Catalog 164, D-E
44. DAVIS, Lydia. Blind Date. Tucson: Chax Press, 1998. Copy number 66 of 100 numbered copies of this story. Although not called for, this copy is signed by Davis. Cover illustration by Cynthia Miller. An interesting production, with the pages of the text pasted together and then pasted, accordion-style, into uncovered boards. Approximately 6" x 10 1/2". Erratum slip laid in, with additional note stating that the initial plan was to paste the cover illustration on to silk tissue paper, and only in the second half of the print run did they change to using the uncovered boards, as they "felt that was appropriate." This being number 66, this is one of the "appropriate" issue. Precedes Davis's McSweeney's debut and her Macarthur Award. In 2013 Davis won the Man Booker International Prize, the fifth recipient of that relatively new award, following Ismail Kadare, Chinua Achebe, Alice Munro, and Philip Roth. A scarce edition by a writer who has been earning high critical praise for nearly 30 years but has only recently begun to receive widespread mainstream recognition for her work. Fine.
45. DAVIS, Lydia. The Cows. Louisville: Sarabande (2011). Thirty plus pages, including photographs by Davis, her son, and one other, musing on the movements of a group of cows. This copy is signed by Davis. Tiny lower outer corner bump, else fine in stapled wrappers. Uncommon signed.
46. DELILLO, Don. White Noise. (n.p.): (Viking)(1985). The advance reading copy of his National Book Award-winning novel, labeled "unrevised and unpublished proofs." Light foxing to the rear cover and edges of text block; near fine in wrappers. From the library of National Book Award-winning author Peter Matthiessen.
47. DELILLO, Don. Pafko at the Wall. NY: Scribner [2001]. The first separate edition of this short piece. Inscribed by DeLillo to fellow National Book Award-winning author Peter Matthiessen: "To Peter Matthiessen/ Comrade-in-arms and master craftsman/ Don DeLillo." This novella originally served as the prologue to DeLillo's 1997 novel Underworld. Published here separately to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Giants' victory over the Dodgers in the 1951 pennant race. Fine in a fine dust jacket but for a corner crease to the front flap. A nice association between two of the most highly regarded writers of their time.
48. DELILLO, Don and PRINCE, Richard. The Word for Snow. (NY/Easthampton): (Karma/Glenn Horowitz)(2014). The limited edition of DeLillo's 2007 one-act play, with photographs by Richard Prince. Of a total edition of 1000, this is one of 125 clothbound copies signed by DeLillo and Prince. Fine in publisher's acetate. An attractive production, linking two of the leading artists in their respective fields in a very small edition.
49. DIAZ, Junot. This Is How You Lose Her. NY: Riverhead, 2012. The uncorrected proof copy of the Pulitzer Prize winner's third book, second story collection. There was an advance reading excerpt printing a single story that is slightly more common than this; this is the first time we have had the full proof. Upper outer corner creased; near fine in wrappers.
50. DICK, Philip K. Typescript Pages of The Transmigration of Timothy Archer. c. early 1980s. Six typescript pages, pages 5-10, being the last half of the first chapter, which takes place on the day John Lennon died. Two typos hand-corrected. Paper-clipped, edge-sunned; near fine. Also included are another 15 random pages in photocopy, hand-numbered between 3 and 180; these reproduce some copyediting. At least one change between the photocopies here and the published text. Dick had finished writing and editing The Transmigration of Timothy Archer, which was the final book in the Valis trilogy, prior to his death but he died before the book was published. That suggests that these pages are some of the final ones that Dick worked on in his lifetime. From the collection of SF writer Tim Powers, Dick's longtime friend and the person to whom he entrusted his manuscripts when his own living situation was precarious and he felt he could not safeguard them adequately himself. Original, unique material by Dick seldom comes on the market these days. While he was an acclaimed science fiction writer in his lifetime, his reputation since he died has soared -- in part because of the numerous films made from his stories and novels -- and he is seem as a provocative and prophetic writer whose work transcends genres.
51. DICK, Philip K. Passage from Aeschylus. Undated. Seven lines from the Agamemnon of Aeschylus, written out in Dick's hand and quoted by him in The Transmigration of Timothy Archer, which was published shortly after his death, in 1982. The handwritten version varies slightly from both the standard translation and the version included in the novel, ending "... against our will comes wisdom to us, the awful Grace of God," instead of "... against our will comes wisdom to us by the awful grace of God [emphasis added]." One can't help but think of the former as representing Dick's own understanding better than the latter: the equating of wisdom itself with the "awful Grace of God" rather than being something facilitated by that grace -- presumably a benign something, as we normally take wisdom to be a Good Thing rather than something "awful." Handwritten on paper folded into twelfths. On the verso are the words (written vertically): "MARGINA/SUZETTE/PONDER," also in Dick's hand. 8 1/2" x 11", but for the light folds, near fine. Provenance: Tim Powers.
52. DICK, Philip K. VALIS Schematic. Undated. A brief sketch in Dick's hand working out some relation between "YHWH," "Belial," and "Good Deity." Numbers, a circle, an arrow, but his intended pattern of thought remains his own. Also noted is that YHWH should be "in red & gold." The VALIS trilogy was Dick's effort to understand and explicate the "Vast Active Living Intelligence System" that he understood to be the underpinning of the universe as we know it, and the books were as much a series of philosophical musings and reflections as they were a series of novels. Dick's Exegesis -- some 8000 pages of unpublished writings that he worked on for the last decade of his life -- focused on these metaphysical questions, and his books were an outgrowth of that intellectual and spiritual inquiry. Written on one half of a 8 1/2" x 11" paper. Several creases and folds; very good. Provenance: Tim Powers.
53. DINESEN, Isak. Out of Africa. NY: Random House (1938). The first American edition of her second book, a memoir of her life in Kenya that has come to be regarded as a classic -- one of the defining autobiographies of the 20th century. Small ink stamp ("59233") on the rear flyleaf; darkening to pastedowns from the binder's glue, mostly near the hinges; rich top stain. A near fine copy in a very near fine dust jacket with mild tanning to the spine. An attractive copy of a landmark book.
54. -. Another copy. Darkening to the joints and fading to the top stain; near fine in a near fine, mildly tanned dust jacket with trace rubbing near the crown.
55. -. Another copy. Text block shaken; very good in a very good, mildly spine-sunned dust jacket with a small snagged tear at the rear panel.
56. DRURY, Allen. Advise and Consent. London: Collins, 1960. The uncorrected proof copy of the first British edition of Drury's first novel, a novel of Washington politics that won the 1960 Pulitzer Prize for fiction (it was published in the U.S. in 1959). Near fine in unprinted, cloud-themed wrappers, laid into a very good dust jacket. With a typed letter from the publisher laid in, stating, in part: "we consider it the biggest potential seller and one of the finest novels to come in the last 5/6 years." Very uncommon in this advance issue, and a very nice copy.
57. DUBUS, Andre. Autograph Letters Signed. 1984-1985. Two autograph letters signed to the writer Jay Neugeboren, written to him in his capacity as the Director of the MFA Program in English at the University of Massachusetts. The first letter takes the form of two postcards written the same day in 1984: the first postcard contains autobiographical information, from social security number to education, awards, and publications, concluding with "I'm working on something that's driving me mad, and will probably still be working on it then, God willing." The second card continues the letter with, in part: "I do not believe students should simply get a 50 minute reading, clap, go home." Dubus says he'll stay as long as the last person stays, and then provides some brand choices for beer to have on hand. Both cards are fine, and hand-addressed. The 1985 letter makes arrangements for bringing his wife and 2 year old daughter to Amherst for a reading, the arrangements including asking for a sitter for his daughter, and perhaps a VCR, and offering to bring Cheerios (as well as Polish vodka). Dubus also states his preferences for eating in restaurants. Folded in thirds for mailing; fine, with a hand-addressed envelope with an additional paragraph written on the back, mentioning two people he would like to see during the visit.
58. (EGGERS, Dave). Timothy McSweeney's Quarterly Concern, a.k.a "Gegenshein." (Brooklyn): (McSweeney's), 1998. The first volume of Eggers' literary journal, featuring Eggers (uncredited but everpresent), David Foster Wallace, Rick Moody, Sarah Vowell, Neal Pollack, and others. Signed by Eggers. McSweeney's went on to be one of the most influential publishing companies of the first decade of the 21st century: in addition to publishing the journal McSweeney's, with its innovative formats and content, it became a book publisher, introducing new writers and publishing new work by a number of already well-regarded writers. Covers slightly dusty; very near fine in wrappers.
59. (EGGERS, Dave). Timothy McSweeney's Blues/Jazz Odyssey? (Brooklyn): (McSweeney's), 1999. The second issue of the journal, also known as Pollyanna's Bootless Errand or McSweeney's #2 (Late Winter/Early Spring, 1999). Includes work by Eggers, Jonathan Lethem, David Shields, Neal Pollack, Sarah Vowell, Amanda Davis, Heidi Julavits, John Hodgman, and others. Inscribed by the editor and presumed author of many uncredited sentences, Dave Eggers. "Paid" stamp inside rear cover. Some handling evident to covers; near fine in wrappers.
60. (EGGERS, Dave). Timothy McSweeney's Windfall Republic. (Brooklyn): (McSweeney's)(1999). The third issue of the journal, featuring Jonathan Lethem, J. Robert Lennon, Rick Moody, Mark O'Donnell and others. Inscribed by Dave Eggers: "Rod - You're a great writer. Hope to see more from you soon." Fine in wrappers.
61. (EGGERS, Dave). Timothy McSweeney's Trying, Trying, Trying, Trying, Trying, Issue No. 4. (Brooklyn): McSweeney's, 2000. Individually bound works by Rick Moody, Jonathan Lethem, Lydia Davis, George Saunders, Haruki Murakami, Denis Johnson, Paul Maliszewski (on Nabokov paperback covers) and five others. With an additional booklet of sundry publishing opinions, apparently crafted by the editor, Dave Eggers, and another booklet of shorter pieces by various authors. All booklets are fine in stapled wrappers except for the Denis Johnson which is fine and perfectbound, and all fourteen, along with the extremely entertaining Subscriber Agreement, are laid into a fine folding pictorial box. Signed by Lethem at his contribution, and signed by Eggers ("Hoo Boy. D. Eggers") on the front of the box.
62. (EGGERS, Dave). Timothy McSweeney Is Staring Like That Why Does He Keep Staring?, Issue No. 5. (Brooklyn): McSweeney's, 2000. Issue No. 5, this being the state with text printed on boards and a partially dissected face on the dust jacket. Signed (initialed) by Eggers on the dust jacket. With contributions by Susan Minot, Sarah Vowell, Lydia Davis, J. Robert Lennon, Steven Barthelme, Ann Cummins, and many others. Fine in a fine dust jacket.
63. EHRHART, W.D. Channel Fever. Long Island: Backstreet (1982). Copy No. 100 of 526 numbered copies of this collection of poems by Ehrhart, Jeptha Evans, and Kraft Rompf. Text block threatening to separate from covers due to drying of glue; near fine in wrappers.
64. EHRLICH, Gretel. Facing the Wave. A Journey in the Wake of the Tsunami. NY: Pantheon, 2013. The uncorrected proof copy of this book written in the aftermath of the earthquake and tsunami that devastated the coast of Japan and destroyed a nuclear reactor, causing untold damage to the neighboring land and sea. With a letter laid in to a well-known writer from the Editorial Director, soliciting a comment for the book. Fine in wrappers.