Catalog 146, S-V
261. SANCHEZ, Sonia. A Blues Book for Blue Black Magical Women. Detroit: Broadside Press (1974). A review copy of this book of poetry by an African American writer who was involved in the Civil Rights Movement and who also played a key role in the Black Arts movement. Fine in wrappers with review slip and publisher's promotional sheet listing other titles available laid in.
262. SAYLES, John. "Men in power. Men at war. Men in prison." Berkeley: Black Oak Books, 1991. A broadside excerpt from his novel Los Gusanos, printed on the occasion of a reading by the author. 7 1/2" x 13 3/4". Matted; fine.
263. SCHLESINGER, Arthur M., Jr. War and the American Presidency. NY: Norton (2004). A short volume by the two-time Pulitzer Prize-winning historian who served as an advisor to President John F. Kennedy. This volume is a critique of the Iraq war and the decisions, policies, and view of Presidential powers and prerogatives that led to it. Inscribed by the author to film director Tony Harvey, a neighbor and acquaintance, "with warm regards." Fine in a fine dust jacket.
264. SCHWARTZ, John Burnham. Reservation Road. NY: Knopf, 1998. The uncorrected proof copy of his highly praised second novel, now a movie. Fine in plain printed wrappers. Considerably scarcer than the advance reading copy in pictorial wrappers.
265. SHEED, Wilfrid. In Love with Daylight. NY: Simon & Schuster (1995). A memoir of the author's bouts with polio, alcoholism, and cancer, and his recovery. Inscribed by the author. Minor foxing to page edges; near fine in a very near fine dust jacket with a couple of tiny spots.
266. SIMMONS, Dan. Carrion Comfort. Arlington Heights: Dark Harvest, 1989. The limited edition of his second book, which won a Bram Stoker Award from the Horror Writers Association, as well as a Locus Award and the British Fantasy Award. Simmons's first novel, Song of Kali, won the World Fantasy Award and his third novel, Hyperion, won the Hugo Award. Issued in an edition of 450 numbered copies, this copy is designated "P/C." Signed by Simmons and by the illustrator Kathleen McNeil Sherman. Fine in a fine dust jacket and slipcase.
267. SIMON, Neil. Plaza Suite. NY: Random House (1969). An early play by one of the most admired and successful playwrights and screenwriters of his time, who won two Tony Awards for Best Play and earned four Academy Award nominations, among numerous other awards. Plaza Suite was directed by Mike Nichols when it opened on Broadway, with George C. Scott and Maureen Stapleton starring in it. Nichols won a Tony Award for Best Director for his work on the play and Scott and Stapleton each received nominations for the Tony Award. Stapleton also starred in the 1971 film version, for which she received a Golden Globe nomination. The film was directed by Arthur Hiller. This copy is inscribed by Simon to film director Tony Harvey: "To Tony - I hope you do it - Neil." Harvey had directed The Lion in Winter in 1968, for which he received an Oscar nomination, and Simon's inscription indicates a desire at that time for Harvey to direct the film adaptation of the play. A nice association copy, and a small but notable bit of film history. Page edges foxed; crown cloth sunned; indent to upper rear board; about near fine in a rubbed and spine-faded dust jacket.
268. SNICKET, Lemony. The Ominous Omnibus. (NY): HarperCollins (2005). First thus, collecting the first three books in the Series of Unfortunate Events: The Bad Beginning, The Reptile Room and The Wide Window. Signed by Snicket (Daniel Handler) in his classic fashion (Lemony Snicket blindstamp, handwritten date and "with all due respect"). Also signed by the illustrator, Brad Silberling. Fine in a fine dust jacket. Included are a flyer and photos from the signing. Also included are six pages of unfortunately-themed activities. An interesting assemblage of material relating to the extraordinarily popular series, and an extremely uncommon book signed.
269. SPENDER, Stephen. Forward from Liberalism. London: Gollancz/Left Book Club, 1937. Signed by Spender. Poets House bookplate and owner inscription. Foxing to page edges; very good in wrappers with Left Book Club membership form inserted in text.
270. STEINBECK, John. The Grapes of Wrath. NY: Viking (1939). The greatest novel by this Nobel Prize winner, one of the greatest American novels ever, and the great American novel of the Depression era. Steinbeck fused social consciousness with literary artistry in a particularly American and individualistic way, refusing to allow his writing to become doctrinaire the way a large number of the proletarian novelists of the Thirties did; the body of Steinbeck's work has stood the test of time considerably better than that of most of his contemporaries, especially those who tackled the same social issues that he did. Winner of the Pulitzer Prize, and the basis for an Oscar-winning film in 1940. Bookplate removed from half-title, and offsetting and abrasion on the front free endpaper. Top stain faded and a little spotting to foredge and endpages; very good in a good, spine-tanned dust jacket with shallow chipping at the crown and heavily rubbed folds.
271. STONE, Robert. A Hall of Mirrors. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1967. A review copy of his first book, a novel of drifters in New Orleans in the early Sixties caught up in the web of a quasi-religious political machine. Winner of the William Faulkner Award for best first novel of the year as well as a Houghton Mifflin Literary Fellowship Award. Fine in a fine dust jacket -- completely lacking the rubbing that typically afflicts this title, or the fading to the spine lettering -- with review slip laid in. A beautiful copy, scarce in this condition, and especially as an advance copy.
272. -. Same title. (n.p.): Paramount, 1969. Stone's screenplay of his novel, re-titled WUSA in release. "Final Draft" dated January 20, 1969, but with inserted revision pages from several points in February, March, April and May. Producer John Foreman's copy, with his signature on the front cover. Bradbound in Paramount covers that show slight wear; near fine. Stuart Rosenberg directed the film -- he had directed the highly praised Cool Hand Luke a few years earlier -- and Paul Newman, Joanne Woodward and Anthony Perkins starred in the film. A notable copy of this screenplay, with the producer's name written on one of the revision sheets, in addition to his ownership signature on the cover.
273. STOPPARD, Tom. Jumpers. London: Faber and Faber (1972). The hardcover issue of this early play by the author of Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead, among other works. This play won the Evening Standard Award for Best Play of the year as well as the Plays and Players Award for Best New Play. Foredge stain and light foxing to top edge; near fine in a fine dust jacket. Together with the 1972 National Theatre program, which includes an interview with Stoppard. Near fine in stapled wrappers, with cast list laid in. The hardcover issue is quite scarce, and the ephemeral pieces from the original production are uncommon as well.
274. STOPPARD, Tom. Every Good Boy Deserves Favour and Professional Foul. London: Faber and Faber (1978). The uncorrected proof copy of this collection of two one-act plays, the first of which was written with the composer Andre Previn, in which the music was an integral part of the action of the play. Fine in plain wrappers. A scarce proof.
275. STOPPARD, Tom. Night and Day. London: Faber and Faber (1978). The hardcover edition of this play about two war correspondents in a fictional African country during a rebellion. Winner of the Evening Standard Award for Best Play of the year. Signed by the author. Top edge foxing and mild spine roll; near fine in a near fine dust jacket with light foxing to the flaps. An uncommon hardcover, and especially scarce signed.
276. STOPPARD, Tom. Lord Malquist & Mr. Moon. London: Faber and Faber (1980). The first Faber paperback edition of his only novel, first published in 1966 and then published by Faber in hardcover in 1974. Inscribed by the author. Creasing to the corners and front spine fold; very good in wrappers.
277. STOPPARD, Tom. Undiscovered Country. London: Faber and Faber (1980). The uncorrected proof copy of this adaptation of a work by Arthur Schnitzler. Light vertical crease to front cover; age toning to pages; near fine in wrappers. Uncommon proof.
278. STOPPARD, Tom. Squaring the Circle. London: Faber and Faber (1984). The hardcover edition, collecting Squaring the Circle, Every Good Boy Deserves Favour and Professional Foul. Mild top edge foxing; pages browning slightly as is typical with this book, otherwise fine in a fine dust jacket with a little ridging to the rear panel.
279. STOPPARD, Tom. Rough Crossing. London: Faber and Faber (1985). The hardcover edition of Stoppard's adaptation of Ferenc Molnár's Play at the Castle. Slight top edge foxing, and age-toning to pages; near fine in a fine dust jacket with a little ridging to the rear panel.
280. (STOPPARD, Tom). Introduction 2. London: Faber and Faber (1964). Stoppard's first book appearance: three short stories in this collection. Light foxing to top edge and mild edge fading; near fine in a near fine, price-clipped dust jacket.
281. (Theater). SIMON, John. Uneasy Stages and Singularities. NY: Random House (1975). Two books by the controversial critic: Uneasy Stages collects a decade of theater reviews (1963-1973); Singularities, a decade of essays on theater (1964-1974). The titles were issued simultaneously. Both are inscribed by Simon. Wrappered issues, with page edges tanning; else fine.
282. THOMAS, Michael. Man Gone Down. NY: Black Cat (2007). His highly praised first book; a trade paperback original about a black man in a troubled biracial marriage. One of the most critically acclaimed novels of the year. Signed by the author. Fine in self-wrappers. Together with the advance reading copy, which varies slightly from the finished text; also fine in wrappers. For both:
283. TOOLE, John Kennedy. A Confederacy of Dunces. Baton Rouge: Louisiana State U. Press, 1980. One of the most elusive of Pulitzer Prize-winning fiction titles, this book had a small first printing, reported to be 2500 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. Excellent reviews and word-of-mouth led to its being reprinted numerous times and becoming a bestseller. It then won one of the most prestigious literary prizes given in this country. This copy has the signature of Walker Percy following the introduction, but we are on the fence as to the signature's authenticity. Fine in a near fine dust jacket with a very narrow chip at the spine base and some dampening to the verso that has caused a minor ripple to the rear panel. Still, a very attractive copy of a book that is quite uncommon, and certainly had the smallest first printing of any recent Pulitzer Prize title.
284. (TROCCHI, Alexander). LENGEL, Frances. Young Adam. Paris: Olympia Press (1954). An early novel by Alexander Trocchi, later famous for Cain's Book, and by far his scarcest book. Written under a pseudonym in the early 1950s, and published as the sixth volume in Maurice Girodias's Atlantic Library series which, like the later Traveller's Companion series, was largely devoted to softcore pornography. Young Adam has been compared to Camus's L'Etranger. It was made into an award-winning film in 2003, directed by David Mackenzie and starring Ewan McGregor and Tilda Swinton. Trocchi wrote three other novels for Olympia in the 1950s, all of which are uncommon; this is the only one that is widely viewed as a literary effort rather than pornography written for money. Dusty wrappers, and a small sticker removal scar on the rear cover; near fine in wrappers, without dust jacket.
285. 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. A little foxing to top stain; else fine in a near fine, price-clipped dust jacket with a couple faint spots and rubbing to the spine. A very nice copy.
286. UPDIKE, John. Museums and Women. NY: Knopf, 1972. A collection of stories. Signed by the author. Fine in a near fine, price-clipped dust jacket.
287. UPDIKE, John. On Meeting Authors. Newburyport: Wickford Press, 1968. An unsigned limited edition of an essay that first appeared in the New York Times. One of 250 numbered copies. Edge-sunning to covers; coffee splot lower front corner; very good in stapled wrappers. One of Updike's earliest limited editions, done the same year as Bath After Sailing and The Angels. Although the limitation of this title is larger than either of those, we have seen it less often and it appears to be scarcer in the market.
288. UPDIKE, John. Howells as Anti-Novelist. Kittery Point: William Dean Howells Memorial Committee, 1987. One of 150 copies printed of a lecture Updike gave at Harvard as part of the 150th anniversary of Howells' birth. Published in a slightly altered form in The New Yorker, this is the first separate appearance, with an Author's Note by Updike. Approximately 40 pages of text; fine in self-wrappers with complimentary slip from the publisher laid in. Updike won the Howells Medal years later, in 1995, for Rabbit at Rest; the medal is given out for the best work of fiction in America during a five-year period. One of Updike's scarcest "A" items.
289. UPDIKE, John. The Early Stories, 1953-1975. (London): Hamish Hamilton (2004). The first British edition of this massive collection of 103 stories of the 107 stories he published from 1953-1975, plus a foreword by the author. Fine in a fine dust jacket.
290. UPDIKE, John. Villages. (London): Hamish Hamilton (2004). The first British edition. One very slight corner tap; else fine in a fine dust jacket.
291. UPDIKE, John. Still Looking. (London): Hamish Hamilton (2005). The first British edition of this collection of essays on American art. A remainder stripe to top edge also dots the first few pages; slight bump to crown; very near fine in a fine dust jacket. The U.K. editions of Updike's recent books are surprisingly uncommon.
292. UPDIKE, John. Terrorist. (London): Hamish Hamilton (2006). The first British edition. Note written on front flyleaf regarding the term "hapax legomenon" used on page 105 in the text; else fine in a fine dust jacket.
293. (UPDIKE, John). 75 Aromatic Years of Leavitt & Peirce in the Recollection of 31 Harvard Men. Cambridge: Leavitt & Peirce, 1958. The hardcover issue of this very early appearance in print by Updike [Roberts B2]. Harvard alumni commemorate the 75th anniversary of a tobacco store and gathering place; Updike contributes a poem, "The Old Tobacconist." Fine in a heavily chipped glassine dustwrapper, presumably original. Inscribed by the President of Leavitt & Peirce, Richard Ehrlich, who also provides a foreword. Time magazine review laid in. A very scarce book in the hardcover printing, and Roberts' checklist doesn't note there having been a dust jacket.
294. -. Another copy. Two very slight bumps to the boards and a small tear at the front joint; else very near fine, lacking the glassine.
295. (UPDIKE, John). The Valentine Generation and Other Stories. (Harlan, Essex): Longman Group (1980). A booklet in the Longman Structural Readers series. Prints Updike's story "A&P" and works by five others: Doris Lessing, John Wain, Elizabeth Taylor, H.E. Bates and Frank Tuohy. The Updike story is a "simplified" version of that which appeared in his collection Pigeon Feathers and, before that, in The New Yorker. It was later published separately, in 1986. Creasing to rear cover; near fine in stapled wrappers. An unusual secondary appearance; we've never seen a copy before.
296. (UPDIKE, John). HOWELLS, William Dean. Indian Summer. (NY): Vintage Books/Library of America (1990). First thus, with an 8-page introduction by Updike. Only issued in wrappers. Fine.
297. VAN GULIK, Robert. The Given Day. San Antonio: Dennis McMillan, 1984. The only contemporary mystery by the author of the Judge Dee series. This was originally published in 1964. Here it is issued as a limited edition, one of 300 numbered copies signed by novelist Janwillem Van de Wetering, who provides a postscript. Fine in a mildly spine-sunned dust jacket.
298. VERNON, Olympia. Eden. NY: Grove Press (2003). The highly praised first book by this African American author. Signed by the author. Fine in a fine dust jacket.
299. VIDAL, Gore. Weekend. (NY): Dramatists Play Service (1996). A reissue of this little-known two-act play by Vidal, first issued by Dramatists Play Service in stapled wrappers in 1968. This is a fine copy, perfectbound in blue wrappers. Includes a production note in the text suggesting performance updates, such as changing a reference to the Vietnam peace talks to reflect changing conditions. An uncommon Vidal work in any edition.
300. (Vietnam War). Excerpts from the Declaration of Former Resistance Fighters on the Present Situation in South Vietnam. (n.p.): (n.p.), 1960. Eight pages; stapled. A very early protest against American involvement in South Vietnam, written by former members of a number of resistance groups, including the Viet Minh, Buddhist groups, etc. With some sunning and underlining and the word "Okay" written on the cover. Very good, and presumably scarce.
301. (Vietnam War). Our Mission in Vietnam. (Washington, D.C): (Department of the Army) (1964). An early official statement about the rationale for the U.S. presence in Vietnam, preceding the massive troop buildup that began in 1965. Twelve pages. Stamped "Library of Congress Surplus/Duplicate;" very good in stapled wrappers.
302. (Vietnam War). The Legality of U.S. Participation in the Defense of Viet-Nam. (Washington, D.C): (Department of State) (1966). An offprint from the Department of State Bulletin, a memorandum submitted to the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, largely concentrating on the issue of whether Congressional approval, and a formal declaration of war, were necessary for U.S. troops to be committed to combat in Vietnam. 16 pages. Stamped "Library of Congress Surplus/Duplicate." Near fine in stapled wrappers.
303. (Vietnam War). McNAMARA, Robert and RUSK, Dean. Why Vietnam. (Ottawa): (U.S. Information Service) (1965). The text of McNamara's statement, "The Tasks of Defense," before the Defense Subcommittee of the Senate Appropriations Committee on August 4, 1965, printed together with Rusk's statement, "The Task of Diplomacy," from the day before. Titles and authors' names are underlined in red pencil in a couple of places; otherwise very good in stapled wrappers. An early, official commentary on the war.
304. (Vietnam War). Artists and Writers Protest Against the War in Vietnam: Poems. (n.p.): Artists and Writers Inc., (1967). Poetry by David Antin, Paul Blackburn, Robert Bly, Robert Creeley, Robert Duncan, Clayton Eshleman, Anthony Hecht, Stanley Kunitz, Denise Levertov, Walter Lowenfels, Joel Oppenheimer, Allen Planz, Jerome Rothenberg, Frank Samperi, Gilbert Sorrentino, Charles Stein, Tony Towle, and James Wright. Printed in an edition of 500 copies, 100 of which were numbered and signed; this copy is unsigned and unnumbered. Tall folio. 12 1/4" x 18". Attractively designed and printed; fine in wrappers.
305. (Vietnam War). WESTMORELAND, General William C. Report on the War in Vietnam (as of 30 June 1968). (Washington, D.C.): (U.S. Government Printing Office) 1968. Written jointly with Admiral U.S. Grant Sharp, the Commander in Chief of U.S. forces in the Pacific; Westmoreland was serving as the Commander of the U.S. Military Assistance Command, Vietnam, at the time. This copy is inscribed by Westmoreland to Steve Ailes, "with high regards and best wishes" in April 1969. A significant association copy: Ailes served as Under Secretary of the Army during the Kennedy administration and Lyndon Johnson promoted him to Secretary of the Army in 1963. This report is perhaps the most critical one issued during the war: it chronicles the history of the war from 1964 through mid-1968, including the 1968 Tet offensive, which led to Lyndon Johnson's declining to run again for President and Richard Nixon's getting elected with a "secret plan" to end the war. The Tet offensive is characterized in the report as a "temporary setback." Minor foxing to prelims and endpages; near fine, without dust jacket, as issued.
306. (Vietnam War). North Vietnamese Propaganda Poster. Original silk screen poster printed in North Vietnam c. 1972. Such posters were done in the style of "social realism" by a number of different Vietnamese artists on a variety of themes relating to the war effort. Brought back to this country by one of the "peace delegations" to go to North Vietnam in 1972, they provide a glimpse into the Vietnamese perception of the war, and the efforts made to sustain morale on a number of fronts in a fight that must have seemed, at times, to be waged against enormous odds. Given the context in which these were done, and the purposes to which they were put, they were, for the most part, not nearly as bellicose as one would expect: many tended to emphasize elements of "quiet heroism" away from the battle front. This one states "Tien Len Toan Thang At Ve Ta! [The complete victory will certainly be ours!]" and shows a armed, camouflaged Vietnamese soldier carrying apparently-captured American guns. 17" x 24 1/2", framed to 25" x 33". Fine.
307. (Vietnam War). SNEPP, Frank. Decent Interval. An Insider's Account of Saigon's Indecent End Told by the CIA's Chief Strategy Analyst in Vietnam. NY: Random House (1977). A tell-all memoir by one of the CIA's chief analysts and operatives in Saigon during the last months of the war. This book was published without CIA approval in violation of Snepp's secrecy oath and caused a judicial ruling that broadened the government's secrecy requirements of its employees to include even those who had not taken oaths and/or did not deal with classified material. Although no one ever claimed that Snepp revealed classified material, the fact that he published the book without CIA review and submission to CIA censorship caused the court to rule against him, and he had to forfeit his royalties as well. A landmark book in the annals of free speech issues, as well as for its content -- a condemnation of U.S. policy on the grounds of patriotism and ethics, from within the intelligence establishment. Inscribed by the author to Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Tom Wicker in the month of publication: "Thank you for the best/ argument yet for doing/ this book." A note on Random House stationery explains that Snepp was in the office when Wicker's request for the book came in. Wicker is an Associate Editor for The New York Times and has written the "In the Nation" column for The Times since 1966. Fine in a near fine dust jacket.
308. (Vietnam War). HERR, Michael. Dispatches. NY: Knopf, 1977. Herr, reporting for Rolling Stone and Esquire from Vietnam, was -- along with such now-legendary figures as Tim Page, Sean Flynn and Dana Stone -- one of the young writers who brought the 1960s counterculture and the New Journalism to war reporting, describing Vietnam as the "first rock-and-roll war" and influencing the way future generations would see the conflict -- mostly by writing his reports largely from the perspective of the foot soldiers in the war rather than that of the strategists and commanders. Herr's dispatches were eagerly awaited at the time, and are now viewed as classics of war reporting. They helped shatter the official picture of an orderly progression to the war and define the "credibility gap" that made Vietnam war reporting so different from that of earlier conflicts. Small stain to lower outer corner of front board; else fine in near fine, dusty dust jacket with one short edge tear and a couple small spots.
309. -. Another copy. A touch of fading to the cloth at the spine base; else fine in a very near fine, price-clipped dust jacket with the Knopf logo rubbed to silver (from gold) on the spine.
310. (Vietnam War). HASFORD, Gustav. The Short-Timers. NY: Harper & Row (1979). His first book, a novel that was made into the landmark movie Full Metal Jacket by Stanley Kubrick. A short, grim book, it has been called one of the most powerful to come out of the Vietnam War, and the movie was equally stunning in its portrayal of the brutalization of the recruits who were being sent to war, both before they went and after they arrived. Inscribed by Hasford to C.D.B. Bryan, author of Friendly Fire, one of the key books of nonfiction to come out of the war: "For C.D.B. Bryan/ from an American/ Gustav Hasford/ Morro Bay/ March [??]." The text block was once dampened and the pages, particularly the prelims, are wavy, and the date on the inscription has bled. Thus a very good copy in a near fine dust jacket with just a bit of dampening to the lower rear panel. An excellent association copy: Hasford's novel, by depicting the brutality of training and of war itself, was a powerful antiwar statement; Bryan's account of a family's turning against the war after the bureaucratic obstruction they encountered in trying to learn about their son's death is seen as the key volume in describing the radicalization of the political moderates and the American middle class against the Vietnam conflict.