Vineland. Boston: Little, Brown and Co., 1990. First edition, first printing, signed and inscribed by the author "to David Cowert, with high hopes and all good wishes!" with two photocopied documents regarding the provenance laid in. Publisher's boards, dust jacket. 9 x 6 inches (23 x 15 cm), 385 pp. A faint bump to the spine, pale spotting to the top and fore-edges not affecting the interior, the jacket with a few spots of light wear at spine ends and corners, a tiny spot of bubbling to the front panel, and uneven light toning, overall a very bright and crisp copy.

Signed books by the famously reclusive Thomas Pynchon are very rare. This copy was inscribed to the English professor and Pynchon scholar, David Cowert (author of Thomas Pynchon: The Art of Allusion, one of the earliest critical studies of the author), and it includes two supporting documents explaining the circumstances behind the book's signing. Cowert's student and friend, Chase Crossingham, was a noted book collector who corresponded with a variety of authors, including Pynchon. Before attending Cowert's wedding, he mailed Pynchon this copy of Vineland and asked him to sign it. A copy of Pynchon's reply to the student, dated Hallowe'en 1991, states, "Well here you go. It's ok if you want to send your own copy along - I'd be delighted to sign it. Hope it's a great wedding, eats, music and so forth. Have fun." Also included is a photocopy of the title page of Crossingham's signed copy of Vineland.