The Border Signed Inscribed 1st Edition 1st Printing 2017

A particularly appealing signed copy of Schafer's debut novel, a young-adult thriller following four Mexican teenagers - Pato, Arbo, Marcos, and Gladys - who flee the cartel responsible for murdering their families and attempt the dangerous crossing of the Sonoran Desert into the United States. Published September 5, 2017, The Border approached immigration through the experiences and motivations of the migrants themselves rather than treating the border simply as a political abstraction. Contemporary Kirkus Reviews called the novel "messy and thrilling, flawed and often brilliant," and classified it for readers ages 14-18. Schafer's own background is unusually pertinent: he had spent years working, volunteering, and traveling in Latin America, and his graduate training included international studies at the University of Pennsylvania's Lauder Institute. This is a confirmed First Edition, First Printing. The copyright page states copyright 2017 and carries the complete printer's number line "VP 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1," establishing first-printing status. The copyright page also credits Sourcebooks, Inc. with the cover and internal design and Kerri Resnick with "cover branding." The striking jacket uses black barbed wire against an overcast sky, with red fibers caught in the wire - an unusually effective visual extension of the novel's themes of borders, danger, and entrapment. The publisher subsequently issued the trade paperback in August 2018, making this 2017 hardcover the original format. Condition: Near Fine / Near Fine. Black paper-covered boards remain clean and square, with bright white spine lettering and a firm binding; interior is clean. Original dust jacket retains the U.S. price and presents very well, showing only light handling/edge evidence, with no significant chips or tears apparent. Most importantly, the half-title bears Schafer's substantial presentation inscription, signed and dated December 22, 2017, only a little over three months after publication. There is a nice bibliographic story here. The Border was not merely Schafer's first novel; it later became a finalist for the Joan F. Kaywell "Books Save Lives" Award, specifically recognized for the empathetic way it addresses immigration. Schafer's current biography also notes that he has since published a second YA novel, eMortal (2024), dealing with the ethics of rapidly developing artificial intelligence. Thus this is the first printing of the book that launched his fiction career, inscribed during its publication year. Schafer is an American YA novelist whose interests center on contemporary social and technological questions. His experience includes living, working, studying, volunteering, and traveling in more than 65 countries across six continents. He holds a master's degree in International Studies from the Lauder Institute at the University of Pennsylvania as well as an MBA from Wharton. The Border was his debut novel.…