America’s First Spaceman — First Edition, First Printing — Alan Shepard / Project Mercury — 1962 — Dust Jacket

First Edition, First Printing. America’s First Spaceman by Jewel Spangler Smaus and Charles B. Spangler. Garden City, New York: Doubleday & Company, Inc., 1962. 159 pages. Stated “FIRST EDITION” on the copyright page. An early biography of Alan B. Shepard Jr., published the year after Shepard became the first American to travel into space aboard Freedom 7 on May 5, 1961. Written by Jewel Spangler Smaus and Charles B. Spangler, the book traces Shepard’s life from his childhood in East Derry, New Hampshire, through Annapolis, his wartime and naval aviation experiences, test-pilot training, selection as one of the original Mercury Seven astronauts, and ultimately his historic Freedom 7 mission. Profusely illustrated with black-and-white photographs, including material drawn from the Shepard family collection. Published during the earliest years of the American human spaceflight program, making it an appealing period piece from the Project Mercury era rather than a later retrospective biography. Bound in the publisher’s original hardcover binding and retaining the original pictorial dust jacket designed by Albert Orbaan, featuring Shepard in his Mercury pressure suit and the Freedom 7 capsule. The original $2.50 price remains intact on the front flap. Condition: Very Good in Good dust jacket, based on the photographs shown. The book appears well preserved with expected light age toning. Original dust jacket remains substantially complete and retains strong red, blue and black coloring, with general rubbing and edge wear, small chips and short tears at the extremities, and some wear along the spine. Most notably, there is an area of surface abrasion/paper loss on the upper-right portion of the front jacket panel, affecting the red field but not the title lettering or astronaut image. Additional smaller areas of rubbing and surface wear are present. Original $2.50 price remains intact on the front flap. Jacket is housed in a clear protective cover. Interior pages shown appear clean and well preserved. Please refer to photographs for condition. An appealing first edition from the dawn of the American space program, documenting Alan Shepard and Project Mercury only one year after his historic flight.…