KENENDY, John F. (1917-1963). Why England Slept. New York: Wilfred Funk, Inc., 1940.

Presentation copy of the first edition in the original dustjacket, signed and inscribed to Arthur Goldsmith by the author, "To a very old friend of the Kennedys with warmest regards – Jack Kennedy" on the front endpaper. Kennedy's first literary effort, based on his 1940 Harvard thesis, Appeasement at Munich (The Inevitable Result of the Slowness of Conversion of the British Democracy from a Disarmament to a Rearmament Policy).

Octavo (206 x 140mm). (Pages lightly toned at fore edge.) Original decorated red cloth boards (light rubbing at extremities, and toned pastedowns); original dustjacket with the $2.00 price on the inside front flap and review from Henry Luce on verso (minor tears and wear at edges). Provenance: Estate of Arthur Goldsmith (Remember When Auctions).

[With:] KENENDY, John F. (1917-1963). Autograph letter signed ("Jack K") to Arthur Goldsmith, n.p., n.d., c. 1940. Two pages, 268 X 184mm, on Stanford University stationery. Kennedy thanks Goldsmith for "sending me the issue of the Foreign Policy Bulletin - I appreciate your interest very much." Goldsmith was a Wall Street broker and a Harvard classmate of Jack's father, Joseph Kennedy. [Also with:] KENENDY, John F. (1917-1963). Typed letter signed ("Jack Kennedy") to William Garvin, Hyannis Port, 27 August 1940. One page, 265 x 184mm. Concerning Garvin's invitation to speak at a book fair: "I would be delighted to speak … but I would appreciate it very much if you would suggest the type of talk usually given, whether about the book, how it came to be written, or what it is about, or whether I should speak on some related topic."