Signed - Clancy Got Well by Jay R. Clancy from 1951
Clancy Got Well — Jay R. Clancy (Judge Ray Harrison), 1951 — Signed & Inscribed
This scarce AA-related volume, Clancy Got Well, was written by Judge Ray Harrison of Des Moines, Iowa, under the pseudonym Jay R. Clancy. Published in 1951 by McGrevey Book Store, it provides a deeply personal and unvarnished account of the author’s struggles with alcoholism and his recovery through Alcoholics Anonymous. Judge Ray H. played an important role in the growth of AA in Iowa, notably organizing the first AA group in the state.
This copy is signed and inscribed by the author, reading:
“To Ken: Hope you like my story – Judge Ray Harrison (Clancy)”
In the Foreword, Harrison emphasizes that the book contains “no fiction”—only the facts of his life before and after AA. His candid storytelling captures the two “lives of fantasy” that alcoholics often live: one in drinking, and one in sobriety.
Book Details:
Title: Clancy Got Well
Author: Jay R. Clancy (Judge Ray Harrison)
Publisher: McGrevey Book Store, Des Moines, Iowa
Year: 1951
Binding: Red hardcover with humorous illustration to cover and spine titling
Pages: 160
Edition: First Edition
Condition: Very good overall. Clean boards with only light shelf wear. Interior clean and tight; no markings beyond the author’s signed inscription. Some mild toning to endpapers consistent with age. A well-preserved example of this scarce title.
Significance: Signed copies of Clancy Got Well are highly desirable. Judge Ray H.’s legacy in early AA history, particularly in Iowa, makes this book an important artifact for collectors of Alcoholics Anonymous literature and history.
