The Exorcist

New York: Harper & Row, 1971 First edition, first printing. Publisher's burgundy cloth-backed paper-covered boards, with publisher's device in blind to front board, and spine lettered in silver foil; in its original black dust jacket designed by Frederick Cantor, with an eerie photo of a girl to front panel, lettered in white, and a photo of Blatty by Tippi Hedren to rear panel. Fine book, with just some light spotting to top edge; near fine unclipped dust jacket, with very light toning to spine, a touch of wear to spine ends, and a couple of small nicks to panels. Overall, a great copy of this horror masterwork. The Exorcist is Peter William Blatty's (truncated) classic horror novel, about a young girl named Regan who inexplicably begins to exhibit severe and disturbing psychological and physical symptoms. After various treatments fail, the girl's mother, as a last resort, enlists the help of a local priest who happens to be going through a crisis of faith at the time. Blatty was inspired to write the story after hearing about the exorcism of Roland Doe while he was attending Georgetown University in 1949. A massively successful book, The Exorcist was adapted into a groundbreaking 1973 film directed by William Friedkin. The first horror film to be nominated for Best Picture, and winner of two other Oscars, the film continues to reverberate in society as a cultural touchstone. . First Edition. Hard Cover. Fine/Dust Jacket Included. (Inventory #: WPB002)