Of the Farm (1965) Signed First Edition Reference

Of the Farm (1965) is one of John Updike’s most concentrated and technically accomplished novels — a brief, taut narrative of a single weekend visit by Joey Robinson, his second wife Peggy, and his stepson Richard to Joey’s mother’s farm in Pennsylvania. The tensions among the four characters — the mother’s resentment of the second wife, the wife’s defensiveness, the son’s guilt, the stepson’s watchfulness — play out against the landscape of the farm with an intensity that borders on chamber drama. Published by Alfred A. Knopf, the novel is only 173 pages but contains some of Updike’s finest prose and most perceptive characterization.

First Edition Identification

Publisher: Alfred A. Knopf, New York Publication date: 1965 Format: Hardcover, 173 pages First printing indicator: “First Edition” on the copyright page

Moderate first printing. The novel was well-received but did not achieve the commercial success of Couples three years later.

Signed Copy Values

• Flat-signed: $150–$400
• Inscribed: $250–$700

Lower-tier pricing, appropriate for a short novel that lacks the cultural impact of the Rabbit novels or Couples. The slim format and the novel’s quiet domestic subject matter limit its appeal to casual collectors, but serious Updike readers often cite it as among his finest achievements.

The Olinger Connection

Of the Farm is set in the rural Pennsylvania landscape of Updike’s childhood — the territory he called “Olinger” in his short stories and returned to throughout his career. For collectors interested in the Olinger/Shillington strand of Updike’s work, this novel pairs naturally with The Centaur, the Olinger stories in Pigeon Feathers, and Self-Consciousness.

Market Notes

Available and affordable. A strong choice for collectors who prioritize literary quality over market value — one of the Updike novels that specialists love and the general market underprices.