The Fat Woman's Joke [with] The Fat Woman's Joke 1966 typescript.

Presentation copy - with signed 1966 typescript. First edition inscribed twice by the author in ink to the front free endpaper, together with the signed typescript dated 1966.

The first inscription reads: 'To Derek / without whom, etc.... / Fay'. The recipient, Derek Bennett, was the producer of Weldon's television play, The Fat Woman's Tale, originally screened in September 1966. Bennett and Weldon worked together on a number of occasions through the 1970s and 1980s. The second inscription refers to the first and reads, 'For Ray - a very special / copy indeed: end of that / see my autobiography - / Fay Weldon / 21.7.92'.

Together with the book is the typescript of the novel, signed by Weldon on the title page, which is dated June 1966, 3 months before the screenplay aired. A cursory comparison between the typescript and the published text has indicated light but substantive differences throughout.

First edition, twice inscribed by the author; 8vo; light toning to leaves, very occasional light marks; publisher's red cloth, gilt lettering to spine, corners and spine ends slightly bumped, with the unclipped pictorial dust-jacket by John Farman, slightly toned and marked, light edgewear, some dampstaining to lower edge, otherwise very good; with the 1966 typescript, signed by the author, a few tears to first and last few pages, rust marks from an old bulldog clip, slight creasing and age toning, but very interesting nonetheless; 114pp.