Sold For $8,054
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John F. Kennedy’s personally-owned first edition of Challenge to Karl Marx by John Kenneth Turner, published by Reynal & Hitchcock of New York in 1941, hardcover, 6 x 8.75, 455 pages, signed three times on the first free end page in black ink, “John F. Kennedy, 1941” and “John F. Kennedy, 1949,” and in blue ink, “John F. Kennedy, 50,” who has added handwritten pencil notations to the margin of five pages, with Kennedy underlining or bracketing select passages to a total of 20 pages. Both the front pastedown and the signed first page bear Kennedy’s ownership stamp.
Kennedy’s handwritten notes read: “Similarly, feeling among American Communists that they must defend Russia, in order to defend Communism - Wrong!” (page 6); “Theory that middle class would disappear seems disproved - increase in their numbers” (page 29); “How about the small farms, very small percentage of the total, farm revenue?” (page 38); “After this war, America, if victorious, will be faced with the problem of trying to compete for markets where the buying power is low, and still keeping standards high at home,” (page 41); and “Seems a little weak here” (page 43). Autographic condition: fine, with some scattered staining to the signed page. Book condition: VG-/None, with edgewear, a stain at the head of the spine, and toning to endpapers.
Accompanied by a second printing of the 128-page paperback booklet entitled “100 Things You Should Know About Communism,” dated August 15, 1949, prepared and released by the Committee on Un-American Activities, U.S. House of Representatives, Washington, D.C.
A desirable triple-signed book held by Kennedy on three separate occasions, including twice as a Massachusetts congressman. The first time Kennedy signed this book, and ostensibly added all of these annotations, was prior to his joining of the United States Naval Reserve on September 24, 1941. That the book is about communism is all the more pertinent given JFK’s vocal opposition to its ideology, which was no louder than during his presidency when tensions with communist states were at an all-time high. A marvelous Kennedy keepsake of considerable autographic and historical interest.
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