The Natural.

First edition of the author's first book, and one of the greatest baseball novels of all time. Octavo, original cloth. Presentation copy, inscribed by the author on the front free endpaper, "To Richard L. Neuberger for daring to lead with sincere best wishes Bernard Malamud Corvallis Oregon 1954." The recipient, Richard L. Neuberger (1912-1960) was an American journalist, author, and politician. He served in the Oregon House of Representatives and was elected to the U.S. Senate in 1954. A laid in letter of provenance signed by David Curry notes: 'An outspoken liberal, [Neuberger] died at the untimely age of 47 while campaigning for reelection. Neuberger quarreled openly and bitterly with Wayne Morse, the senior U.S. senator from Oregon who case the single vote against the Tonkin Bay Resolution authorizing U.S. military involvement in Vietnam. Their relationship began when Neuberger was a law student at the University of Oregon, where Morse was then a dean and faculty member. When Morse gave Neuberger a grade of 'D' in a class and Neuberger complained, Morse changed the grade to 'F.'' Very good in a very good dust jacket. Cover art by Simon Goltche. With the bookplate of Richard L. Neuberger to the pastedown. Housed in a custom clamshell box.