McCarthy, Cormac (1933-2023). All the Pretty Horses. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1992. – The Crossing. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1994. – Cities of the Plain. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1998.

THE BORDER TRILOGY. First editions of the books that first brought McCarthy mainstream success, all inscribed by him to his good friend, Bill Kidwell: "For Bill Kidwell / All the Best / From your friend Cormac." A fellow Tennessean, Kidwell knew McCarthy for over 50 years, first meeting him in 1963 in Knoxville. Kidwell was an artist, working early in his career as a technical illustrator for Lockheed Aircraft and later as an artist and photographer for National Geographic. He and McCarthy were next-door neighbors at one point and in 1972 they created a 15-foot section of mosaic sidewalk in downtown Maryville.

Three volumes, octavo. Original half black cloth over black boards (minor scuffing, second title with small area of dampstain visible on rear endpapers and a little along top edge). Pictorial dust-jackets (lightly rubbed, second title with dampstain visible to verso of rear dust-jacket panel). Provenance: Bill Kidwell (authorial inscriptions and ownership initials to front endpapers).