Catalog 123, V-Z
441. VAN DOREN, Mark. John Bradford. [self-published], 1966. A poem printed as a holiday card. Warmly inscribed by the author. Fine.
442. VAN DOREN, Mark. That Shining Place. NY: Hill and Wang (1969). One of an edition of 200 numbered copies signed by the author, this being copy number 11. Instead of being just signed, this copy is warmly inscribed by Van Doren "with love." Fine in a sunned, near fine slipcase.
443. VARLEY, John. Titan, Wizard and Demon. NY: Berkley/Putnam (1979, 1980, 1984). First editions of the volumes in the award-winning Gaean science fiction trilogy, which cumulatively garnered three Locus Award nominations (one winner), two Hugo nominations, one Nebula nomination, and an Analog Award. Signed by the author in the second volume, Wizard. Titan has a little rubbing to the heel of the jacket; Demon is printed on cheap, acidifying paper; otherwise the set is fine in fine dust jackets.
444. VIDAL, Gore. Julian. Boston: Little Brown (1964). Small erasure front flyleaf; else fine in a near fine dust jacket. Surprisingly uncommon in nice condition.
445. VIDAL, Gore. Lincoln. NY: Random House (1984). Fine in a very near fine dust jacket with one tiny nick to the upper front spine fold.
446. -. Same title, the limited edition. One of 350 numbered copies signed by the author. Fine in a fine slipcase.
447. VONNEGUT, Kurt. Mother Night. NY: Harper & Row (1966). The first hardcover edition, published four years after the paperback original and following the success of Cat's Cradle and God Bless You, Mr. Rosewater. Fine in a very near fine dust jacket.
448. VONNEGUT, Kurt, Jr. Breakfast of Champions. (NY): Delacorte Press (1973). Vonnegut's fiftieth birthday present to himself and his characters: the author uses this novel to grant many of his previous characters their freedom (most notably Kilgore Trout who, unable to make it on the outside, returns in later books). Faint top stain foxing; else fine in a very near fine dust jacket with a hint of fading to the yellow spine and a corner crease on the front flap.
449. VONNEGUT, Kurt. Slapstick. (n.p.): Delacorte Press (1976). The uncorrected proof copy of this novel, the closest he claims to have come, at that time, to an autobiography. This is the first of his books to be authored under the name of Kurt Vonnegut rather than Kurt Vonnegut, Jr., and this, the second issue proof in yellow wrappers, reflects that change (there was an earlier proof in green wrappers which still bore the "Jr."). Fine.
450. VONNEGUT, Kurt. Jailbird. Franklin Center: Franklin Library, 1979. A limited edition, with a special introduction by Vonnegut for this edition in which he talks about the two events in his life he felt "duty-bound" to write about, one being the fire-bombing of Dresden (Slaughterhouse-Five) and the other a lunch with labor leader Powers Hapgood, which duty he dispatched with this title. Leatherbound, all edges gilt, with a silk ribbon marker bound in. Fine.
451. -. Same title, the first British edition. London: Jonathan Cape (1979). Fine in a fine, price-clipped dust jacket.
452. VONNEGUT, Kurt and CHERMAYEFF, Ivan. Sun Moon Star. (NY): Harper & Row (1980). A children's story about the birth of Christ, written by Vonnegut to accompany Chermayeff's simple sun moon star graphics. Quarto. Fine in a fine, price-clipped dust jacket.
453. VONNEGUT, Kurt. Galápagos. (NY): Delacorte Press (1985). The uncorrected proof copy. Faint pink spot to cover; else fine in wrappers.
454. VONNEGUT, Kurt. Bluebeard. NY: Delacorte Press (1987). Fine in a fine, price-clipped dust jacket.
455. -. Same title, uncorrected proof copy. Signed by the author. Fine in wrappers.
456. WAKOSKI, Diane. Smudging. Los Angeles: Black Sparrow Press, 1972. Of a total hardcover edition of 280 copies, this is one of 30 numbered copies signed by the author and with an original holograph poem ("Would That Men Shake Their Trees") bound in. Fine. Scarce.
457. WAKOSKI, Diane. Dancing on the Grave of a Son of a Bitch. Los Angeles: Black Sparrow, 1973. Of a total hardcover edition of 350 copies, this is one of 50 numbered copies signed by the author and with an original holograph poem ("Luxury") bound in. Fine.
458. WALKER, Alice. Her Blue Body Everything We Know. NY: HBJ (1991). The limited edition of this collection of poems written between 1965 and 1990. One of only 111 numbered copies signed by the author. Fine in a fine slipcase.
459. WALKER, Alice. Possessing the Secret of Joy. NY: HBJ (1992). The limited edition. This is #7 of 250 numbered copies signed by the author. Fine in a fine slipcase.
460. WAUGH, Evelyn. The Loved One. [London]: Chapman & Hall [1948]. The first trade edition. Illustrated by Stuart Boyle. Fine in a fine dust jacket and quite uncommon thus.
461. -. Same title, the first American edition. Boston: Little Brown, 1948. Owner name in pencil on front flyleaf; uneven sunning to boards; near fine in a very good, spine-tanned dust jacket with modest edge wear.
462. WELCH, James. Riding the Earthboy 40. NY: World (1971). The first book by this author of Blackfoot-Gros Ventre heritage, and one of the most important and accomplished Native American writers of the post-1968 generation. Welch is a respected poet and an award-winning novelist, and has written, with great power and sensitivity, fiction focused on both contemporary Indian life (e.g., Winter in the Blood) and historical material (the award-winning Fools Crow). Riding the Earthboy 40, a collection of poems, was never properly distributed as the publisher folded at the time of publication. It was re-published five years later in a revised and expanded form by Harper & Row. Fine in a fine dust jacket.
463. WELCH, James. Winter in the Blood. NY: Harper & Row (1974). His landmark first novel, which Reynolds Price called "a nearly flawless novel about human life." One of the important Native American novels of the postwar period, and the third book in the Harper & Row Native American Publishing Program. Owner name on flyleaf; else fine in a near fine, price-clipped dust jacket.
464. WELCH, James. Fools Crow. (n.p.): Viking (1986). The advance reading copy of this highly praised novel that won The Los Angeles Times Award for best novel of the year. A historical novel set among the Blackfeet of the 1870s. Shot from typescript and reproducing holograph corrections. Fine in wrappers.
465. WHARTON, William. Birdy. NY: Knopf, 1979. The author's pseudonymous first book, which won the National Book Award for best first novel and was made into a well-received movie. Fine in a fine dust jacket.
466. WILDER, Thornton. The Cabala. NY: Albert & Charles Boni, 1926. The first edition, first issue of the author's first book. Owner name on half title; mild sunning to spine cloth; very near fine, lacking the dust jacket.
467. WILLIAMS, C.K. Flesh and Blood. NY: FSG (1987). Winner of the National Book Critics Circle Award for Poetry. Signed by the author and additionally inscribed to another poet and his wife in 1988 "with admiration/ for works" and signed "Charlie Williams." Fine in a fine dust jacket. Laid in is an announcement of a reading by Williams, on which someone has listed "Reasons to call 911."
468. WILLIAMS, John A. The Junior Bachelor Society. Garden City: Doubleday, 1976. An uncommon novel by this African American author. Boards edge-sunned; near fine in a very good dust jacket with surface soiling on the rear panel and yellowing around both flap folds.
469. WILLIAMS, William Carlos. The William Carlos Williams Reader. (NY): New Directions (1966). A review copy. Foxing to top edge and light corner bump; near fine in a rubbed, near fine dust jacket with a chip threatening at the crown.
470. (WILLIAMS, William Carlos). William Carlos Williams. Englewood Cliffs: Prentice-Hall (1966). A review copy of this collection of critical essays edited by J. Hillis Miller, with pieces by Robert Lowell, Robert Creeley, Cid Corman, Thom Gunn, Marianne Moore, Kenneth Burke, Ezra Pound, Wallace Stevens, and others. Foxing to top edge; near fine in a very good dust jacket with minor edge wear.
471. WOLFE, Gene. The Urth of the New Sun. (NY): Tor (1987). The uncorrected proof copy of this science fiction novel that was a finalist for both the Hugo and Nebula awards. Inscribed by Wolfe to another well-known author of fantasy with "admiration," and with a letter laid in from the publisher soliciting a blurb for the book. Fine in wrappers.
472. WOLFF, Tobias. This Boy's Life. NY: Atlantic Monthly (1989). The uncorrected proof copy of the first book of memoirs by this acclaimed and award-winning fiction writer. Basis for a well-received movie. Fine in wrappers.
473. WOOLF, Douglas. Ya! & John-Juan. NY: Harper & Row (1971). Inscribed by the author. Fine in a fine dust jacket.
474. WOOLF, Virginia. Between the Acts. London: Folio Society, 1974. A reissue of this novel, written but not completely revised at the time of the author's suicide, and first published, posthumously, in 1941. Introduction by Quentin Bell. Small spot on title page; else fine in slipcase with one spot of soiling.
475. YEATS, W.B. The Wind Among the Reeds. London: Elkin Mathews, 1899. Wade 27. Poetry. Pages uncut and mildly foxed; some loss to the gold stamping on boards; near fine without dust jacket (as issued?). With errata slip tipped in and what appears to be a Cuala Press bookplate on the front pastedown.
476. YEATS, W.B. The Wild Swans at Coole. London: Macmillan, 1919. Wade 124. Poetry, printed in an edition of 1500 copies. Pages uncut; trace foredge foxing and a hint of rubbing to the spine extremities; very near fine in a very good, spine-tanned and rubbed dust jacket with slight wear at the extremities. Uncommon in jacket.
477. YEATS, W.B. The Tower. London: Macmillan, 1928. Generally considered one of the two books, along with The Winding Stair, that represents the peak of Yeats's achievement -- poems that embody the ideas and insight he had developed over the years about the tension between "heart" and "soul," the physical and the spiritual. Yeats's poetry has been among the most influential writing of the century, his lines having given rise to innumerable epigraphs and titles for others' works ("Horseman, Pass By" and "Slouching Towards Bethlehem" being just two of the many titles derived from his writings). Printed in an edition of 2000 copies. Pages uncut; a fine copy in a good dust jacket, chipped at both spine extremities and torn at the lower front spine fold, continuing across the spine base. Formerly internally tape-strengthened. One of the great books by the most important Irish poet of the century and winner of the Nobel Prize.
478. YEATS, W.B. The Winding Stair and Other Poems. London: Macmillan, 1933. Wade 169. Poetry, printed in an edition of 2000 copies. Pages uncut; a fine copy in a near fine dust jacket with one short edge tear. A very attractive copy.
479. YEATS, W.B. Essays and Introductions. London: Macmillan, 1961. Fine in a near fine dust jacket, very slightly dusty and spine-tanned.