Hockney's Alphabet.

One of 24 deluxe copies - signed. Signed by Hockney, Spender and 22 of the contributing authors.

Hockney has illustrated the alphabet and the authors have each taken their relevant letter as the inspiration for the composition; T.S. Eliot's letter to a Miss Quinn makes a double entry for Q, with that of William Golding's. An Elegy of X by Anthony Burgess is also used. The other contributors are Doris Lessing, William Boyd, Margaret Drabble, Martin Amis, William Golding, Patrick Leigh Fermor, Nigel Nicolson, Seamus Heaney, Douglas Adams, Julian Barnes, Craig Raine, Kazuo Ishiguro, Iris Murdoch, V.S. Pritchett, Erica Jong, Arthur Miller, John Julius Norwich, Susan Sontag, Joyce Carol Oates, John Updike, Norman Mailer, Ian McEwan, Gore Vidal, Anthony Burgess and Ted Hughes.

First edition, one of 24 numbered in Roman numerals reserved for the artist and editor, signed by Hockney and Spender as well as 22 of the contributors, folio (33 x 25 cm); publisher's vellum-backed blue boards, titles to spine gilt, top edge gilt, corresponding blue slipcase, a fine copy.