952)

Thomas and Beulah [First Edition] [Pulitzer Prize Winner]

Pittsburgh: Carnegie-Mellon University Press, 1986.

This profound collection of verse serves as a poetic biography of the African American experience during the Great Migration, viewed through the intimate lens of a single marriage.

By splitting the narrative into two distinct sequences—'Mandolin' for Thomas and 'Canary in Bloom' for Beulah—Rita Dove explores the intersection of social history and domestic dignity. Awarded the Pulitzer Prize for Poetry in 1987, this work solidified Dove's reputation as one of the most significant voices in contemporary American literature and later led to her appointment as U.S. Poet Laureate.

KEY FEATURES
+++ Content: A novelistic narrative of 44 poems chronicling the lives of a Black couple from the rural South to the urban North. 
+++ Imprint: Carnegie-Mellon University Press, 1986 (First Edition, First Printing thus). 
+++ Note: Features the original Pulitzer Prize winner banner on the front wrap. 
+++ Cultural Significance: A landmark work in African American letters, capturing the frailty and complexity of the 20th-century 'Great Migration.' 
+++ Specs: 5.25 by 8.5 inches; 79, [1] pages. Trade Paperback 

CONDITION: The bindings are tight and square, showing no structural flaws. The internal pages are clean and free of markings, remaining bright and supple. The trade paperback wraps exhibit only minimal shelf handling wear and remain in gift quality condition. An exceptionally well-preserved example of this modern poetry staple.

HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE —
Rita Dove’s 'Thomas and Beulah' marked a shift in American poetry by merging the lyrical with the historical. Inspired by the lives of her own grandparents, Dove utilized the collection to give a voice to the 'ordinary' lives of Black Americans during a period of massive social upheaval.

The collection’s win of the 1987 Pulitzer Prize was a watershed moment, as Dove was only the second African American poet to receive the honor (following Gwendolyn Brooks in 1950). This recognition propelled her to the forefront of the literary world, eventually leading to her service as the Poet Laureate Consultant in Poetry to the Library of Congress.

While the trade paperback was produced in larger numbers than a fine-press hardcover, the 'first state' copies featuring the immediate Pulitzer recognition remain the preferred state for collectors of Modern Firsts and African American literature.

SUBJECTS: African American Poetry, The Great Migration, Pulitzer Prize Winners, 20th Century Marriage, Ohio History. GENRES: Poetry, African American Literature, Modern First Editions.

Item #21885
ISBN: 0887480217

Price: $35.00