"Anno's U.S.A." by Mitsumasa Anno - 1983

This First USA edition copy of “Anno’s U.S.A.”, by Mitsumasa Anno, was published in 1983 by Philomel Books of New York and printed in Japan. This book is copy number 363 of a limited edition of 1000 copies. It is signed by the author, in both Japanese characters and by the traditional “chop”, the signatures appearing on the Author’s Note page. The book, which measures approximately 9 x 9 ¾ inches, contains 50 pages of text and illustrations. Of the pages, only six have any text (Author’s Note, Limited Edition notice, Title page, Copyright page, and 2-page Afterword). The remaining 44 pages present wordless panoramas of a lone traveler as he approaches the New World from the West in the present day and journeys the width of the country backward through time, departing the east coast as the Santa Maria appears over the horizon.

The book is hard bound in red and tan cloth covered boards, with gilt printing on the spine. The book is enclosed in a well fitting slip case with a pictorial representation of a USA city in both modern and “primitive” states on the front face. Both the book and the slipcase are in fine condition.

The illustrations accompanying this description can provide a taste of the contents and quality of the book. They are:

• The front face of the slipcase

• The front cover of the book

• The Title page

• The Author’s Note

• Four (4) typical 2-page illustrations

Mitsumasa Anno (born 20 March 1926) is a Japanese illustrator and writer of children’s books, known best for picture books with few or no words. He received the international Hans Christian Anderson Medal in 1984 for his "lasting contribution to children's literature." Anno is best known for wordless picture books featuring small, detailed figures. In the "Journey" books, a tiny character travels through a nation's landscape, densely populated with pictures referencing that country's art, literature, culture, and history. Anno's illustrations are often in pen and ink and watercolor, and occasionally incorporate collage and woodcuts. They are intricately detailed, showing a sense of humor as well as an interest in science, mathematics, and foreign cultures. They frequently incorporate subtle jokes and references. Anno's style has been compared to that of M. C. Escher. [Wikipedia]