Imperial, William T. Vollmann. Inscribed First Edition.
Here's another Vollmann for y'all. (In case you haven't noticed, I'm quite the fan!) Imperial, published in 2009, is a monumental work, and at 1,344 pages is Vollmann's longest single-volume work to date. It took him over ten years to research and write. Divided into thirteen sections, it's a highly detailed, devastating and profoundly moving portrait of Imperial County in California, exploring the history, geography and economics of the region from 13,000 BC to the present day, with a particular focus on the US-Mexico border. The whole thing turns into a sort of allegory for the failed American idea, with Imperial acting as an aptly named focal point. This is the first printing, inscribed by Vollmann on the half-title page:
Inscription: