Catalog 131, U-Z
298. UPDIKE, John. Rabbit Redux. NY: Knopf, 1971. The limited edition of the second book in his Rabbit Angstrom sequence, one of the most acclaimed fictional series of our time. This book was nominated for the National Book Award and other titles in the four-book sequence garnered two Pulitzer Prizes and a National Book Award. One of 350 numbered copies signed by the author. Fine in acetate dustwrapper and a very near fine slipcase with trace rubbing at the corners.
299. UPDIKE, John. Museums and Women. NY: Knopf, 1972. The limited edition of this collection of stories. One of 350 numbered copies signed by the author. Fine in a slightly spine-tanned dust jacket, in a very near fine slipcase.
300. UPDIKE, John. A Month of Sundays. NY: Knopf, 1975. The limited edition of this novel, one of 450 numbered copies signed by the author. Fine in a mildly spine-sunned dust jacket, in a very near fine slipcase.
301. UPDIKE, John. Picked-Up Pieces. NY: Knopf, 1975. His second collection of nonfiction prose -- essays, articles, reviews. This is the limited edition, one of 250 numbered copies signed by the author. Fine in a mildly spine-tanned dust jacket, in a fine slipcase. A nice copy of a large, bulky book, which had the smallest limitation of any of the Updike titles issued by Knopf.
302. -. Another copy. Fine in a near fine, mildly spine-tanned dust jacket, in a near fine slipcase, which has a short crack at one edge.
303. UPDIKE, John. Marry Me. NY: Knopf, 1976. The limited edition of this collection of related stories. One of 300 numbered copies signed by the author. Fine in a slightly spine-tanned dust jacket, in a fine slipcase.
304. UPDIKE, John. The Coup. NY: Knopf, 1978. The limited edition of this novel about an African political coup, a sharp break from his usual focus on middle- and upper middle-class suburban Americans. One of 350 copies, signed by the author. Fine in a fine dust jacket, in a fine slipcase.
305. UPDIKE, John. Problems. NY: Knopf, 1979. A collection of stories. One of 350 numbered copies signed by the author. Fine in a fine dust jacket, in a slightly rubbed slipcase.
306. UPDIKE, John. Rabbit is Rich. NY: Knopf, 1981. The limited edition of the third of his Rabbit Angstrom books, winner of the National Book Award and the Pulitzer Prize, a rare literary double. One of 350 numbered copies signed by the author. Fine in a fine dust jacket, in a slipcase with a thin strip of edge-sunning.
307. UPDIKE, John. Bech is Back. NY: Knopf, 1982. The second of his humorous books featuring writer Henry Bech, an Updike alter-ego. Signed by the author. Fine in a fine dust jacket.
308. -. Same title. The limited edition. One of 500 numbered copies signed by the author. Fine in a fine dust jacket and slipcase.
309. UPDIKE, John. The Witches of Eastwick. NY: Knopf, 1984. The limited edition of Updike's suburban fantasy, which was made into a successful Hollywood movie. One of 350 numbered copies signed by the author. Fine, in acetate dustwrapper and lightly edge-sunned slipcase. One of the more attractive of his Knopf limited editions.
310. UPDIKE, John. Roger's Version. NY: Knopf, 1986. The first trade edition of this novel. Signed by the author. Fine in a near fine, spine-sunned dust jacket.
311. -. Same title. The publisher's limited edition. One of 350 numbered copies signed by the author. Fine in acetate dustwrapper and slipcase.
312. UPDIKE, John. Self-Consciousness. NY: Knopf, 1989. His first volume of memoirs. Slight foredge foxing and trace sunning to cloth; near fine in a fine dust jacket. Signed by the author.
313. UPDIKE, John. Licks of Love. NY: Knopf, 2000. A collection of short stories and a novella, "Rabbit Remembered," which is a sequel to the Rabbit Angstrom sequence. Signed by the author. Fine in a fine dust jacket.
314. UPDIKE, John. Seek My Face. NY: Knopf, 2002. A novel loosely based on the life of Lee Krasner and her marriage to Jackson Pollock. Signed by the author. Fine in a fine dust jacket.
315. (UPDIKE, John). Penguin Modern Stories 2. (Middlesex): Penguin (1969). A paperback original collecting three stories by Updike, four by Emanuel Litvinoff, and one by Sylvia Plath. The Updike stories, "The Wait," "Bech in Romania," and "Man and Daughter in the Cold," were originally published in The New Yorker, and this represents the first book publication of any of them. Signed by Updike at his first contribution. Spine-creased; small upper edge stain; very good in wrappers.
316. (UPDIKE, John). Pigeon Feathers. (Logan): (Perfection Form Co.) (1979). An educational pamphlet consisting of the title story of Updike's 1962 story collection, with exercises based on the story. Fine in stapled wrappers. Uncommon.
317. (UPDIKE, John). A Sense of Shelter. (Logan): (Perfection Form Co.) (1980). An educational pamphlet consisting of the first separate appearance of this Updike story, which originally appeared in Pigeon Feathers, with a dozen pages of exercises based on the story. Fine in stapled wrappers.
318. (UPDIKE, John). "An Encounter Left Out of Rabbit Redux" in Pieces 2. (Cleveland): (Bits Press), 1980. A collection of four short pieces, one by Updike, in this small journal published at Case Western Reserve University. Inscribed by Updike to novelist Nicholas Delbanco and his wife: "for the Delbancos/ proving that nothing/ need be wasted/ Cheers,/ John/ on the occasion of a/ visit to your beautiful/ barn on April 22, 1980." Green paper stapled saddle-stitched into gray covers. Edge-sunned; near fine. A nice association copy.
319. (UDPIKE, John). Time Magazine Cover. October 18, 1982. A drawing of Updike on the cover of Time, with the headline "Going Great at 50." Inscribed by Updike. Approximately 8" x 10", separated from the magazine; attractively matted and framed.
320. (UPDIKE, John). Photograph. Undated. A color photograph of Updike working at his typewriter, in front of bookshelves filled with his own books. The photograph was probably cut from a magazine, and is not an original print. Signed by Updike. 7" x 5", matted and framed to 13 1/2" x 11 1/2". Fine.
321. (UPDIKE, John). Photograph. 1996. A color photograph; an upper body shot of Updike standing outdoors, with a reluctant smile. Inscribed by the author: "for ___ ___/ Best wishes/ to a faithful reader/ John Updike/ 3/26/96. 5" x 7". Matted and framed to 10" x 12". Fine.
322. VERDELLE, A.J. The Good Negress. Chapel Hill: Algonquin Books, 1995. The first book by this African-American writer, which was a PEN/Faulkner finalist. Toni Morrison blurb. Signed by the author. Fine in a fine dust jacket.
323. WAGONER, David. Collected Poems, 1956-1976. Bloomington: Indiana University Press (1977). Inscribed by the author to another poet. Recipient's handmade bookplate front flyleaf; a near fine copy, with the main dust jacket sections clipped and attached to the boards and endpages.
324. WALLANT, Edward Lewis. The Human Season. NY: Harcourt Brace (1960). The first book by the author of The Pawnbroker and The Tenants of Moonbloom, which was recently republished with a Dave Eggers introduction. Inscribed by the author in 1961. Wallant died in 1962, at the age of 36, and an annual award was created in his name for the best work of fiction that "has significance for the American Jew." Fine in a very good, spine-faded and mildly rubbed dust jacket. Books inscribed by Wallant are quite uncommon.
325. WARREN Robert Penn. You, Emperors, and Others. Poems 1957-1960. NY: Random House (1960). Inscribed by Warren to biographer, literary critic and Harvard professor W. Jackson Bate in the month of publication with "warmest regards and admiration" and signed "Red Warren." Small correction to text on page 27. Red spot on first blank; a near fine copy in a very good dust jacket with a faint cup stain, modest rubbing, mild dampstaining to edges and folds and a small gutter nick.
326. WARREN, Robert Penn. Incarnations. Poems 1966-1968. NY: Random House (1968). Inscribed by Warren to Jack Bate in the year of publication and signed "Red Warren." One note to text p. 31; else fine in a near fine dust jacket with an edge tear off the upper spine fold.
327. WARREN, Robert Penn. Audubon. A Vision. NY: Random House (1969). Inscribed by Warren to Jack Bate. With Bate's notes in the margins of the text and a typed sheet of notes laid in, presumably also Bate's. One corner tapped; else fine in a near fine dust jacket with edge tears at both upper spine folds.
328. WEBER, Katharine. Objects in Mirror Are Closer Than They Appear. NY: Crown (1995). Her well-received first book. Signed by the author. Fine in a fine dust jacket.
329. WHITE, E.B. Stuart Little. NY: Harper & Brothers (1945). White's first children's classic, published six years before Charlotte's Web and a considerable break from his earlier writings as an essayist and humorist. Boards a bit spotted; a very good copy in a very good, price-clipped dust jacket with a child's ownership signature in pencil on the front flap. One of the most lasting novels in the field of children's literature.
330. WHITE, E.B. An Answer from White. (Champaign): (Printed at the Sign of the Rolling Stone) (1969). A single sheet, folded twice, reprinting White's hilarious and touching reply to a doctoral student who used White's writing as the subject of his thesis. A scarce "A" item. Hint of an upper corner bump; else fine.
331. WILBUR, Richard. Things of This World. (NY): HBW (1956). Later printing of this volume of poetry that won the National Book Award and the Pulitzer Prize. Signed by the author in 1971. Handmade bookplate of another poet on front flyleaf; a near fine copy with portions of the dust jacket affixed to boards and pastedowns. A nice association, albeit not an inscribed copy.
332. WILLIAMS, Terry Tempest. Pieces of White Shell. NY: Scribner (1984). Williams' first solo book, subtitled "A Journey to Navajoland," with illustrations by Navajo artist Clifford Brycelea. Winner of the 1984 Southwestern Book Award. Inscribed by Brycelea. Fine in a very near fine dust jacket with a couple tiny edge tears.
333. WILLIAMS, William Carlos. Paterson. (NY): New Directions (1946-1958). Williams' landmark epic poem, a Connolly 100 title, universally considered a masterpiece and one of the most important accomplishments in American poetry. Five volumes, published over twelve years. Books One through Four were limited to 1000 copies. Books One and Two have offsetting to the endpages and are otherwise fine in near fine, edge-darkened dust jackets with tiny chips at the crowns. Books Three and Four are fine in near fine, edge-darkened dust jackets. Book Five is a review copy and is fine in a near fine dust jacket with some fading to the spine lettering. A very attractive set of this poetry high spot.
334. WINTERSON, Jeanette. The Dreaming House. (London): Ulysses, 1998. Winterson's scarcest "A" item. A limited edition, published to celebrate the centenary of the building of the house Le Bois Des Moutiers, designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens in 1898. Illustrated by Ian Beck. Of a total edition of 176 copies, this is one of 150 numbered copies signed by the author and the illustrator. Fine without dust jacket, as issued.
335. (WINTERSON, Jeanette). "I used to live on a long stretchy street" in Walking on the Water. (London): Virago (1983). Winterson's first book appearance, a short story that prefigures Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit in theme. Also includes an entertaining biographical statement. Small corner creases; still about near fine in wrappers. Uncommon.
336. (WINTERSON, Jeanette). LANGHAM, Linda. A Bibliography of Jeanette Winterson. Volume I: First Editions in English. Langhorne: L.J. Langham, 2002. The limited edition. One of 26 lettered copies signed by the bibliographer. The first descriptive bibliography of Jeanette Winterson's primary works in English issued by publisher's in the U.K., Canada, Australia and the United States, including information on advance issues, promotional materials, limited editions, later printings with revised dedications and a plethora of in-depth, informative and entertaining commentary. Leather hard cover with expandable European-style post binding and printed paper title. Hand-bound, with ephemera and commissioned photographs. Annual addenda mailed to the purchaser. Introduction by Langham and a preface by Malcolm Fawcett. Fine without dust jacket, as issued. An elaborate production, and clearly a labor of love, not to mention an exhaustive reference book.
337. WODEHOUSE, P.G. The Intrusion of Jimmy. NY: W.J. Watt (1910). An early novel by the noted humorist. This is the true first edition, preceding its publication in the U.K. as A Gentleman of Leisure by six months. Front hinge cracked; faint mottling to rear board; at least very good, with the cover illustration clean and the gilt stamping on the front cover and spine still bright.
338. WOLFF, Tobias. Old School. (London): Bloomsbury (2004). The uncorrected proof copy of the first British edition of a novel that is being billed in the U.S. as Wolff's first, discounting Ugly Rumours, which was published in London 29 years earlier. Fine in wrappers.
339. WRIGHT, Richard. 12 Million Black Voices: A Folk History of the Negro in the United States. NY: Viking, 1941. A narrative of the black underclass in the wake of the Depression and on the eve of World War II, written by the author of Native Son, which had been a bestseller the previous year, and heavily illustrated with photographs of the black working poor, rural and urban. Many of the photographs were done by WPA photographers, including Walker Evans, Dorothea Lange and others. Three previous owner names on the front endpapers; very good in a rubbed and heavily edge-chipped dust jacket. Uncommon in jacket at all.
340. YARBROUGH, Steve. The Oxygen Man. Denver: MacMurray & Beck (1999). His first novel. Signed by the author. Fine in a fine dust jacket, with a blurb by James Lee Burke.