Carrie.

First edition of the novel that launched King's career, with 'First Edition' stated on the copyright page and 'P6' in the gutter of page 199. Octavo, original maroon cloth. Association copy, boldly inscribed by the author on the second endpaper in the month of publication, "For Burt Hatten - the first real thinker I encountered at the University of Maine - possibly still the best! Thanks for the intelligent review - Best regards Stephen King April 12, 1974." The recipient, distinguished professor of English at the University of Maine at Orono Burt Hatlen, played a pivotal role in shaping Stephen King's literary development. As King’s favorite professor during his undergraduate years, Hatlen not only inspired his intellectual curiosity but also encouraged his early efforts at serious writing. Their relationship extended beyond the classroom; Hatlen became a mentor and lasting influence, helping to cultivate King's critical engagement with literature and his evolving narrative voice. King’s later success as a novelist remained deeply rooted in the academic and personal guidance he received from Hatlen during his formative years at the university. While Hatlen did not publish a commercial review of Carrie, he wrote about the novel in an academic and deeply thoughtful context—particularly in his scholarly essay “Stephen King and the American Dream,” where he examined Carrie and King’s early work through the lens of American cultural and literary traditions. In the present inscription to Hatlen, King thanks him for this essay, referring to it as a review and acknowledging its significance. Hatlen’s influence is further affirmed in King’s afterword to Lisey’s Story, where he calls Hatlen “the greatest English teacher I ever had,” underscoring the lasting impact of their relationship on his writing career. Fine in a very good dust jacket. Jacket design and author photograph by Alex Gotfryd. One of the finest association extant, presented by King to one of the most influential figures in his literary career.