Lennon, John

subtitle ("A foible") added in blue ink but deleted, corrections in blue ink to a further 5 words, 3 pages, large post 4to (10 x 8 in.; 255 x 202 mm, unwatermarked), stapled, slight creasing

see catalog
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

This macabre story, published on pp.17-19 of In His Own Write, in which Frank ("a responsible citizen with a wife and child") kills his wife after unexpectedly finding himself "twelve inches more tall heavy" on the bathroom scales, then attempts to return her body to her mother, is one of the most arresting and successful prose works in In His Own Write.  Tom Wolfe observed the distinct nature of Lennon's prose works in a piece originally written for Book Week in May 1964:

"He seems to take the general format for his stories, fables, playlets, poems and drawings from a British humorist named Spike Milligan. But the underlying bitterness of much of what Lennon writes about marriage and family life, for example, as well as his Joycean excursions into language fantasies, are something else altogether." (The Lennon Companion, p. 47)