Description

Franklin library leather edition of Tim O'Brien's "Tomcat in Love," a First edition, Frontispiece by Kim Barnes, PERSONALLY SIGNED by TIM O'BRIEN, one of the SIGNED FIRST EDITION SOCIETY series, published in 1998. Bound in pea green leather, the book has decorative paper end leaves, acid-free paper, Symth-sewn binding, a satin book marker, gold gilding on three edges---in FINE condition---SHRINK WRAPPED. William Timothy "Tim" O'Brien, who born in1946, is an American novelist and the author of interrelated short stories inspired by his experiences in the Vietnam War. O'Brien, who was born in Minnesota, earned his BA in Political Science from Macalester College in 1968 and that same year was drafted into the U.S. Army and sent to Vietnam where he served from 1969-70. After the service, he attended HARVARD. "Tomcat in Love" is partly about his irrational reaction to the end of his marriage. Thomas Chippering returns to his (fictitious) home town, Owago, Minnesota. Emotionally spent, he trespasses on the backyard of the house where he grew up. The current resident, Mrs. Robert (Donna) Kooshof, finds him but is surprisingly attracted to him. Donna rashly agrees to participate in Tom's madcap scheme of revenge against his ex-wife, Lorna Sue, her brother, Herbie, and her new husband, known only as "the tycoon." Tom, Lorna Sue and Herbie have been close friends — or at least companions — since childhood. The proximate cause of Lorna Sue leaving Tom was that Herbie revealed to her that Tom has been keeping a lifelong record of his infatuations and dalliances. While planning his revenge, Tom also maintains his position as a faculty member at the University of Minnesota. As in years past, Tom eagerly assists his female students with their writing projects, but at this point, one of these students decides to accuse Tom of sexual harassment. Tom loses his job and returns to Owago to live with Donna. Tom finds a job as an instructor at the Owago Community Day Care Center and starts teaching Shakespeare to four-year-olds. Tom's revenge involves trying to break up Lorna Sue's new marriage by innuendo. When this goes awry, Tom plans to burn down the Zylstra's house in Owago. Tom gathers mason jars, gasoline and firecrackers to this end. But the resolution to the plot occurs when Lorna Sue steals Tom's bombs and threatens burn down her own house. Tom is able to get over his dependence on Lorna Sue. At the end, Tom and Donna move to a Caribbean island and live comfortably together. Tom's flirtatious nature, while not reformed, is kept in check. O'Brien has held an endowed chair at the Texas State University where he has taught every other year since 2004. In June 2013, he was awarded the $100,000 Pritzker Military Library Literature Award. I offer Combined shipping.