Description
Signed first edition of Albert Einstein’s Out Of My Later Years.
Octavo, viii, 282. Blue cloth, title printed on spine, author’s signature in gilt on cover. First printing, with no additional printings mentioned on copyright page. Clean text throughout, appears unread. Frontispiece portrait by Lotte Jacobi. In the publisher’s dust jacket, retail price of $4.75 on front flap, faint toning to spine, a near fine example. Signed by Albert Einstein on the front free endpaper and dated “55.”
This copy was signed by the author shortly before his death. On April 17th, 1955, Einstein suffered an abdominal aortic aneurysm and was taken to Princeton Hospital in New Jersey. He refused surgery, saying “I want to go when I want. It is tasteless to prolong life artificially. I have done my share, it is time to go. I will do it elegantly.” He died the following morning at the age of 76, leaving the draft of a speech commemorating the 7th anniversary of Israel unfinished at the hospital.
