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Ewing, Frederick, R.
I, Libertine.
Publisher: Michael Joseph, London;
Date of Publication: 1957
Stock Code: 12937
First British edition, octavo, pp., 220. Red cloth covers with white titles to spine. Publisher’s original purple and yellow unclipped dust-jacket illustrated by Richard Barton. Dusty top edge and light toning to end-papers, with some sunning, nicks and creases to dust-jacket spine. Otherwise a very good copy. In 1955 popular New York City late night radio host and prankster Jean Shepherd invited his listeners to request copies of the fictitious 18th century erotic novel 'I, Libertine' by Frederick R. Ewing from their local bookshops. The hoax was so successful that bookshops across New York tried to order the non-existent book from publishing houses and 'I, Libertine' was 'banned in Boston' for being pornographic. After the Wall Street Journal revealed the truth, science fiction writer Theodore Sturgeon was hired to write the book. He based the story on the marital scandals of Elizabeth Chudleigh, Duchess of Kingston. Ballantine published the novel in 1956, and Michael Joseph acquired the British rights and published the first and only UK edition the following year. £125.00