In the Mecca. By Gwendolyn Brooks. First Edition, First Printing. Harper & Row. New York, 1968.

American poet Gwendolyn Brooks was one of the twentieth century’s most celebrated writers. She produced outstanding works that led to her winning the Pulitzer Prize for Poetry, becoming the first Black woman to win a Pulitzer. Some of her poems consistently appear in high school and college classrooms to this day. In this volume, In the Mecca, Brooks provides a long narrative poem alongside several other short poems in a collection that was highly praised by critics. The titular poem is set in a Black Chicago neighborhood, capturing the culture and place that Brooks was deeply familiar with. She was a longtime resident of Chicago and grew up in the city’s South Side. For any Brooks collector, In the Mecca is an essential volume. It contains exceptional poetry and a glimpse into the personal experiences of Brooks herself.

This first edition, first printing is in near-fine condition. In the original cloth, near-fine with only rubbing to edges. Text block fine. In the original dust jacket, near-fine with only minor rubbing and bumping to edges.

A near-fine first edition by Gwendolyn Brooks.