Close Encounters of the Third Kind. By Steven Spielberg. First Edition, First Printing. Delacorte. New York, 1977.

Steven Spielberg is the Father of the Blockbuster. His directing credits include countless major films–everything from Jaws to Schindler’s List. He is the highest grossing director of all time. Close Encounters of the Third Kind was one of his first major achievements. It is the story of alien abductions and UFO appearances. With a score by John Williams and outstanding performances by Richard Dreyfuss and Melinda Dillon, the film received numerous awards and broke box office records. The novelization was first published alongside the film in 1977. Although Spielberg is given author’s credits on the book, he has since admitted that the majority of the work was drafted by ghostwriter Leslie Waller. Spielberg had authored the screenplay and reviewed Waller’s novelization, but most of the novel’s text, according to Spielberg, ought to be credited to Waller. Still, the novel, like the film, was exceptionally popular. It surpassed expectations and helped to establish Spielberg’s long career.

This first edition, first printing is in fine condition. In the original quarter cloth, fine. Text block fine. In the original dust jacket, fine.

A fine first edition of Close Encounters of the Third Kind.