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The Todd Dossier: A Disquieting Novel About a Change of Heart, by Collier Young 1969 First Printing HBDJ

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The Todd Dossier: A Disquieting Novel About a Change of Heart, by Collier Young 1969 First Printing HBDJ The Todd Dossier: A Disquieting Novel About a Change of Heart, by Collier Young 1969 First Printing HBDJ The Todd Dossier: A Disquieting Novel About a Change of Heart, by Collier Young 1969 First Printing HBDJ

SYNOPSIS:  187 pages. Front jacket flap synopsis pictured here. Also, about the creation of the book itself: Story about a heart transplant, peformed to save the life of one of the world's richest men, that has a complicated and sinister background. It's been said that the character of Hollis Todd, "a flamboyant and dynamic multimillionaire who possesses everything in the world, except a good heart," was modeled after Howard Hughes. Although it's widely known that the book was written by Robert Bloch, to imply that "Collier Young" was a Bloch pseudonym (as do several bibliographies I consulted) rather obscures the fact that Collier Young was an actual person -- a noted Hollywood agent turned writer-producer (and husband, successively, of Ida Lupino and Joan Fontaine). However, even "ghostwritten" doesn't get it quite right. The story actually began life in 1968 as a film project for Cinema Center Films, an "original" by Young, John Gregory Dunne and Joan Didion. It was announced that Dunne and Didion would write the screenplay (which would have been their first), and a few months later that Bloch had been hired to "novelize" their treatment for publication. The movie was never made, and it would seem that Young then exercised some contractual right to issue the book under his name instead of Bloch's.

Publisher: Delacorte Press, New York. 1969 Stated First Printing.

Format: Hardback with dust jacket. NOT an EX LIB.

Condition: Jacket in Very Good condition with minor signs of wear. Unclipped flaps with $4.95 retail still showing. Does have damp stain along top and right edge of BACK flap. Inner volume in Very Good condition with damp stain along top and back edge which is associated with the stain to jacket flap. Bright red cloth boards with black and silver foil graphics and lettering. Inner pages in excellent condition, very tiny stamp under title on one of the two title pages, and some sort of label residue on inside solid black endpaper opposite inner front cover. No other markings, tears, or other flaws noted. Still tightly and solidly bound. Photos illustrate condition of overall volume.

See Grading Scale page for explanation of grades. Photos of any obvious condition issues will be provided.

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