Anais Nin was born in Paris and later became a U.S. citizen. She was the first woman to champion in print the books of D. H. Lawrence and Henry Miller. Often, when no publisher would bring out her books, she self-published them. Meanwhile, in America, Alan Swallow's press in Denver was becoming the principal Colorado publisher; he also offered an open door to many new writers and those like Nin (he became her main U. S. publisher). When Swallow died in 1966, his press was purchased by another publisher in Chicago, which kept Nin's works in print. So the many copies of this title published by The Swallow Press in Chicago are reprints; those few available hardbacks published as by "Alan Swallow" in Denver are the true U. S. Firsts (it was originally published in Paris in 1954).
The book has 140 pages, with some full-page illustrations. This copy is modestly bumped on one cover corner and at the spine bottom. There are also some clippings on and by Nin glued to the ffep (which is why I've reduced the condition grade from Near Fine). The jacket is somewhat sunned on the spine, has tiny chips at the spine bottom and there is some other light wear on edges and folds. Overall, a nice copy.