Hey Rube. [Advance uncorrected reader’s proof, “Author’s Correx copy”, dated 15 May 2004]

THOMPSON, Hunter S. (1937–2005). Hey Rube. New York: Simon & Schuster, [2004]. Advance uncorrected reader’s proof in original yellow printed wrappers, with manuscript revisions and Anita Thompson’s signed letter of provenance. The upper wrapper is inscribed “Author’s Correx copy” and dated “May 15 ’04”. Anita Thompson’s accompanying letter identifies the book as an “uncorrected proof with notes by Hunter and also Anita”. THE CORRECTION PROOF. The contents preserve an earlier arrangement, with each column numbered and dated beneath three part titles, “The Election”, “Bombs/September 11” and “Love & War”, and the preliminaries still read “Acknowledgments TK” and “Dedication TK”. On contents p. ix, “Lawyers über Alles” is struck through and replaced by “White House disease”, and in no. 9 “Dollars” is replaced by “Weapons”. “Über Alles” is deleted from no. 50, “The NFL über Alles”, and no. 81, “George Plimpton über Alles”. No. 83, “Beware of the KC Chiefs”, is struck through and queried “new title?”, and at the chapter head on p. 237 the printed heading is struck through and “Victory” written above. On the Honor Roll, p. 239, “The Sheriff” is struck through and queried, an “R” is inserted into “Sue Carolan” with a spelling query, Terry McDonnell’s name is queried, and an “M” appears beside Donald Corenman. The revisions are in two hands. The ink revisions, comprising the wrapper inscription, the new heading on p. 237 and the Honor Roll corrections, among them “The Sheriff” struck through in red, are attributed to Hunter S. Thompson. The pencil revisions in the contents are attributed to Anita Thompson, in accordance with her letter. The revised titles occur in the published text as compared in the book-club edition and the 2005 paperback. Hey Rube collects Thompson’s columns for the ESPN website, with a foreword by John Walsh, including no. 31, “Fear and Loathing in America: Beginning of the End”, his response to 11 September 2001. PROVENANCE. Owl Farm, Woody Creek, Colorado, according to Anita Thompson’s signed letter on Gonzo letterhead, which states that the book comes directly from Hunter S. Thompson’s personal library and in which, as his wife and the caretaker of Owl Farm, she affirms its authenticity. The publicity leaf bears the blind-embossed “Library of H.S.T. Hunter S. Thompson” seal; the present Owl Farm store also applies this seal to literature it ships, so the provenance rests on the signed letter. PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION. Octavo, approximately 235 mm tall, the text paginated to p. 239. Original yellow wrappers printed in black, the upper with the advance-proof statement and loan notice, the lower printed “NONMERCH0684028239”. Publicity leaf; title page with the Simon & Schuster imprint; copyright page, Gonzo International Corp., 2004, designed by Dana Sloan, number line 10 to 1, ISBN 0-684-87319-2. CONDITION. Near fine. The spine near fine, with a small chip at the foot. A few minor stains, most likely from Thompson’s handling while annotating and working with the copy, as is typical of books from his personal library. Scattered small brown spots to the publicity leaf, with a small stain beside the seal, and to contents p. xiii, which has a creased lower outer corner. The provenance letter has two horizontal folds. Atelier Zweig · Fine Books, Manuscripts & Works of Art · Item AZ-HST-HEY-RUBE-2004.…