Catalog 102, L-M
196. LAVIN, Mary. A Memory and Other Stories. London: Constable (1972). Fine in a fine dust jacket. A nice copy of this collection.
197. LAWRENCE, D.H. The Story of Doctor Manente. Florence: Orioli (1929). A novella by an Italian Renaissance writer, Lasca, translated and introduced by Lawrence. Of a total edition of 1200 copies, this is one of 200 numbered copies signed by Lawrence. Bookplate front pastedown. The brittle tissue covering the boards is cracking but this is still a very good copy of this attractive edition.
198. LE CARRÉ, John. A Perfect Spy. (London): London Limited Editions (1986). The first of the London Limited Editions Le Carré novels, and the scarcest now. One of 250 numbered copies signed by the author. Covers splayed; else fine in a near fine glassine jacket.
199. (LE CARRÉ, John). CAWELTI, John and ROSENBERG, Bruce. The Spy Story. Chicago: U. of Chicago Press (1987). The uncorrected proof copy of this critical appraisal of the spy novel. Le Carré gets a chapter; Graham Greene also gets considerable attention. "P.C" marked on cover; additional "Press Copy" markings on summary page; else fine in wrappers.
200. LEE, Harper. To Kill a Mockingbird. London: Heinemann (1960). The first British edition of her first and only book, winner of the Pulitzer Prize, basis for the Academy Award-winning movie, and one of the best-selling and best-loved books of the postwar generation. Inscribed by the author on the front flyleaf. Page edges foxed, as are the endpages; a near fine copy in a very good, price-clipped dust jacket chipped across the spine crown. Copies of the American first edition of To Kill a Mockingbird have become extremely scarce in recent years, with prices for unsigned, moderately worn copies selling for $7500 or more. The British edition is considerably more common, but signed copies of either edition are exceedingly scarce; we can only recall seeing two signed copies of either edition offered for sale in the last several years.
201. (LEE, Harper). To Kill a Mockingbird. Logan: Perfection Form Company, 1973. A teaching packet in the Contemporary Classics/Horizons in Literature series. Six 14" x 11" envelopes containing an author bio, plot synopsis, thematic interpretations, discussion questions with answers, a sample test, a "time-line involvement activity" with overhead transparency, and another transparency for character development, with two overlays to illustrate changes in Scout and their causes. Ringbound in cardstock covers. An interesting look at an approach to the teaching of a contemporary American classic. Very scarce. Fine.
202. LEONARD, Elmore. Glitz. NY: Mysterious Press (1985). The publisher's limited edition of this novel by the bestselling author of Get Shorty and Rum Punch, among others. One of 500 numbered copies signed by the author. Clothbound; near fine in slipcase.
203. LESSING, Doris. The Habit of Loving. London: MacGibbon & Kee, 1957. The second collection of stories by the author of The Golden Notebook, among others. This is an early book by an influential writer whose emphasis on women's political awareness caused her to be the only woman to be grouped together with Britain's "angry young men" of literature in the Fifties. Very good in a very good, sun-darkened dust jacket with modest edgewear. Uncommon.
204. LEVINE, Philip. 1933. NY: Atheneum, 1974. The sixth collection of poems by this writer who has twice won the National Book Award for poetry and who won the Pulitzer Prize for poetry in 1995. Signed by the author on the title page and additionally warmly inscribed to another poet "whose poems grow in all of us. With love and admiration. Phil." An excellent association copy. Very good in wrappers.
205. LEVINE, Philip. New Season. Port Townsend: Graywolf Press (1975). One of only 60 copies signed by the author of a total edition of 225. This copy has been additionally inscribed, at length, to another poet. Near fine in saddle-stitched wrappers. A scarce edition and an excellent association copy.
206. LEVINE, Philip. A Walk with Tom Jefferson. NY: Knopf, 1988. The hardcover issue of this poetry collection, signed by the author on a tipped-in leaf. Cloth mottled; very good in a fine dust jacket.
207. LOPEZ, Barry Holstun. River Notes. The Dance of Herons. Kansas City: Andrews & McMeel (1979). The fourth book by the the author of the award-winning volumes, Of Wolves and Men and Arctic Dreams, among others. This is a collection of short stories that have the feel of prose poems as well as reflective, personal essays. A companion volume to his first book, Desert Notes, and his later volume, Field Notes. Very light foxing to top page edges, otherwise fine in a very near fine dust jacket and signed by the author.
208. LOPEZ, Barry. Crossing Open Ground. NY: Scribner's (1988). A collection of essays, whose common thread is "the bond between mankind and the land and man's heartbreaking betrayal of that bond." His first book published after winning the National Book Award for Arctic Dreams in 1986. Fine in a fine dust jacket and signed by the author.
209. MAILER, Norman. The Faith of Graffiti. (NY): (Praeger/Alskog) (1974). A review copy of the hardcover issue of this exploration of urban graffiti, published as a "coffee table" book. Large quarto, heavily illustrated with photographs, both color and black-and-white; Mailer provides the text and context. Fine in a fine dust jacket with a few small edge nicks. Signed by Mailer. Uncommon, especially as an advance copy and signed.
210. MALAMUD, Bernard. Page proofs for The Tenant. (NY): (FSG) (1971). Printer's page proofs (pages 99-102) for Malamud's The Tenants (although the printed title is given as Two Writers and the correct title is written in hand). Together with a signature sheet signed by Malamud for the limited edition of that title, and an additional Malamud signature, address and phone on FSG stationery. All items fine. Rare publisher's ephemera.
211. MATTHIESSEN, Peter. The Wind Birds. NY: Viking (1973). Small quarto, reprinting the text of Matthiessen's classic, Shorebirds of North America, in a smaller format and with new illustrations. Fine in a very good dust jacket with a few short, internally mended tears. Signed by the author. A very attractive copy of an uncommon book.
212. MATTHIESSEN, Peter. Sand Rivers. NY: Viking (1981). Small quarto, an account of a safari in the Selous Game Reserve in southern Tanzania, one of the largest preserves of wild animals left on earth. Text by Matthiessen and photographs by Hugo van Lawick. Matthiessen's first book after winning the National Book Award in 1979 for The Snow Leopard. Fine in a fine dust jacket and signed by the author.
213. MATTHIESSEN, Peter. African Silences. NY: Random House (1991). A collection of nonfiction pieces, recounting aspects of a number of Matthiessen's trips to Africa between the years 1978 and 1986, with emphasis on both the state of the natural world and also the political climates of the countries he visits. Fine in a fine dust jacket and signed by the author.
214. (MATTHIESSEN, Peter). WARD, Evelyn. The Children of Bladensfield. NY: Viking (1978). A memoir by Ward, with an essay by Matthiessen, himself one of the "children of Bladensfield." Near fine in an edgeworn dust jacket with internal dampstaining and tape repair, thus only good.
215. MAXWELL, William. Typed Notes Signed. December 1 and 26, 1983. Two notes, addressed to an editor at Art & Antiques magazine. The first is a polite note declining to submit (an article); the second responds to the editor's request to publish letters of Sylvia Townsend Warner's that are presumed to be in Maxwell's possession. Maxwell states that he has forwarded his files to the Dorse County Museum. Both notes are typed, folded multiple times for mailing, and signed "William Maxwell." Typed mailing envelopes are included; the latter one has notes, apparently in the editor's hand, written across the back on ways to proceed to obtain Warner's letters. Apart from the notes and the folds, fine.
216. McCARRY, Charles. The Tears of Autumn. NY: Saturday Review Press/Dutton, 1975. The second book by this bestselling thriller writer, set in the fall of 1963 at the time of the assassinations of Vietnamese President Diem and the U.S. President John F. Kennedy. Stain to front flyleaf and spotting to top edge; very good in a very good dust jacket. McCarry's books have been praised for their authenticity and their knowledge of the inner workings of domestic American politics and espionage, much as John Le Carré's books have in England.
217. -. Same title, the first British edition (London: Hutchinson, 1975). Near fine in a near fine dust jacket.
218. McCARTHY, Mary. Vietnam. NY: Harcourt, Brace and World (1967). The uncorrected proof copy of this first person account of the author's trip to Vietnam, which she undertook "looking for material damaging to the American interest," as she explains frankly. The trade edition was only issued in wrappers in this country, which did not please the author: she felt, justifiably, that issuing the book only in softcover both trivialized it and also made it less likely to receive reviewer attention. This proof is in the form of spiralbound quarto sheets, printed on rectos only, in cardstock covers bearing the publisher's printed logo. Likely only a small number of copies would have been done in such a format, perhaps only for in-house use. An important, early polemic, from a woman of letters who went beyond mere posturing and rhetoric, pursuing her convictions all the way to "the front." Light edgewear to oversize wrappers; else fine. Scarce.
219. McCARTHY, Mary. Medina. NY: HBJ (1972). The uncorrected proof copy of what was by far the scarcest of her three "pamphlets" on the Vietnam war, a profile of Captain Medina, the company commander at My Lai, where the most notorious American atrocity of the war took place. McCarthy focuses both on the My Lai massacre itself and on Medina's trial. Quarto sheets, printed on rectos only, bound into the publisher's printed wrappers. One corner crease; else fine. Scarce.
220. McEWAN, Ian. The Cement Garden. NY: Simon & Schuster (1978). The first American edition, and true first edition, of the third book and first novel by the author of the recent Booker Prize winner, Amsterdam. Fine in a near fine dust jacket with a closed slice across the front panel. Reader reply card laid in. John Irving blurb on the rear panel, comparing the book to The Lord of the Flies, though "more loving."
221. McEWAN, Ian. Amsterdam. London: Jonathan Cape (1998). The first edition of his most recent novel, winner of the Booker Prize. Fine in a fine dust jacket, and signed by the author.
222. McPHEE, John. Typed Letters Signed. May 13, 1966 and June 7 [1966]. Two letters written to an editor at Farrar, Straus & Giroux concerning details of the production of The Headmaster, his second book. In the first letter, McPhee discusses the chapter breaks, the illustrations, the binding and jacket, one instance of capitalization, photographs and captions. In the second, shorter letter, McPhee again mentions the captions and returns the galleys (not included here). He requests three sets of page proofs: "There were several bad mistakes in Bradley [A Sense of Where You Are] and I am hoping to have this one letter-perfect." Both letters are typed on New Yorker stationery (approximately 7" x 10 1/4") and are signed with a typed "J." Both bear markings, apparently made in-house at FSG so that McPhee's instructions are followed. The shorter letter bears one holograph sentence in McPhee's hand across the bottom. A couple traces of edge wrinkles; otherwise fine. For both:
223. McPHEE, John. Oranges. (n.p.: n.p., n.d.) [NY: FSG, 1967]. The printer's sample pages for McPhee's third book. One sheet, folded in half, printing the text of pp. 15-17. Fine. Only a very small handful of these would have been produced; we have never seen others offered for sale. Scarce ephemera.
224. McPHEE, John. A Roomful of Hovings. (n.p.): (FSG) (n.d.)[1968]. Printer's sample pages. Folio, printing the text of pp. 99-100 and the detailed specs. Fine.
225. -. Another copy. Together with a second copy, folded, with editorial markings (line count). Both fine.
226. McPHEE, John. The Crofter and the Laird. (n.p.: n.p., n.d.) [NY: FSG, 1970]. The printer's sample pages. One sheet, folded in half, printing the text of pp. 123-125. Fine.
227. McPHEE, John. Encounters with the Archdruid. (n.p.): (FSG) (1971). Printer's blue page proof. One sheet, approximately 16 1/2" x 11", folded in fourths, printing the text of pp. 123-125 and adding a page of specs. With one editorial correction. A couple of small spots; near fine.
228. McPHEE, John. The Deltoid Pumpkin Seed. (n.p.): (FSG) (1973). Printer's sample pages. One sheet, folded in half, printing the text of pp. 121-123 and adding one page of specs. Fine.
229. McPHEE, John. Pieces of the Frame. (n.p.): (FSG) (1975). Printer's sample pages. One sheet, folded in half, printing the text of pp. 99-100; and a cover sheet, printing the title of the essay ("Travels in Georgia") and a page of specs. Fine.
230. McPHEE, John. Coming into the Country. (n.p.): (FSG) (1977). Printer's tearsheets; pp. 13-24 and an added page of specs. Printed on rectos only; stapled in one corner; fine.
231. McPHEE, John. Autograph Note Signed. November 1983. Two paragraphs, in which McPhee explains that he has been caught in "the whirl of publishing a long piece" and that "work has me tied up like a mule on a tether" and he won't be able to accommodate the recipient's request, presumably for an article. Signed "John McPhee." Written on New Yorker stationery, approximately 4 1/2" x 7". Folded once for mailing, light paperclip imprint; else fine, with original hand-addressed envelope.
232. McPHEE, John. Autograph Note Signed. Undated. One sentence, handwritten on an index card: "This is super." Signed "J." Together with a few pencilled notes, in McPhee's hand, on FSG stationery, drafting an acknowledgement for the counsel of William Shawn. These words are crossed through in red editorial pencil. Both items bear paperclip imprints and are otherwise fine.
233. MERWIN, W.S. The Rain in the Trees. NY: Knopf, 1988. The hardcover issue of this poetry collection by the Pulitzer Prize-winning poet. Merwin's books have been National Book Award finalists seven times, both for poetry and translation. Fine in a fine dust jacket, and signed by the author on a tipped-in leaf.
234. MICHENER, James. Ventures in Editing. Huntington Beach: Cahill, 1995. Four essays on writing and editing, two of which appear here for the first time, along with an introduction by Michener about the process of writing and of preparing this book. There were 300 copies: this is a proof copy bound in maroon cloth and with the colophon of the lettered edition, which was bound in lavender cloth. All the copies we have seen of this issue have had small spots on the endpages, as does this one. Otherwise, this is a fine copy in a fine slipcase. Signed by the author.
235. MOORE, Brian. The Great Victorian Collection. (n.p.: n.p., n.d.). [1975]. The photocopied typescript of this novel. 266 pages, reproducing the author's holograph corrections. With the pencilled annotation on the cover sheet "Farrar Straus - ??" Farrar did end up publishing the book. This is by all appearances a contemporary photocopy, to judge from the quality of the reproduction as well as the minor wear to the edges of the pages. Inscribed by the author. Near fine.
236. MOORE, Lorrie. Like Life. NY: Knopf, 1990. Her third book, second collection of stories. Fine in a very near fine dust jacket with a few surface scratches to the lamination on the rear panel.
237. MORRIS, Wright. My Uncle Dudley. NY: Harcourt, Brace (1942). The very scarce first novel by the two-time National Book Award-winning author of Field of Vision and Plain Song, among others. This is a very near fine copy in a near fine, spine-sunned and mildly dusty jacket. An attractive copy of a surprisingly elusive first book.
238. MORRIS, Wright. About Fiction. NY: Harper & Row (1975). The uncorrected proof copy of this collection of essays on writing and reading. Near fine in tapebound wrappers. An unusual format--a small nearly square octavo--which suggests that very few copies were done. We have never had another proof copy of this title.
240. (MORRISON, Toni). Inventing the Truth. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1987. A collection of pieces on "The Art and Craft of Memoir" by Morrison, Annie Dillard, Russell Baker (whose memoir won a Pulitzer Prize), Alfred Kazin, and Lewis Thomas (The Lives of a Cell). Page 20 has a short edge tear; else fine in a dust jacket with a label removal mark on the rear panel, also else fine.
241. MOSLEY, Nicholas. Catastrophe Practice. London: Secker & Warburg (1979). The first edition of Mosley's three plays ("not for acting") and a short novel. Inscribed by the author in 1980. Near fine in a near fine, spine- and edge-faded dust jacket.
242. MUMFORD, Lewis. Typescript for "The Coming Collapse of Transportation." NY: Curtis Brown/Collins-Knowlton-Wing (1971). Original ribbon copy typescript with holograph corrections and emendations. 29 pages on the evils of the automobile and the automobile culture, decrying the death of the railroad, and flailing against the airlines as any solution: "By shifting the main burden of transportation to the private motor car and the heavy truck we have extravagantly multiplied the number of vehicles in constant operation, decreased their speed, reduced the pleasures of recreational travel, and heavily increased the waste of money, petroleum and human time. Though we have reduced the hours of work, we have nullified the promised gain in leisure by increasing the hours of equally monotonous daily travel, under conditions highly inimical to human health." Mumford envisions a future when "traffic will be back in the horse-and-buggy stage, with the private auto reduced by road congestion to the pace of the buggy," and he enumerates changes needed "to bring the railroad back to the point of efficiency it had reached by 1940." [...] "We must look forward to a profound alteration in the American way of life: no longer change for change's sake, speed for speed's sake, power for power's sake, or money for money's sake: but everything, big or small, personal or public, for life's sake." An articulation of a moment in time when the realization that it was too late co-existed with the hope that it wasn't. Pages fine; claspbound at the upper left corner into orange cardstock covers, which are creased there; near fine.
244. MURDOCH, Iris. An Unofficial Rose. NY: Viking (1962). The first American edition of this novel. One corner bumped and spine cloth a bit tanned; near fine in a very good, price-clipped dust jacket.
245. MURDOCH, Iris and PRIESTLY, J.B. A Severed Head. London: Chatto & Windus (1964). The play version of Murdoch's 1961 novel. Slight bowing to boards; else fine in a near fine, price-clipped dust jacket with two tiny nicks at the rear spine fold.
246. MURDOCH, Iris. The Red and the Green. London: Chatto & Windus, 1965. A novel set against the backdrop of the Easter Rebellion in Dublin, in 1916. Owner stamp front flyleaf; near fine in a fine dust jacket.
247. -. Same title, the first American edition (NY: Viking, 1965). Fine in a very near fine dust jacket with trace rubbing. A very nice copy.
248. MURDOCH, Iris. The Nice and the Good. London: Chatto & Windus, 1968. Fine in a very near fine dust jacket with trace edge-sunning and a crease on the front flap. Again, an attractive copy.
249. MURDOCH, Iris. A Fairly Honourable Defeat. London: Chatto & Windus, 1970. Tiny corner bumps and edge-sunning to cloth; very near fine in a fine dust jacket.
250. MURDOCH, Iris. An Accidental Man. London: Chatto & Windus, 1971. Tiny corner bumps; else fine in a slightly spine-sunned dust jacket. A nice copy of an uncommon title.
251. MURDOCH, Iris. Henry and Cato. London: Chatto & Windus, 1976. Fine in a near fine, mildly creased dust jacket.