Holiday List, C
In Cold Blood was one of the most eagerly awaited and momentous publications of its time. Capote was a commercially successful and critically acclaimed literary celebrity who had abandoned the writing of fiction at the height of his career to take on the task of telling a grisly nonfiction story--one of no particular consequence to anyone outside of the circle of the participants' friends and relatives--and elevating it to the status of literary art. In Cold Blood was successful, critically and commercially, beyond Capote's--or his publisher's--most optimistic expectations, and the book helped to usher in the era of the "New Journalism" along with declarations of the Death of the Novel. The controversial nature of its subject matter helped fuel the idea that Life was outstripping Art in these times, and that only a new approach to writing could keep pace. In Cold Blood embodied that new approach to writing, with its novelistic focus on the telling details of its characters' lives, through which larger social issues were raised and explored.
The manuscript contains numerous textual changes from the final published version: several names of major characters have been changed; Parts Two and Three contain much unpublished text, including significant dialogue; and throughout the book, Capote's language has been pared down from the manuscript by the excision of many similes, etc. Also, a certain amount of "sanitizing" took place in the editorial process, and the characters' sometimes vulgar or suggestive language has been toned down; in one case, his characters' drinking scotch was changed, in the end, to coffee. Overall, the tone and style of writing in the manuscript is decidedly more "literary" than the finished work, with many of Capote's more elaborate literary constructions simplified or eliminated to give the book more of a journalistic tone. To the best of our knowledge, this is the only copy of the manuscript of this landmark book not to have been institutionalized with the Capote archive.
39. (CAPOTE, Truman). The Green Witch, Vol. 27, Nos. 1 and 2. Greenwich: Greenwich High School, 1941 and 1942. Capote contributes a story, "Miss Belle Rankin," and a poem, "Conscience," to the earlier volume and a story, "Louise," to the later volume. "Louise" won second place in the short story category. Capote was at this time a junior in high school, and these very likely constitute his first appearances in print. The covers of each are watermarked, not affecting any Capote text. Each is very good in stapled wrappers; the later volume is stamped "From the library of Truman Capote" on the front cover. We have never seen other copies of either of these issues come on the market. For both:
40. (CAPOTE, Truman). Decade of Short Stories, Vol. 6, Nos. 2 and 4; Vol. 9, No. 4. Chicago: Decade, 1944 & 1949. Three issues of this literary journal. The earliest volume contains "A Mink of One's Own." The second volume contains "The Shape of Things." The third volume (1949) is a tenth anniversary issue and reprints "A Mink of One's Own." The two stories are Capote's earliest published work. He is referred to in the first volume as "working on [a novel] and hopes one day to finish it." The first two issues of this little magazine are from late 1944--wartime--and are printed on cheap, acidic paper. All three are fine in wrappers. We have not seen these offered for sale in recent memory.
41. CARVER, Raymond. At Night the Salmon Move. Santa Barbara: Capra Press, 1976. Carver's third collection of poetry, issued simultaneously in wrappers and a hardcover limited edition. This is the hardcover, one of 100 numbered copies, quarterbound in black cloth and blue illustrated boards, and signed by the author. A fine copy of a book that has become quite scarce.
42. CARVER, Raymond. Publisher's archive for TWO POEMS. (NY: Scarab, 1982). This is the complete archive for the edition, containing four typed letters signed by Carver and one autograph note signed, along with photocopies of the four poems he sent for consideration for inclusion. These bear minor differences from their final published form. Also included in the archive is the publisher's final letter to Carver, sending the books to him for his signatures and his comments and instructing him which to keep. Carver got the first 25 copies for his own use, plus an unspecified number of the 17 overrun copies. Most Carver manuscript material is institutionalized and few archives exist, even for so small a publication as this. Fine, with the original envelopes addressed in Carver's hand.
43. CARVER, Raymond. Those Days. Elmwood: Raven Editions, 1987. A collection of early pieces by Carver written prior to the publication of his first book, Near Klamath. William Stull turned these up in the course of bibliographic research, and he edited them and provided notes and an Afterword. Carver himself wrote an introduction. Perhaps the most attractive of the many limited editions that Carver did: it was designed and printed by Carol Blinn of Warwick Press, whose work is prized by collectors of contemporary fine printing; the marbled paper used in the binding was done by Faith Harrison, whose work is also highly admired in fine press circles; and the quarter-leather binding was done by Gray Parrot Letterpress. There were three issues, two of which were offered for sale: 100 numbered copies in wrappers, 26 lettered copies in marbled paper boards; 14 "presentation" copies, bound in quarter-leather and marbled paper boards were hors commerce. This is one of 14 presentation copies, signed by Carver. This copy belonged to the artist, Ronald Sloan, and is additionally inscribed by Sloan with a small caricature. One of the scarcest items in the Carver oeuvre, and a unique copy. Fine, with a prospectus for the edition laid in.
44. -. Another one of the 14 presentation copies signed by the author. Fine.
45. (CATHER, Willa). MILMINE, Georgine. The Life of Mary Baker G Eddy and the History of Christian Science. NY: Doubleday Page (1909). An early work by Cather, which she edited and largely rewrote when she had just started work at McClure's magazine and this biography was submitted for serial publication. Although there is scholarly dispute about the exact extent of Cather's efforts on this work, and she herself preferred to minimize her involvement with it in later years, the consensus is that she is largely responsible for the writing that appeared in the serial, and that the journalistic style of it was her own. Reportedly, the copyright to this title was later purchased by a friend of Christian Science and the plates from which the book was printed were destroyed, making this volume, according to a Mary Baker Eddy bibliography, "exceedingly rare." Some instances of pencil underlining in text. Owner signature and blindstamp front flyleaf, bookplate front pastedown. Endpages starting at hinges. Edgewear to cloth, particularly at the spine extremities. Still a solid, better than good copy of an exceedingly uncommon book.
46. CHATWIN, Bruce. In Patagonia. London: Cape (1977). An idiosyncratic nonfiction account of the author's journey to Patagonia--with historical vignettes interspersed with personal accounts--the publication of which put the author at the forefront of contemporary travel writers. Slight spine slant; near fine in a very near fine, price-clipped dust jacket. This first edition contains photos from the trip that were not included in the American edition published the following year.
47. CHEEVER, John. The Day the Pig Fell into the Well. Northridge: Lord John, 1978. First separate edition of a short story that first appeared in The New Yorker in 1954. Of a total edition of 301 copies, this is one of 26 lettered copies signed by the author. Fine in slipcase. An attractive production.
48. CHEEVER, John. Expelled. (Los Angeles): Sylvester & Orphanos (1988). A miniature book limited edition, the first separate publication of the first story Cheever wrote that was accepted for publication, by The New Republic in 1930. With an introduction by Malcolm Cowley, who was the editor who accepted the story, and a 10 (miniature) page afterword by John Updike. Designed by Warren Chappell. One of 185 copies only, signed by Cheever, Updike, Cowley and Chappell. Approximately 3" x 2 1/4". Fine in slipcase.
49. (CHRISTIE, Agatha). Fair Copy Signed of Second Appeal to the Vatican. Two legal-sized pages, stapled and folded twice, printing the text of an appeal to the Vatican not to do away with the traditional Mass. Small spot top page, not affecting text. Type flaking. Very good, and signed by Christie.
50. CLARK, Mary Higgins. Aspire to the Heavens. A Portrait of George Washington. NY: Meredith Press (1968). The first book by this author who has since gone on to become a bestselling thriller writer, whose books sell in the hundreds of thousands--even millions, with paperbacks included--of copies. Near fine in a very good, price-clipped dust jacket with tears at the upper front spine fold and the front flapfold. A very scarce book.
51. CONRAD, Joseph. Lord Jim. NY: Doubleday McClure, 1900. The first American edition of one of Conrad's greatest books. Owner name on title page and front pastedown, but otherwise this is an exceptionally bright, near fine copy, without the rare dust jacket.
52. CONRAD, Joseph. Youth and Two Other Stories. NY: McClure, Phillips, 1903. The first American edition of this volume which collects Conrad's classic novella, Heart of Darkness, for the first time. Owner bookplate front pastedown; front hinge weakening. Very good without dust jacket. An important book; number 14 of Connolly's 100 key volumes of the Modern Movement.
53. CONRAD, Joseph. The Secret Agent. London: T. Werner Laurie, 1923. The limited edition of this drama in three acts. One of 1000 numbered copies signed by the author. Owner bookplate under front flap. Mild offsetting to endpapers and light bowing to boards; still a near fine copy in a tanned but very good dust jacket beginning to split at the extremities of the front spine fold.
54. CREWS, Harry. Body. (n.p.): Ultramarine Press, 1990. The limited edition of this novel by the author of Car and Karate is a Thing of the Spirit, among others. Of a total edition of only 50 copies, this is one of just ten lettered copies, bound in full leather--soft green suede stamped in gold--and signed by the author. A long-awaited volume which, although printed from first edition sheets, was nearly five years in the making. Destined to be the scarcest and most difficult item in Crews's bibliography. A fine copy.
55. CROWLEY, John. Little, Big. London: Gollancz, 1982. The first British edition and also the first hardcover edition of his fourth book, winner of the World Fantasy Medal and a landmark of contemporary fantasy. Ursula LeGuin commented that this book, all by itself, calls for a redefinition of the fantasy genre. Mixing magic, myth and fairy tale with a plausible contemporary story, Crowley goes a step beyond "magical realism" into a realm that could be characterized as the obverse: a realistic take on magic. Because there was a simultaneous softcover issue, the hardcover printing was small, reported to be only 300 copies. This is a fine copy in a fine dust jacket.