Roddy Doyle.
 
Dublin: King Farouk Publishing, 1987. Octavo. Pictorial paper wraps, light crease on the back cover extending two inches from the heel of the spine, additional crease on the spine itself, lower right edge of the front cover slightly bumped. 104 pages. Inscribed first edition. Very good. 
 
A handsome and quite rare signed first edition of Doyle's first book, originally issued as a paperback, the first installment of his Barrytown Trilogy, adapted to film in 1991. Inscribed to Beat Queen, ex pat, and occultist Carolyn Cassady.  Doyle and Cassady were both reading at Whelan's on Wexford Street in Dublin. Promotional flyer for the event laid in. 
 
"Soul is the music people understand. Sure it's basic and it's simple. But it's something else 'cause, 'cause, 'cause it's honest, that's it. Its honest. There's no fuckin' bullshit. It sticks its neck out and says it straight from the heart. Sure there's a lot of different music you can get off on but soul is more than that. It takes you somewhere else. It grabs you by the balls and lifts you above the shite."