The Lost Get-Back Boogie (1986) Signed First Edition Reference

The Lost Get-Back Boogie has one of the most legendary publication histories in American fiction: Burke submitted the manuscript to 111 publishers over a thirteen-year period before Louisiana State University Press accepted it in 1986. The novel — about an ex-con and former country musician trying to start over in Montana — was nominated for a Pulitzer Prize, vindicating Burke’s stubborn refusal to give up on it.

The Book

The novel’s themes of redemption, addiction, and the weight of the past anticipate the Dave Robicheaux series that would begin the following year. The Montana setting provides a counterpoint to Burke’s Louisiana roots, and the protagonist’s struggle with alcoholism and violence foreshadows Robicheaux’s own demons.

First Edition Identification

Publisher: Louisiana State University Press, Baton Rouge Publication date: 1986 Format: Hardcover in dust jacket Note: LSU Press print runs are typically small

Signed Copy Market Values

• Signed first edition, fine/fine: $200–$600
• Inscribed copies: $300–$900
• Unsigned first edition: $50–$150

The 111-rejection story gives this book legendary status among writers and collectors. The Pulitzer nomination and the LSU Press small printing make first editions genuinely scarce.