Catalog 107, A
Edward Abbey's First Book, Inscribed
1. ABBEY, Edward. Jonathan Troy. NY: Dodd, Mead (1954). Abbey's first book, published when he was 27 and never allowed by the author to be reprinted. "Jonathan Troy" was a nom de plume that Abbey used in writing for his college literary journal and the subject of this novel -- a young firebrand who is, underneath, "morbidly romantic" -- suggests a certain amount of youthful posturing on Abbey's part. However, the elements of Troy's character -- his fierce independence manifesting itself in a disdain for authority and for others' opinions along with a finely tuned literary poetic sense -- strongly suggest the elements that would combine in later years to make Abbey's sensibility so potent and unique in such works as Desert Solitaire and The Monkey Wrench Gang. As an unsentimental ecologist, and one of the instigating figures in the radical environmental movement, Abbey helped dictate both the agenda and the terms of the debate for questions of development and exploitation versus preservation and conservation, both in the Southwest and, by extension, elsewhere throughout the country. This copy is inscribed by the author: "For ___ ____/ w/the best/from his friend/ Ed Abbey/ Tucson '79." Light wear to boards at spine ends, faint splatter to lower foredge; still near fine in a very good, price-clipped dust jacket with one thumbnail-size chip at the crown. A very attractive copy of a book that has become much harder to find in collectible condition in the past few years.
2. ADLER, Warren. The War of the Roses. (NY): Warner Books (1981). A humorous novel about a vicious divorce, which was the basis for the movie with Michael Douglas and Kathleen Turner. Fine in a fine dust jacket.
3. AGEE, James. Agee on Film. (NY): McDowell Obolensky (1958). Classic collection of film criticism and essays on film, by the author of Let Us Now Praise Famous Men and A Death in the Family. Agee was the film critic for The Nation and Time magazine between 1941 and 1948, and his writings took film seriously at a time when few considered the movies to be a legitimate art form. This copy is from the library of noted director Peter Bogdonavich (The Last Picture Show, Paper Moon, etc.), with his ownership stamp and signature. Cloth sunned; about near fine in a fair dust jacket splitting at the folds and stained on the spine. A good association copy.
4. AI. Killing Floor. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1979. Her second collection, the Lamont Poetry Selection for 1978 of the Academy of American Poets. The hardcover edition, inscribed by the author to African-American writer, Barry Beckham. Near fine in a very near fine, price-clipped dust jacket with a small sticker removal mark on the front panel. A nice association copy.
1999 National Book Award Winner
5. AI. Vice. NY: Norton (1999). A collection of poetry from her five previous titles, plus new poems. This copy is one of a self-made limited edition: signed and lettered by the author with a poem transcribed from the text, in holograph, on the flyleaf. Winner of the National Book Award for Poetry in 1999. Fine in a fine dust jacket.
6. AIKEN, Joan. The Wolves of Willoughby Chase. Garden City: Doubleday (1963). The author's second novel, and the first in her highly praised, ongoing "Alternate England/James III" series, which introduced one of the most memorable characters in modern children's literature -- Dido Twite. Aiken, the daughter of novelist Conrad Aiken, established herself with this title as one of the preeminent writers for children and this book has since come to be considered a classic. Aiken's combination of extravagant humor with dark fantasy and an elegant writing style elevates the series to the realm of literature, transcending the genre along with such writers as Tolkien and Ursula LeGuin. She has won various awards for her other fiction and mysteries, including a Guardian Prize. The Wolves sequence was selected by the Smithsonian Institution as part of its Notable Books for Children series. This is an advance copy of the first American edition, stamped "A Personal Reading Copy for Our Bookseller Friends, Whose Opinions and Criticism We Welcome and Value. Doubleday and Company" on the front pastedown, under the front flap. Very near fine in like dust jacket, designed by Edward Gorey -- with an image that continues to be used on the covers of the paperback of this title, which has never gone out of print since it was first published.
7. ALGREN, Nelson. The Devil's Stocking. NY: Arbor House (1983). The uncorrected proof copy of the last novel by the author of A Walk on the Wild Side and The Man With the Golden Arm. Posthumously published, with a foreword by Herbert Mitgang and a piece about Algren's last interview, written by the interviewer, W.J. Weatherby. Fine in wrappers.
8. -. Another copy. Fine in a near fine proof dust jacket.
9. ALLENDE, Isabel. Eva Luna. NY: Knopf, 1988. The uncorrected proof copy of the first American trade edition of her third book. Fine in wrappers and signed by the author.
10. ALLENDE, Isabel. Autograph Note Signed. September 9, 1989. Allende gives a magazine publisher the name and address of her translator, adding, "If someone else translates the article, could I read it?" The implication that she needn't read the piece if translated by her preferred translator is a nice show of faith. Fine, with mailing envelope.
11. ALVAREZ, Julia. How the Garcia Girls Lost Their Accents. Chapel Hill: Algonquin, 1991. The advance reading copy of her first work of fiction, a collection of interrelated stories. Winner of the PEN Oakland Award and a New York Times Book Review Notable Book of the year. Fine in wrappers.
12. AMBLER, Eric. Background to Danger. NY: Knopf, 1937. The first American edition of his second novel, published in England as Uncommon Danger, and one of the handful of spy thrillers he wrote in the late 1930s that helped revolutionize the genre, being both more realistic and more politically aware than earlier efforts in the field had been. Ambler's successful formula became a model for later writers of spy novels, including John Le Carré, who took the realism and realpolitik one step further. Mottling to joints; near fine in a very good dust jacket that is rubbed at the folds. An attractive copy of a scarce early novel.
13. AMIS, Martin. London Fields. NY: Harmony (1989). The uncorrected proof copy of the first American edition of his seventh novel, a fantasy of the near future that was short-listed for the Booker Prize. Signed by the author. Upper front corner abraded with a short tear there; still near fine in wrappers.
14. (Anthology). The Best American Short Stories 1988. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1988. The uncorrected proof copy. Contributors include Robert Stone, Louise Erdrich, Rick Bass, Raymond Carver, Gish Jen, Lucy Honig, Brian Kiteley, Mavis Gallant and Tobias Wolff. Fine in wrappers.
15. (Anthology). The Best American Essays 1988. NY: Ticknor & Fields, 1988. The uncorrected proof copy of this selection edited and introduced by Annie Dillard. With work by William Kittredge, Elizabeth Hardwick, Paul Horgan, Charles Simic, Mary Lee Settle, James McConkey, and others. Fine in wrappers.
16. (Anthology). Spiritual Quests. The Art and Craft of Religious Writing. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1988. The uncorrected proof copy of this collection of six talks given at The New York Public Library by Allen Ginsberg, Mary Gordon, Hugh Nissenson, Frederick Buechner, David Bradley and Jaroslav Pelikan. Edited by William Zinsser. An uncommon Ginsberg appearance. Fine in wrappers.
17. (Anthology). The Best American Short Stories 1989. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1989. The uncorrected proof copy. Edited by Margaret Atwood; with stories by Michael Cunningham, Larry Brown, Madison Smartt Bell, Robert Boswell, Charles Baxter, Harriet Doerr, Linda Hogan, Mark Richard, Bharati Mukherjee, Alice Munro, Mavis Gallant, and others. Fine in wrappers and proof dust jacket.
18. (Anthology). The Best American Sports Writing 1998. Boston: Houghton Mifflin (1998). The uncorrected proof copy of this collection of pieces that appeared in magazines in 1998. Edited by Bill Littlefield, with pieces by Thomas Boswell and David James Duncan, among others.
19. (Anthology). Advice to Writers. NY: Pantheon (1999). The uncorrected proof copy of a compendium of writerly wisdom compiled by Jon Winokur and including previously published, thematically arranged comments by hundreds of writers. A wonderful collection of snippets that range from the humorous to the profound and, more than occasionally, both.
20. AUCHINCLOSS, Louis. Correspondence. [1984-1986]. Two typed notes signed and two autograph postcards signed. The first note, typed on yellow legal paper and folded in eighths, requests additional copies of the premier issue of Art & Antiques magazine, in which an article of his appeared. In postscript: "I am sorry about the party of Friday, but my wife likes to leave for the country about five o'clock, and this is one of those concessions one makes in a happy marriage!" The first postcard also requests additional author copies; in the second postcard he apparently declines to write an article: "Sorry but Stubbs just isn't my thing." The typed note (typed by a secretary; signed by the author) requests author copies of a later issue of the magazine. Other than folding, all elements are fine.
21. AUCHINCLOSS, Louis. Correspondence. [1986-1987]. Two typed letters signed and two autograph letters signed. Each written to an editor at Art & Antiques magazine, and each touching on the subject of writing an article on the portraits of Greuze. The first two letters (both typed by a secretary and signed by Auchincloss) propose and develop the idea. The third, autograph, letter notes that he hasn't been able to find a sufficiently full portfolio of paintings. This letter also praises the editing on a Tiffany piece: "I think the expurgated piece was better than the full length!" The last letter requests assistance in finding photographs of all Greuze's portraits. Other than folds for mailing, this lot is fine, with three of the mailing envelopes included.
22. AUSTER, Paul. Autograph Note Signed. February 7, 1984. Auster transmits a proposal for an article (the proposal is not present) which "seems more and more exciting to me the more I think about it." He also proposes a "politic" fee for the piece, "something less than the maximum" as it his is first piece for them, and thanks the recipient for dinner. Folded in thirds for mailing, else fine, with hand-addressed envelope.
23. AUSTER, Paul. Autograph Letter Signed and Autograph Postcard Signed. September 1987. In the letter, Auster converses about a Blakeloch piece already written: "I wanted to say more about Blakeloch, but space restrictions hemmed me in, and much was cut from the article (so that I can barely recognize myself in what was finally printed.)" He seems willing to learn and write more about Blakeloch and speculates "I'm immersed in another book right now, but perhaps when it's done (in about six months or so), I can do something for you . . ." Auster also announces the recent arrival of his daughter, Sophie. The postcard thanks the recipient for sending him an article on Blakeloch. The letter is folded for mailing, otherwise both items are fine.
24. AUSTER, Paul. Autograph Postcard Signed and Autograph Note Signed. June 1989 and May 1991. Both items thank the recipient for sending copies of his magazine, "which will enliven my visits to the throne room for months to come!" The postcard is written on a publicity card for the French edition of The Invention of Solitude. The note is folded in half vertically; the envelope is present. The postcard and the note are fine.