Catalog 101, E-G
119. ELIOT, T.S. Four Quartets. London: Faber & Faber (1944). The first British edition of this collection, the individual poems of which were originally published separately (see above) and then collected in the U.S. in 1943--in an edition that was, because of a printing error, mostly destroyed. A thin book, printed under wartime conditions using cheap paper and boards: the boards are bowed and the spine cocked, as is usually the case with this title; a very good copy in a very good dust jacket with several small spots and edge tears to the white, unlaminated paper, and one creased edge tear at the lower front panel.
120. EPHRON, Delia. How to Eat Like a Child and Other Lessons in Not Being a Grown-Up. NY: Viking Press (1978). A humorous book of short pieces by Ephron, illustrated by Edward Koren. Oblong quarto. Inscribed by Ephron and Koren, with an elaborate two-monster Koren drawing. Slight bump to crown; else fine without dust jacket, presumably as issued.
121. EPSTEIN, Leslie. Correspondence. 1983-1986. Three typed letters signed and two typed notes signed from Epstein, novelist and Director of the Graduate Creative Writing Program at Boston University, to another writer. Epstein commiserates with the recipient after his novel is unjustly reviewed by a "feminist communist, or historian of feminists or communists or whatever, but what connection has she to literature?" He tries to coax his correspondent into teaching a workshop at B.U. In the later letters, he submits to him his curriculum vita (Rhodes, Fullbright, Guggenheim, NEA...Married, three children, condo in Brookline, Subaru wagon) and his recommendations for the Swados Prize. Frank, personal and literary. All on Boston University stationery; fine.
122. ERDRICH, Louise. The Bingo Palace. (n.p.): (Lord John Press) (1994). The limited edition of the fourth novel in her ongoing sequence that began with Love Medicine and continued with The Beet Queen and Tracks, each of which was highly praised, and each of which had a larger first trade edition than the previous one. The trade edition of this title had a first printing numbering in six figures. This is one of 150 numbered copies signed by the author. Fine in a fine slipcase.
123. ESHLEMAN, Clayton. Typed Letters Signed. May 19 and August 24, 1978. Two letters, written to the editor of Atropos, a Canadian literary magazine. The first letter offers a bit of a critique of the first issue of the magazine and submits a 7 page piece entitled "Satanas" for consideration. Photocopied typeset pages are included. Eshleman informs the recipient that the work will be published in Wales shortly and in his next Black Sparrow book. The second letter (two sides) discusses the possibility of getting a grant to do a Blackburn transcription and submits, within the text of the letter, a short poem for publication. All items are folded in thirds for mailing; the hand-addressed envelope for the second letter is included. The first letter is near fine; the second, fine.
124. ESQUIVEL, Laura. The Law of Love. NY: Crown (1996). The advance reading copy of the first American edition of the second novel by the author of the highly praised bestseller Like Water for Chocolate. Fine in wrappers, with 11 song CD soundtrack bound in, an unusual publishing experiment.
125. FADIMAN, Anne. Ex Libris. NY: FSG (1998). A well-received collection of short pieces on books and reading, by the daughter of Clifton Fadiman, one of the pre-eminent men of letters of his generation, and a longtime editor at Book of the Month Club. These short essays were inspired by the author's lifelong love of, and exposure to, books and the collection was reprinted a number of times shortly after publication. Fadiman's first book won the National Book Critics Circle Award for Nonfiction. Fine in a fine dust jacket, and signed by the author.
126. FARRELL, James T. Typescript Pages. (n.p: n.p, n.d.). [c. 1963]. Three typescript pages (pp. 4, 5, 11) with holograph corrections, from Farrell's introduction to Sister Carrie. Page 11 has some offsetting, as well as an extra sheet for autograph corrections that ran off the page. An interesting look at a work in progress by the author of the landmark Studs Lonigan trilogy, whose writings often drew comparison to those of Dreiser, his subject in this essay. Folded in thirds; else fine.
127. FAULKNER, William. Light in August. (NY): Smith & Haas (1932). A Yoknapatawpha County novel that is considered his "most penetrating and dramatic analysis of contemporary Southern society." Attractive bookplate front pastedown which has caused offsetting to front flyleaf; mild tanning to the spine cloth and foxing to the orange top stain; very good in a very good dust jacket, somewhat spine-dulled and with modest edgewear. Lacking the original glassine outer jacket. Still, an attractive copy of one of Faulkner's greatest works, and one of the high spots of twentieth century American literature.
128. FAULKNER, William. Intruder in the Dust. NY: Random House (1948). By most accounts, this novel--which deals with the legacy of black-white relations in the South--was the book that cinched the Nobel Prize for him, which he won in 1949. Slight flaking to the spine gilt and fading to the top stain; otherwise a fine copy in a fine, bright dust jacket--extremely unusual for this title, the soft paper jacket having a tendency to fray and show wear readily. A very nice copy of an important book. While not an especially uncommon book, copies in this condition are quite scarce. A Haycraft-Queen Cornerstone title.
129. FAULKNER, William. Knight's Gambit. NY: Random House (1949). A review copy of this collection of related stories, which was selected by Ellery Queen as a Queen's Quorum title. Cloth a trifle worn at spine extremities; near fine in a very good dust jacket with a series of tiny edge chips and a nick in the rear spine fold, with review slip laid in. Uncommon in any advance issue.
130. FAULKNER, William. Requiem for a Nun. NY: Random House (1951). A novel written largely in the form of a play, and the first novel Faulkner published after winning the Nobel Prize. This is the limited edition, bound in three quarter cloth and marbled paper boards. One of 750 numbered copies, signed by the author. Fine, in a plain acetate dust jacket (not original).
131. (FAULKNER, William). WELTY, Eudora and MACDONALD, Ross. The Faulkner Investigation. Santa Barbara: Cordelia Editions, 1985. Prints in one volume Welty's review of Intruder in the Dust and MacDonald's foreword to Faulkner's story "The Hound." One of 500 copies. Fine in stapled wrappers.
132. -. Another copy. Near fine.
133. FAULKS, Sebastian. Charlotte Gray. NY: Random House (1999). The advance reading copy of the first American edition of the latest novel by the author of the highly praised Birdsong. Where the earlier novel was set in France during World War I, this one takes place in England and France during the years of the Second World War. Fine in wrappers.
134. FEIFFER, Jules. Feiffer's Album. NY: Random House (1963). A collection of stories in cartoon format, illustrated in color and black and white by the foremost political cartoonist of his time, and one short play. Inscribed by Feiffer. Rubbed at the tips; else fine in a very good, price-clipped dust jacket.
135. FITZGERALD, F. Scott. The Stories of F. Scott Fitzgerald. NY: Scribner (1951)[1966]. First thus, the paperback reissue of a collection of Fitzgerald's stories selected by, and with an introduction by, Malcolm Cowley. Minor spine-fold and corner creasing; near fine in wrappers, and inscribed by Cowley.
136. FORD, Richard. Women with Men. London: Harvill (1997). The first British edition of this collection of three novellas by the author of the Pulitzer Prize-winning, Independence Day. Fine in a fine dust jacket and signed by the author.
137. FORSTER, E.M. Typed Note Signed. February 11, 1957. To the writer Gilbert Phelps, declining to review Phelps' book, The Russian Novel in English Fiction. "I am not studying fiction much these days, and I do not feel qualified to review your work, but I have found it interesting, and [added in holograph] hope it will meet with success." Folded in quarters for mailing, and torn along one fold, not affecting text; near fine. A nice, short sentiment by the author of such classics as A Passage to India, and Howard's End, whose work appeared on the recent spate of "best-of-the-century" lists more often than any other author's.
138. GALLANT, Mavis. The Other Paris. (London): Andre Deutsch (1957). The first British edition of her first book, a collection of stories, mostly from The New Yorker. Near fine in a very good, spine-tanned dust jacket with two internally tape-mended edge tears.
139. GARDNER, John. Dragon, Dragon and Other Tales. (n.p.): (self-published) (n.d.) [c.1965]. The actual first edition of his first children's book, which was eventually brought out by Knopf in 1975. This version was "self-published" by Gardner--he reportedly printed and bound it in an edition of approximately 15 copies, and it looks it: a crude, unpolished production consisting of stapled 8-1/2" x 11" sheets, printed on rectos only, tape-bound into boards, illustrated by the author. The Knopf book, when it was published, was selected as New York Times Outstanding Children's Book of the Year. A fragile production, the text block has separated from the boards, which bear some surface soiling; very good.
140. GARDNER, John. The Miller's Mule. (n.p.): (self-published), 1965. Seven children's stories written and illustrated by Gardner, done in a homemade edition of approximately 30 copies as Christmas gifts in 1965. Exceptionally scarce; not listed in Howell. A decade later these stories were published, in significantly altered form, in Gardner's three children's books. The text block has separated from the handmade cardboard binding, which is slightly bowed, and a photocopied page 6 has been inserted in the place of the original page 6; very good.
141. (GARDNER, John). Promotional brochure for the Loma Linda University Lecture Series 1978-79. Riverside: Loma Linda U., 1978. One sheet of textured paper, 14" x 8 1/2", folded in thirds for self-mailing. Gardner is one of the participating lecturers, and his photograph is printed along with a capsule summary of his writing career. A scarce ephemeral piece. Signed by Gardner. Fine.
142. (GINSBERG, Allen). FLANAGAN, Harley. Stories and Illustrations by Harley. (n.p.): Charlatan Press (1976). Two stories in words and water colors by nine year old Harley, introduced by Allen Ginsberg. In tapebound illustrated boards, without dust jacket, as issued. Rubbed; otherwise near fine.
143. GODWIN, Gail. Violet Clay. NY: Knopf, 1978. Fourth novel, fifth book by the author of The Odd Woman, among others. Warmly inscribed by the author in the year of publication. Fine in a fine dust jacket.
144. GOLDEN, Arthur. Memoirs of a Geisha. NY: Knopf, 1997. A highly praised first novel written from the point of view of a young geisha, which became a surprise bestseller, staying on the bestseller lists for over a year. The book has been reprinted dozens of times, and the first printing has now become somewhat scarce. Fine in a fine dust jacket.
145. GOODMAN, Allegra. Kaaterskill Falls. (NY): Dial (1998). The advance reading copy of her first novel. Fine in wrappers. Winner of the National Book Award.
146. GORDIMER, Nadine. The Soft Voice of the Serpent. NY: Simon & Schuster (1952). The first American edition of the South African Nobel Prize winner's first book to be published outside of her native country, a collection of stories. Inscribed by the author. Near fine in a very good dust jacket with a bit of rubbing to the spine, a tear to the front flap fold, and a tiny chip to the rear flap fold.
147. GORDON, Mary. Typed Note Signed. August 27, 1980. An interesting note to another writer, commenting on his recent novel, which she has just read, and mentioning her own situation--finishing up The Company of Women, writing an article on J.F. Powers, starting a new novel now "so that I can get back to it after the baby is born...I feel I'm about to disappear into a welter of fecundity and maternal stupidity..." Near fine.
148. GRAVES, Robert and RIDING, Laura. A Pamphlet Against Anthologies. Garden City: Doubleday Doran, 1928. A collaborative effort by Graves and Riding, who lived together for a number of years in the late Twenties and through the Thirties, moving to Majorca, Spain, only to have to leave during the Spanish Civil War. They wrote together and also operated the Seizin Press together. Pencilled owner signature and a few light marginal marks in pencil. Very good in a good, fragile dust jacket, chipped at the spine extremities and weak at the folds.
149. GRAVES, Robert. Occupation: Writer. London: Cassell, 1951. The first British edition of this collection of short pieces on a variety of subjects. Fading to top stain; else fine in a very good, spine-tanned dust jacket with a stain and small abrasion on the front panel.
150. GRAVES, Robert and PODRO, Joshua. The Nazarene Gospel Restored. Garden City: Doubleday, 1954. First American edition of this massive (nearly 1000 pages) reinterpretation of the New Testament, published in an edition of 5000 copies. Tiny dot on foredge; else fine in a very good dust jacket with several edge tears, including a 3" tear to the lower rear spine fold. Despite the flap fold tear, a very attractive copy of this title which, because of its bulk, is unlikely to have survived in great quantities in fine condition.
151. GRAVES, Robert. ¡Catacrok! London: Cassell (1956). A collection of short humorous pieces, mostly written for Punch or the New Statesman, published in an edition of 4015 copies, and for which there was no U.S. edition. Pencilled checks in contents; else fine in a very near fine, slightly spine-darkened dust jacket. A very attractive copy of an uncommon title.
152. GRAVES, Robert. Steps. London: Cassell (1958). Stories, talks, essays, poems, studies in history; a collection that was published in an edition of less than 3000 copies, and for which there was no comparable U.S. edition. Pencilled checks in contents; else fine in a very near fine, slightly spine-darkened dust jacket.
153. GRAVES, Robert. The Anger of Achilles. Garden City: Doubleday, 1959. The Iliad, translated and introduced by Graves. With drawings by Ronald Searle. Fine in a near fine jacket with a crease part way down the spine and light edgewear and dust soiling. Still, a very nice copy.
154. GRAVES, Robert. Food for Centaurs. Garden City: Doubleday, 1960. A "best of" collection of the author's short stories, essays and poems. Near fine in a near fine dust jacket with one spot and a couple small nicks. A substantial and appealing anthology of this important writer's work.
155. GRAVES, Robert. The Penny Fiddle. Garden City: Doubleday (1960). Poems for children, illustrated by Edward Ardizzone. Fine in a lightly sunned, else fine dust jacket with a price sticker and an ink price on the front flap.
156. GRAVES, Robert. Oxford Addresses on Poetry. Garden City: Doubleday, 1962. Fine in a near fine dust jacket with a pencilled price on the front flap and a small wrinkle and edge tear to the front panel.
157. GRAVES, Robert. Man Does, Woman Is. London: Cassell (1964). Poetry, arranged in three groups, as a supplement to his earlier Collected Poems. Fine in a near fine, slightly dusty jacket with one edge tear.
158. GRAVES, Robert. Mammon and the Black Goddess. Garden City: Doubleday, 1965. First American edition of this collection of essays. Fine in a near fine, price-clipped dust jacket.
159. GRAVES, Robert. Two Wise Children. (n.p.): Harlan Quist (1966). A children's book, with illustrations by Ralph Pinto. Fine in a fine dust jacket.
160. GRAVES, Robert. Love Respelt. Garden City: Doubleday, 1966. Advance review copy of this collection of poetry. Fine in a near fine dust jacket with a couple tiny tears, with review slip laid in.
161. GRAVES, Robert. Poems 1938-1945. NY: FSG (1967). A review copy of this reissue, first published in 1946. Fine in a fine dust jacket.
162. GRAVES, Robert. The Poor Boy Who Followed His Star. Garden City: Doubleday (1968). A children's book. Fine in a fine dust jacket.
163. GRAVES, Robert. Poems 1965-1968. Garden City: Doubleday, 1969. A review copy. Fine in a fine dust jacket, with review slip laid in.
164. GRAVES, Robert. Poems About Love. Garden City: Doubleday (1969). A review copy. Short scratch to cloth near foredge, possibly a small production flaw; else fine in a lightly sunned, else fine dust jacket, with review slip laid in.
165. GRAVES, Robert. Poems 1968-1970. Garden City: Doubleday, 1971. Fine in a fine dust jacket.
166. GRAVES, Robert. Poems 1970-72. Garden City: Doubleday, 1973. Fine in a fine dust jacket with trace wear at the spine crown.
167. GRAVES, Robert. Difficult Questions, Easy Answers. Garden City: Doubleday, 1973. Essays. Slight spotting to top edge; else fine in a fine dust jacket.
168. GRAVES, Robert. The Song of Songs. NY: Clarkson Potter (1973). A review copy. Thin quarto. Fine in a fine dust jacket, with review slip, photo, and promotional sheet laid in.