Fun Whilte It Lasted. (Inscribed to His Santa Barbara Friends with an Original Pen and Ink Sketch)

Octavo. First printing. 392(1) pages illustrated by the author. Signed and inscribed by the author along with a portrait drawing titled "Old Matador" by the author. A fascinating autobiography of the remarkable bull fighter, portrait painter, journalist, and San Francisco El Matador night club which was where Herb Caen held court. From his early friendship with Sinclair Lewis to the bull fighting ring, to his art career where his images of Steinbeck, Capote, Bradbury, and many others made him the most famous portrait painter in America. A near fine copy bound in black cloth lettered in silver, ruled in blue, spine lettering silver and ruled in blue, on corners only slightly bumped, in a very good unclipped dust jacker lettered in black and blue tiny chips to spine ends, tiny closed edge tear to upper edge of front panel, each jacket flap has a crease, previous owner's bookplate on rear free endpaper. A very good copy with a few pieces of ephemera laid in including invitations.