Catalog 105, L-M
305. LAVIN, Mary. Selected Stories. NY: Macmillan, 1959. A collection of stories by the award-winning Irish writer, a frequent contributor to The New Yorker. Fine in a near fine dust jacket. A nice copy of this collection, which includes first U.S. appearances of a number of stories as well as two stories that had not been published anywhere previously.
306. LAVIN, Mary. A Likely Story. (Dublin): Dolmen (1967). A small, attractive chapbook, printing a single story and done in an edition of 1500 copies. Signed by the author. Price-clipped; else fine in self-wrappers. Uncommon.
307. LAVIN, Mary. A Memory and Other Stories. London: Constable (1972). The first British edition of this collection. Fine in a fine dust jacket.
308. LEAVITT, David. Family Dancing. NY: Knopf, 1984. The first book, a highly praised collection of stories, by the author of the controversial While England Sleeps, among others. This is the uncorrected proof copy. Light, faint staining to rear cover; near fine in wrappers.
309. LESSING, Doris. This Was the Old Chief's Country. London: Michael Joseph (1951). The second book by the author of The Golden Notebook and the Canopus in Argos series, this being a collection of stories set in the author's home of southern Africa. Spine-slant; a very good copy in a very good dust jacket with a few darkened spots.
310. LETHEM, Jonathan. The Wall of the Sky, The Wall of the Eye. NY: Harcourt Brace (1996). The uncorrected proof copy of the third book by the author of the award-winning Gun, With Occasional Music, and his first collection of stories, two of which had not been published in any form previously. Fine in wrappers.
311. LONG, David. Blue Spruce. NY: Scribner (1995). A review copy of his fourth book, a collection of short stories. Fine in a fine dust jacket, with review slip, promotional material and a three-page interview with the author laid in. Signed by the author.
312. -. Same title. An advance reading excerpt, consisting of three of the stories from the finished book. Signed by the author. Fine in wrappers.
313. LOPEZ, Barry Holstun. Giving Birth to Thunder Sleeping with His Daughter. Kansas City: Sheed McMeel (1978). The author's second and scarcest book, a retelling of Native American tales of Coyote the Trickster, subtitled "Coyote Builds North America." Lopez revivifies the tales, restoring their humor and vitality, and thus their power to affect the contemporary reader, rather than recounting them in the dry manner of an anthropologist dissecting a "subject." Like Jamie D'Angulo's Indian Tales and Howard Norman's translations of Swampy Cree Indian tales, this book helped to forge a link between the oral narrative traditions of Native American tribes and the realm of written, and printed, literature -- a fusion that is ongoing and is producing some of the most subtle and energized writings of recent years. Tiny spot on foredge; otherwise a fine copy in a near fine dust jacket with several tiny edge nicks, the ones at the spine extremities being inexpertly touched up.
314. MADDEN, David. The New Orleans of Possibilities. Baton Rouge: Louisiana State University Press, 1982. A collection of short stories by this Southern writer. Fine in a fine dust jacket and signed by the author. Edward Abbey blurb.
315. MAILER, Norman. The Last Night. NY: Targ Editions, 1984. A story by Mailer, published in an attractive limited edition by noted bibliophile William Targ. This is one of 250 copies signed by the author. Fine in plain white dust wrapper. The story was originally published in Esquire in 1962.
316. MARACLE, Lee. Sojourner's Truth and Other Stories. Vancouver: Press Gang (1990). A collection of stories by this Canadian native writer, who is also a poet and novelist. Fine in wrappers and signed by the author.
317. -. Another copy. Fine in wrappers.
318. MARTIN, Valerie. Love. Amherst: Lynx House Press, 1977. The first book, a collection of stories, by the author of Mary Reilly and The Great Divorce, among others. Light rubbing along the front spine fold; else fine in wrappers. No indication of there having been a hardcover edition. Uncommon small press volume by a writer who has since received substantial critical acclaim and commercial success with her novels.
319. MARTIN, Valerie. The Consolation of Nature. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1988. The uncorrected proof copy of this collection of stories. One of the stories is laid in in the form of stapled, photocopied tearsheets. Fine in wrappers, and signed by the author.
320. MARSHALL, Paule. Soul Clap Hands and Sing. NY: Atheneum, 1961. Second book by the author of Brown Girl, Brownstones. Four short novels. Fine in a near fine dust jacket. A very nice copy of this scarce book by an important African-American writer.
321. MASON, Bobbie Ann. Love Life. NY: Harper & Row (1989). Her second collection of stories, following the award-winning Shiloh and Other Stories. Mild corner bumps, else fine in a fine dust jacket and signed by the author.
322. -. Same title. London: Chatto & Windus (1989). The first British edition. Fine in a fine dust jacket and signed by the author.
323. MATTHIESSEN, Peter. The Great Auk Escape. (London): Angus & Robertson (1972). Matthiessen's scarcest trade edition, the first British edition of this children's story, retitled from the American edition (Seal Pool). The acidic paper is darkening slightly, and the lower corners are bumped; a near fine copy without dust jacket, as issued. Signed by the author.
324. MATTHIESSEN, Peter. On the River Styx. NY: Random House (1988). A collection of ten short stories, seven of which were collected in Midnight Turning Gray. Very slight corner bump; else fine in a fine dust jacket, and signed by the author.
325. MAXWELL, William. Billie Dyer and Other Stories. NY: Knopf, 1992. The uncorrected proof copy of this collection of related stories, six of which first appeared in The New Yorker. Fine in wrappers.
326. MAXWELL, William. All the Days and Nights. NY: Knopf, 1995. The advance reading copy of this collection of short fiction, which spans his entire writing career -- over 50 years. Maxwell is a fiction editor at The New Yorker and he has been called "the greatest living American writer" by one book trade publication. Fine in decorated wrappers, issued for promotional purposes with a leaf bound in signed by the author. In publisher's card-stock slipcase. Maxwell appears to be a relatively private person as a writer, and his signature appears to be somewhat uncommon.
327. MAYER, Tom. The Weary Falcon. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1971. The uncorrected proof copy of this collection of short stories by a writer who went to Vietnam twice, in 1966-67 and again in 1969, as a reporter. Mayer had published a well-received collection of stories seven years earlier, and he had been a Wallace Stegner Fellow at Stanford's writing program, which had also graduated such writers as Larry McMurtry, Robert Stone, Ken Kesey, Tillie Olsen, Wendell Berry, and others. Short, potent stories of the war, and one of the most accomplished, and least common, of the literary offerings on Vietnam. Spiralbound proof, printed from galley sheets. Covers sunned; near fine. The book itself is uncommon, having been published at the height of public antipathy toward the war. The proof is rare.
328. McCANN, Colum. Fishing in the Sloe-Black River. London: Phoenix House (1994). The highly praised first book by this young Irish writer, winner of the 1994 Rooney Prize for Irish Literature. This is the simultaneous hardcover issue and is exceedingly scarce: most copies were issued in paperback. Fine in a fine dust jacket.
329. -. Another copy. Light bump to crown; else fine in like dust jacket.
330. -. Same title, a paperback reissue (1995). Signed by the author. Fine.
331. McEWAN, Ian. First Love, Last Rites. London: Cape (1975). The uncorrected proof copy of the first edition of the author's first book, a collection of stories. Winner of the Somerset Maugham Award. McEwan's book, Amsterdam, won the 1998 Booker Prize. Slight creasing near the spine but still very near fine in wrappers. A very scarce proof.
332. -. Same title. NY: Random House (1975). The first American edition. Dusty top edge; else fine in a near fine dust jacket.
333. McPHERSON, James Alan. Hue and Cry. Boston: Little Brown (1969). The uncorrected proof copy of this African-American author's first book, a collection of stories that defied the mold of late 1960s black writing by refusing to yield to the easy temptation to substitute political diatribe for literary accomplishment and postured anger for real, human feelings. A lengthy blurb on the dust jacket from Ralph Ellison -- author of Invisible Man, perhaps the most acclaimed African-American novel of the 20th century -- lionizes McPherson for precisely his literary accomplishment, on its own terms, unaided by the winds of political correctness. McPherson's second collection, Elbow Room, won the Pulitzer Prize and together these two volumes stand as one of the high spots of African-American writing of the postwar era. Label residue to lower wrappers; else a fine copy. An extremely scarce proof: the only copy we've ever seen.
334. -. Same title, the trade edition. Fine in a very near fine dust jacket with the barest amount of rubbing; a beautiful copy.
335. -. Another copy. Very good in a very good, price-clipped dust jacket.
336. -. Same title. London: Macmillan (1969). The first British edition. Fine in a lightly soiled near fine, price-clipped dust jacket.
337. McPHERSON, James Alan. Elbow Room. Boston: Atlantic-Little Brown (1977). The author's acclaimed second book, a collection of stories that won the 1978 Pulitzer Prize. Near fine in a near fine dust jacket.
338. -. Same title. The uncorrected proof copy. Publisher's rubber stamp on front cover, otherwise fine in wrappers.
339. -. Another copy. Publication date written on front cover; label removal mark at bottom edges. Still fine.
340. -. Same title. A third printing. Inscribed by the author, a reserved, if not reclusive, writer whose signature is quite scarce. A cheaply made book that is most often found well-worn, this is a fine copy in a very good dust jacket.
341. MEISSNER, Bill. Hitting into the Wind. NY: Random House (1994). The uncorrected proof copy of this collection of short stories with baseball themes. Fine in wrappers. Tim O'Brien, W.P. Kinsella and Kurt Vonnegut blurbs.
342. MICHAELS, Leonard. Going Places. NY: FSG (1969). His first book, a collection of stories, which was nominated for the National Book Award. William Styron and John Hawkes blurbs, among others. Top edges of cloth and jacket sunned; else fine, and inscribed by the author.
343. -. Another copy. Boards edge-sunned; near fine in a near fine, price-clipped dust jacket. Signed by the author.
344. MICHAELS, Leonard. I Would Have Saved Them If I Could. NY: FSG (1975). Review copy of his second book, a collection of stories that was selected by The New York Times Book Review as one of the six best works of fiction published that year. Fine in a fine dust jacket and inscribed by the author.
345. -. Another copy, this one with a Canadian review slip. Boards edge-sunned; near fine in a near fine dust jacket.
346. -. Same title. The uncorrected proof copy. Inscribed by the author. Near fine in wrappers.
347. MILLER, Arthur. Homely Girl, A Life and Other Stories. (NY): Viking (1995). A small volume, printing three stories by the award-winning playwright, his first published fiction in many years. The uncorrected proof copy. Fine in wrappers.
348. MILLER, Henry. Stand Still Like the Hummingbird! (Norfolk): New Directions (1962). A collection of short pieces by the author of Tropic of Cancer and Tropic of Capricorn, among others. Inscribed by the author in November, 1963, "with the author's blessings!" on the flyleaf. Recipient's notation on the half title. Near fine in a good, well-rubbed, internally tape-mended dust jacket.
349. MILLHAUSER, Steven. In the Penny Arcade. NY: Knopf, 1986. A collection of stories by the Pulitzer Prize-winning author, several of them with a fantastic or magical bent. Fine in a fine dust jacket.
350. -. Same title. The uncorrected proof copy. Fine in wrappers.
351. MILLHAUSER, Steven. The Barnum Museum. NY: Poseidon Press (1990). His fifth book, a collection of stories. Fine in a fine dust jacket with very slight spine-fading.
352. -. Another copy. Fine in a very near fine dust jacket with very slight spine-fading. Signed by the author.
353. MILLHAUSER, Steven. Little Kingdoms. NY: Poseidon (1993). A collection of three novellas. Remainder stripe, else fine in a fine dust jacket and signed by the author.
354. MILLHAUSER, Steven. The Knife Thrower. NY: Crown (1998). His most recent book, a collection of stories. Signed by the author. Fine in a fine dust jacket.
355. -. Same title. The advance reading copy. Fine in wrappers.
356. -. Same title. An advance copy, in the form of bound 8 1/2" x 11" photocopied sheets. Some of the stories are reproduced from typeset pages, some from typescript. There are a few instances of reproduced holograph corrections. Also bound in are three pages of promotional material which say, among other things, that although Millhauser won the Pulitzer Prize for his novel Martin Dressler, he is most comfortable working in this, the short story, form. Tapebound in cardstock covers; fine.
357. MINOT, Susan. Lust. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1989. The highly praised second book, a collection of stories, by the author of the award-winning novel Monkeys. Fine in a fine dust jacket and signed by the author.
358. MISTRY, Rohinton. Swimming Lessons. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1989. The uncorrected proof copy of his first book, a collection of stories that was first published in Canada under the title Tales From Firozsha Baag, and was shortlisted for the Governor General's Award, Canada's highest literary honor. Fine in slightly spine-faded wrappers.
359. MITCHELL, Joseph. Old Mr. Flood. NY: Duell Sloan Pearce (1948). Three stories of New York and New Yorkers that originally appeared in The New Yorker magazine during the war. This is a very near fine copy in a similar dust jacket with some fading to the spine lettering. A very nice copy of a not very well made book, which bears the markings of the postwar era in its use of thin, acidic, cheap paper for both the dust jacket and the text block.
360. MOODY, Rick. The Ring of Brightest Angels Around Heaven. Boston: Little Brown (1995). The third book by the author of The Ice Storm, and his first collection of short fiction, including a novella and short stories. Tiny shadow on foredge; else fine in a fine dust jacket.
361. MOORE, Lorrie. Birds of America. NY: Knopf, 1998. The uncorrected proof copy of a collection of short fiction by the author of Who Will Run the Frog Hospital? and Self-Help, among others. One of these stories was the O. Henry Award winner and the author was selected as one of Granta's 20 best young American authors. A couple page corners inadvertently turned; near fine in wrappers.
362. MORRIS, Mary. Vanishing Animals & Other Stories. Boston: Godine (1979). Her first book, a collection of stories that won an award from the American Academy and Institute of Arts and Letters. Inscribed by the author in the year of publication on the half-title, and additionally signed by her in 1991 on the title page. Fine in a near fine dust jacket bumped at spine crown. Tim O'Brien and Joyce Carol Oates blurbs, among others.
363. -. Same title. The uncorrected proof copy. Spine and lower rear panel abraded from label removal; still about near fine in wrappers. Signed by the author.
364. MORRIS, Wright. A Reader. NY: Harper & Row (1970). A collection reprinting early novels, two stories and two essays. Fine in a very slightly spine-faded, near fine dust jacket. A very nice copy of a massive collection by a multiple winner of the National Book Award.
365. MORRIS, Wright. Here is Einbaum. Los Angeles: Black Sparrow, 1973. The hardcover trade edition of this collection of stories; one of 500 copies. This copy is inscribed by the author. Fine in a near fine, spine-tanned dust jacket with a small label taped across the spine base.
366. MORRIS, Wright. Collected Stories, 1948-1986. NY: Harper & Row (1986). Wright Morris' own "working copy," with his ownership signature and two index cards of notes laid in. Signatures detached; pages 249 and forward absent. Morris seems to have disassembled the book in order to re-order the stories and create a new selection. The existent parts, including jacket, are in fine shape. A unique copy, from the author's own library.
367. MUNRO, Alice. The Moons of Jupiter. Toronto: Macmillan (1982). The correct first edition (i.e., Canadian) of her fifth book, a collection of stories that was chosen as one of the best books of the year by the editors of The New York Times Book Review. Fine in a near fine dust jacket. Signed by the author.
368. -. Same title. Proof copy of the first American edition. Fine in wrappers.
369. MUNRO, Alice. The Progress of Love. (Toronto): McClelland & Stewart (1986). The first edition of this collection of stories, the third of her books to win the Governor General's Award. Inscribed by the author. Very slight shelfwear to bottom edge of cloth, otherwise fine in a fine, price-clipped jacket.
370. -. Another copy. Trace shelfwear to spine base; else fine in a price-clipped, first state dust jacket, without the award emblem on the front cover.
371. -. Another copy. Very lightly shelfworn at spine extremities; near fine in a near fine dust jacket.
372. MUNRO, Alice. Friend of My Youth. NY: Knopf, 1990. The advance reading copy of this well-received collection of stories. Fine in wrappers and near fine publisher's folding cardstock box. Signed by the author.
373. -. Another copy. Near fine in wrappers and publisher's folding cardstock box. Signed by the author.
374. MUNRO, Alice. Open Secrets. (Toronto): McClelland & Stewart (1994). The true first edition, i.e., Canadian, of her eighth book, a collection of stories. Very slight splaying to front board; else fine in a fine dust jacket.
375. MUNRO, Alice. The Love of a Good Woman. NY: Knopf, 1998. The uncorrected proof copy of the first American edition of this collection of stories. Fine in wrappers.
376. -. Another copy. Dust jacket art and publicity sheet stapled inside the front cover, slight scuff to crown; else fine in wrappers.
377. (MUNRO, Alice). "The Time of Death" in Canadian Short Stories. London: Oxford University Press, 1960. Volume 573 in the World's Classics series, collecting a Munro story that first appeared in The Canadian Forum in 1956. Precedes her first book by eight years. A small volume, 4" x 6", this copy has a gift inscription on the verso of the front flyleaf; near fine in a very good dust jacket with some sunning and rubbing and one edge tear.
378. MURAKAMI, Haruki. The Elephant Vanishes. NY: Knopf, 1993. The uncorrected proof copy of this collection of stories by the bestselling and award-winning Japanese author. A couple of pages crimped at foredge, otherwise fine in wrappers.