Toronto: McClelland & Stewart, 1982. Brown and cream boards. Small abrasion to lower inner corners of front endpapers; text a bit yellowed, as usual, VG otherwise. Jacket has a short creased tear at foot of spine, VG otherwise. Author's first novel for adults, an autobiographical story about growing up Jewish in Australian and then coming to Montreal, taking up with a famous Canadian poet. Aviva Cantor was born in Sydney. She was Irving Layton's third wife for over 20 years. The novel was well received and caused quite a stir at the time, as Layton sued the Globe and Mail for suggesting the main male character, egotistical and preoccupied with his own greatness, was based on Irving Layton, who happened to be egotistical and never shy about blowing own horn, which, as the years rolled on, played the same old tunes a bit flat and with leaks. ; Octavo