Beautiful copy of John Steinbeck's acceptance speech for the Nobel Prize for Literature, signed by Steinbeck on the title page without a personalized inscription. New York: Viking Press. Signed ''John Steinbeck'' in blue ballpoint, with an additional notation above reading ''love & kisses / from''. Steinbeck gave this to his typist Mary Morgan, with whom he had a flirtatious relationship.

On the Citation page, the famous quote by the Nobel Committee reads, ''To John Steinbeck, United States, for his at one and the same time his realistic and imaginative writings, combining as they do sympathetic humour and keen social perception.'' Booklet spans 10 pages and measures 5.75'' x 8.875'', in original brown and red wrappers. Split starting along foldline of wrapper, overall near fine condition.