Description
The first edition, first printing of MASH: A Novel About Three Army Doctors, signed by “Richard Hooker,” the pen name of Army surgeon H. Richard Hornberger, M.D.
Octavo, 219pp, [1]. Brown cloth over white spine. Title stamped in black on the spine, slight staining above. No additional printings noted on copyright page. Top edge dyed black. Ownership inscription on the front pastedown. In the publisher’s first state dust jacket, $4.95 on the front flap, sunning to the spine, some rubbing to the tips, small stain along the front hinge, a very good example of this scarce dust jacket.
Signed on the title page by “Richard Hooker.”
MASH: A Novel About Three Army Doctors by Richard Hooker was based on H. Richard Hornberger’s own experiences as a military surgeon during the Korean War. The novel was initially rejected by twenty different publishers, before being accepted by William Morrow and Company in 1968. Though it received modest attention upon release, it gained significant popularity after being adapted into Robert Altman’s 1970 film MASH and later the long-running television series. The book’s success led to a series of sequels, though they were largely written by co-author William E. Butterworth.
