Catalog 118, Q-T
226. ROTH, Philip. The Conversion of the Jews. (Mankato): Creative Education, Inc. (1993). The first separate appearance of the story "The Conversion of the Jews" from Goodbye, Columbus, Roth's first book. Fine in a fine dust jacket. Uncommon.
227. ROTH, Philip. Publishing/Promotional Material. (n.p.): Penguin Books, (n.d.). Sample covers of the paperback releases of Roth's The Great American Novel, The Breast, My Life as a Man, The Professor of Desire and Reading Myself and Others. Each designed by Milton Glaser. Approximately 11" x 8"; printed on one side; flat; fine. For the five:
228. ROWLING, J.K. Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone. (Maryborough): Bloomsbury (1997)[1998]. The first Australian edition of the first volume in the acclaimed Harry Potter series, which has enjoyed unprecedented commercial success and has just been released as a hugely successful movie. The copyright date is given as 1997, but Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets is listed as "also available." Fine in a fine dust jacket.
229. RULFO, Juan. The Burning Plain. Austin: University of Texas Press (1967). The first American edition of the Mexican author's first book, a collection of stories originally published in 1953. Rulfo's only novel, Pedro Páramo, published in 1955, was said to be a model for Gabriel García Márquez's masterpiece, One Hundred Years of Solitude. Rulfo, who only published one novel and one book of stories, is nonetheless considered one of the most important Mexican writers of the century. Owner name front flyleaf; else fine in a near fine, price-clipped dust jacket.
230. RUSHDIE, Salman. Fury. London: Jonathan Cape (2001). The first edition of his latest novel. This is the hardcover issue. Fine in a fine dust jacket.
231. -. Same title. The advance reading copy, marked "uncorrected proof," and in pictorial wrappers that differ from the imagery and layout of the final dust jacket. Fine.
232. SALINGER, J.D. The Catcher in the Rye. [Boston: Little, Brown, 1951]. The Book of the Month club edition of Salinger's classic first book, a coming-of-age novel that has influenced successive generations of young people with its adolescent hero's rejection of the "phoniness" of the adult world around him combined with the authenticity of his voice. Signed by the author on the half title. Some handling apparent on black boards; near fine in a very good dust jacket with several edge tears and a small chip that have been internally tape-repaired. An extremely scarce signature: Salinger's reclusiveness is legendary, and any signed copy of Catcher in the Rye is one of the most elusive of all 20th century books, perhaps the most elusive. The last copy we saw offered for sale was the one inscribed to Howard Moss, Salinger's editor at The New Yorker, over 15 years ago.
233. (SALINGER, J.D.). HAMILTON, Ian. J.D. Salinger: A Writing Life. NY: Random House (1986). The suppressed uncorrected proof copy of this biography of Salinger during his "writing life," i.e., the years 1935 until 1965, when Salinger stopped publishing. The original version of the book, of which this is the proof, included excerpts from a number of Salinger's letters that the author examined in the archives of a number of libraries. Salinger's lawyers effectively sued to prevent the book from being published, as it contained the author's writings -- totaling some 12,000 words -- that were being used without permission. A legal battle ensued but Salinger won handily and the book's publication was effectively thwarted. Eventually, the author wrote another book entirely, omitting the many excerpts from Salinger's letters, and even his paraphrasing of them, and including a section of the publication history of the book. This proof, then, is the only version that exists that includes the Salinger material, all of which is otherwise unpublished. Hamilton's name is misspelled on the spine and title page; a taped label corrects the error on the cover. Fine in wrappers and scarce. Together with the uncorrected proof of the published book, released two years later with the title In Search of J.D. Salinger. Fine.
234. SAYLES, John. Pride of the Bimbos. Boston: Little, Brown (1975). The uncorrected proof copy of the scarce first book, a baseball novel, by this author who is more well-known as a filmmaker than as a writer, although his books have received substantial critical praise. Sayles directed the film Eight Men Out about the Chicago "Black Sox" scandal. Spine-faded, with some modest corner creasing to covers and several pages; about near fine in wrappers.
235. SAYLES, John. Union Dues. Boston: Little, Brown (1977). The uncorrected proof copy of his second novel, which was nominated for the National Book Award. Signed by the author. Very near fine in wrappers.
236. SMITH, Zadie. White Teeth. London: Hamish Hamilton (2000). The author's highly praised first novel, winner of the Guardian First Book Award and the Whitbread Prize for first novel; shortlisted for the Orange Prize. Fine in a very close to fine dust jacket with a tiny nick at lower edge of rear panel.
237. SONTAG, Susan and HODGKIN, Howard. The Way We Live Now. NY: Noonday Press/FSG (1991). The first American edition of this Sontag story from The New Yorker, of friendship and AIDS, with a series of fold-out color engravings by Hodgkin. Fine in self-wrappers.
238. STEVENS, Wallace. Harmonium. NY: Knopf (1931). A complimentary copy ("With the Author's Compliments" card) of the second edition of a title first published in 1923, although this edition drops three poems from the first edition and adds 14 new ones, in effect making it a different book. Paper clip marks first few pages from attachment of card; else a fine copy, in the first issue binding, in a worn dust jacket, which has a 2" chip missing from its sunned spine; the spine panel is internally tape-attached to the front and rear panels, which are beautiful.
239. STONE, Robert. Dog Soldiers. Boston: Houghton Mifflin (1974). His second novel, winner of the National Book Award and one of the best novels to link the impact of the Vietnam war on American society in the Sixties to the dark side of that era -- the official corruption and the underside of the drug experiences of a generation. Signed by the author. Fine in a fine dust jacket with offsetting to the flaps.
240. THOMPSON, Hunter S. Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas. NY: Random House (1971). Thompson's hilarious, drug-soaked memoir of a trip to Vegas -- the book that defined "gonzo journalism." Illustrated by Ralph Steadman, with his bizarre and unforgettable ink drawings, the perfect complement to Thompson's bizarre and unforgettable prose. Evidence of handling to pages; cloth edge-sunned; about near fine in a near fine, edge-creased dust jacket.
241. TOOLE, John Kennedy. A Confederacy of Dunces. (London): Allen Lane (1981). The first British edition of Toole's Pulitzer Prize-winning book, originally published in 1980 by Louisiana State University Press in an edition of 2500 copies. This edition had a printing of 1500 copies. Initially, it was turned down for publication by dozens of publishers, and the author committed suicide in 1969. Years later, his mother brought the manuscript to Walker Percy, insisting that he read it. Percy, who was inclined to dismiss it for lack of time, succumbed to her persistence, loved the book, and arranged to get it published, contributing an introduction. It then won one of the most prestigious literary prizes given in this country. Fine in a fine dust jacket.
242. TOURNIER, Michel. The Erl-King. London: Collins (1972). The first British edition of the author's second book to be published in English, translated from the French by Barbara Bray and inscribed by Bray to Harold Pinter. Winner of the Prix Goncourt, and the first book to win the award unanimously. Top edges bumped; near fine in a near fine, spine-faded dust jacket.
243. TYLER, Anne. The Tin Can Tree. NY: Knopf, 1965. Her second novel, a powerful and moving story of a young boy coming to terms with his little sister's death. Like her first book, If Morning Ever Comes -- which was published a year earlier, when the author was only 22 years old -- this title is scarce, having received good critical reviews but not much in the way of commercial success. For the last decade or more, Tyler's books have been bestsellers upon publication, with first printings running into six figures. Faint offsetting to endpages; else fine in a very near fine dust jacket with the barest hint of wear to the spine extremities.
244. TYLER, Anne. A Slipping-Down Life. NY: Knopf, 1970. Her third book. Signed by the author. Faint strips of offsetting to the endpages and fading to the top stain; very near fine in a near fine, price-clipped dust jacket. An attractive copy, without the remainder mark on the front endpaper so common to this title.
245. TYLER, Anne. The Clock Winder. NY: Knopf, 1972. Her fourth book. Although this book had a larger printing than her first, it seems equally difficult to find, if not more so, especially in nice condition. The first printing was slightly less than 7500 copies. Very slight foxing to endpages and light indent to spine; a very near fine copy in a fine dust jacket.
246. TYLER, Anne. Celestial Navigation. NY: Knopf, 1974. Her fifth book, which had a first printing of around 10,000 copies. Signed by the author. Fine in a fine dust jacket. A beautiful copy.
247. TYLER, Anne. Searching for Caleb. NY: Knopf, 1976. Signed by the author. A hint of edge foxing, else fine in a near fine, price-clipped dust jacket. A very nice copy of this title, which dates from the period when she was critically acclaimed but had not yet had commercial success; the first printing was 10,000 copies, compared to the six-figure printings of her recent books.
248. TYLER, Anne. Earthly Possessions. NY: Knopf, 1977. Signed by the author. Faint remainder mark and edge-sunning; else fine in a near fine dust jacket that is mildly spine-faded. The first printing was 12,500 copies.
249. TYLER, Anne. Morgan's Passing. NY: Knopf, 1980. A quirky novel that was the first of her books to be reprinted numerous times right after publication, although not the bestseller her later books have been. Signed by the author. Slight foxing to top edge and fading to spine base; very near fine in dust jacket.
250. TYLER, Anne. A Visit With Eudora Welty. (Chicago): (Pressworks) (1980). A short essay, which first appeared in The New York Times Book Review. Limited to 100 copies, none of which were for sale, although speculation has it that the actual number was somewhat higher. Fine in saddle-stitched self-wrappers.
251. TYLER, Anne. Dinner at the Homesick Restaurant. NY: Knopf, 1982. Owner name front pastedown; heavy crease to spine cloth; near fine in a very good, price-clipped dust jacket with some internal tape mending.
252. TYLER, Anne. The Accidental Tourist. NY: Knopf, 1985. A novel that was made into an award-winning movie and which solidified Tyler's place as one of the foremost writers of her generation. Fine in a fine dust jacket. The first printing of this title was 75,000 copies, or ten times as large as that of The Clock Winder and her other early books.
253. -. Another copy. Spine-creased; else fine in a fine dust jacket.
254. TYLER, Anne. Breathing Lessons. NY: Knopf, 1988. The first trade edition of her Pulitzer Prize-winning novel. The success of her previous novel, The Accidental Tourist, and the movie made from it, led the publisher to give this title a first printing of 175,000 copies. Fine in a fine dust jacket.
255. TYLER, Anne. Saint Maybe. NY: Knopf, 1991. One of an unspecified number of copies (estimated at 500) of the trade edition with a leaf tipped in signed by the author. Fine in dust jacket. The trade first printing was 250,000 copies.
256. TYLER, Anne. Your Place is Empty. Concord: William B. Ewert, 1992. A story that originally appeared in The New Yorker. Of a total edition of 100 copies, this is one of 40 hardbound copies signed by the author. Fine in a fine glassine dust jacket. By far, her scarcest "A" item.
257. TYLER, Anne. Tumble Tower. NY: Orchard (1993). A children's book with text by Tyler and illustrations by Mitra Modarressi, her daughter. Signed by both Tyler and Modarressi. Fine in a fine dust jacket.
258. TYLER, Anne. Ladder of Years. NY: Knopf, 1995. The first trade edition. Fine in a fine dust jacket. The first printing of this title was 300,000 copies.
259. -. Same title. One of an unspecified number of copies of the trade edition signed by the author on a tipped-in leaf. Fine in a fine dust jacket.
260. TYLER, Anne. A Patchwork Planet. NY: Knopf, 1998. Fine in a fine dust jacket.
261. (TYLER, Anne). EVANS, Elizabeth. Anne Tyler. NY: Twayne (1993). A critical study of Anne Tyler, who was a PEN Faulkner Award finalist in 1982 (Dinner at the Homesick Restaurant), winner of the National Book Critics Circle Award in 1985 (The Accidental Tourist), and winner of the Pulitzer Prize in 1989 for Breathing Lessons. This title was turned into a limited edition with the addition of a tipped-in colophon, indicating that this is one of 100 numbered copies signed by both Tyler and Evans. Fine in a fine dust jacket.