signed-firsts

To the Bright and Shining Sun (1970) Signed First Edition Reference

Approx. 1 min read · 5 May 2026

To the Bright and Shining Sun was James Lee Burke’s second novel, published in 1970. Set in the coal-mining country of eastern Kentucky rather than Burke’s usual Louisiana, the novel follows a young man caught between the dying coal industry, union violence, and the pull of a different life. Burke drew on the Appalachian poverty and industrial conflict of the era to create a novel that reads almost like social realism — a marked departure from the Cajun landscapes of his debut.

First Edition Identification

Publisher: Charles Scribner’s Sons, New York Publication date: 1970 Format: Hardcover in dust jacket

Small printing from a literary publisher. First editions are identifiable by the Scribner’s “A” on the copyright page.

Signed Copy Market Values

Signed first edition, fine/fine: $800–$2,500
Unsigned first edition: $100–$300

Even scarcer than Half of Paradise in signed state, as Burke had moved between publishers and had not yet established a public following. Most signed copies were signed years or decades after publication. The Kentucky setting makes this an outlier in Burke’s bibliography, which adds interest for collectors who want to see the full range of Burke’s early work.