Catalog 107, C
78. CAMUS, Albert. The Outsider. London: Hamish Hamilton (1946). The first English translation of his first novel, which was later published in the U.S. as The Stranger. Trace edge-sunning, otherwise a fine copy in a very good edge-chipped dust jacket splitting along the tanned spine. Introduction by Cyril Connolly, who chose this book as one of his 100 key books of the Modern Movement. A contemporary classic, which helped define the literature of alienation and the absurd in the postwar world.
79. CARRUTH, Hayden. Correspondence Archive. 1978-1980. Sixteen typed notes signed and eleven autograph notes signed, all written in his capacity as a reader for Harper's and transmitting poetry by others to Harper's for publication, specifying the rate ($2/word; $3/word) that each author should be paid. Although the poetry is not present, some of the poets Carruth has accepted include Robert Bly, Jim Wright, David Ignatow, Joseph Brodsky and Galway Kinnell. His notes frequently offer a brief opinion on the work or the poet in question. Some mention literary matters such as his editing of the work transmitted or other writerly burdens such as deadlines and luncheons. A handful touch on personal matters: the health of his mother; new living accommodations; the weather; immediate contingencies ("I'm trying to roast a chicken;" "My typewriter is busted"). One particularly moving note expresses his feelings on the declining health of Jim Wright. Nearly all the notes are written on Harper's letterhead or notepaper and bear both mailing folds and the publisher's annotations indicating routing and payment information. More than half are signed "Hayden;" others with the initial "H;" one is signed in full. The lot is generally fine.
80. CARTER, Angela. Typescript. [August 1985]. Five pages, ribbon copy typescript with numerous holograph corrections and changes, using the subject of collectible antique dolls as the basis for an essay on the indoctrination of the female gender role. Carter was one of the most notable practitioners of magical realism in English, and her work helped create and define the genre of feminist science fiction and fantasy. The manuscript is together with an autograph note signed transmitting the article. Each of these is folded in half for mailing; else fine, with envelope. Also together with a typed note signed from July reconfirming that the article is underway; a typed letter signed from October agreeing to changes and sending a gift of a book of hers that had not been published in the U.S.; and an autograph postcard signed from April 1986 expressing pleasure at the published version. The postcard concludes, "Am doing my taxes -- / Love, A." The letters are folded, else fine; they and the postcard have mailing envelopes. Manuscript or autograph material by Carter, the author of The Magic Toyshop (John Llewellyn Rhys Prize), Several Perceptions (Somerset Maugham Prize), Nights at the Circus (James Tait Black Memorial Prize) and The Sadeian Woman, among others, is uncommon.
81. CARTER, Angela. Autograph Note Signed. August 1, [1986]. One page announcing that she is not going to be in New York after all, at least not for another month or more, and conveying her address: she was en route to Iowa City, Iowa, where she taught in the Iowa Writers Workshop. Folded in sixths for mailing; fine.
82. CHANDLER, Raymond. The Lady in the Lake. NY: Knopf, 1943. The fourth of Chandler's popular hard-boiled mysteries featuring Private Eye Philip Marlowe, which, together with Dashiell Hammett's Sam Spade novels, redefined the mystery genre, introducing a distinctly American vein to it. Chandler's books have since become classics, read as much for their vivid descriptions of 1930s and 40s Los Angeles as for their complicated, engaging plots. All of the first four Marlowe books were made into movies (sometimes repeatedly), but what has likely given the series its extraordinary "legs" is Chandler's effort, in the character of Philip Marlowe, to redefine the notion of the Hero in distinctly contemporary terms. The Lady in the Lake had a modest first printing of 6000 copies -- smaller than any of Chandler's novels other than The Big Sleep, which had a printing of 5000 copies. Because it is a wartime book, published under the restrictions on paper usage in effect during World War II and therefore using thin, cheap paper, it is probably the scarcest of the early novels in collectible condition. This copy is bowed, with a tiny dent to the spine and a very faint small stain to the lower corners of the cloth; very good in a very good, spine-tanned dust jacket with light edge chipping. A very nice copy.
83. (CHATWIN, Bruce). CLAPP, Susannah. With Chatwin. Portrait of a Writer. NY: Knopf, 1997. The uncorrected proof copy of the first biography of Chatwin, the author of In Patagonia, among others. Fine in wrappers.
84. CHEEVER, John. The Wapshot Chronicle. NY: Harper & Brothers (1957). His third book and first novel, winner of the National Book Award. Fine in a near fine jacket with light edgewear and some handling visible on the rear panel.
85. CHRISTIE, Agatha. Ten Little Niggers. London: Crime Club (1939). One of Christie's most famous books and, by consensus, one of her best, having been filmed at least five times over the years as well as giving rise to a number of loose adaptations or derivative films. The title was later changed to, variously, And Then There Were None or Ten Little Indians. Christie was perhaps the most famous and successful author of mystery novels of the century; at the time of her death, she had written over 100 novels, had 103 translations into foreign languages, and was the best-selling English writer of all time. Foxing to page edges and fading to cloth; a very good copy in a good, unprofessionally restored, price-clipped dust jacket with some added color on the spine. Still, a very presentable copy of one of the high spots of 20th century mystery fiction. In a custom clamshell box.
86. CLAVELL, James. King Rat. Boston: Little Brown (1962). The author's first book, a World War Two tale of an American corporal who becomes a black marketeer in a Japanese prisoner of war camp. Clavell, who later wrote a number of highly praised novels of the Far East, spent three years in Japanese prison camps during the war. Previous owner gift inscription; minor staining to top stain and boards; lower front corner bumped; very good in a (married? removed while reading?) near fine, price-clipped dust jacket with slight edgewear and tanning to the author's name on the spine.
87. COETZEE, J.M. Typed Notes Signed. 1983-1984. Two typed notes signed to the editor of Art & Antiques magazine. The first, dated November 30, 1983, on aerogramme paper from South Africa, thanks the editor for describing the magazine but demurs at the suggestion of contributing: "Despite your most lucid explanation of what sort of magazine you intend that Art & Antiques is to become, I am not yet sure that the kind of writing I am doing would find a place in it. I realize you intend the magazine to be cultural in the broadest sense, but surely its title has some meaning; the question I ask myself is whether someone who knows as little about art or antiques as myself deserves a place in it." Folded in thirds; gently opened along its aerogramme sides; fine. Together with a typed note signed from February 25, 1984, written from the U.S., and agreeing to consider future submission. Folded for mailing; fine, with envelope. Coetzee, a South African author, was the winner of last year's Booker Prize, for his novel Disgrace, and he is the only two-time winner of that Prize in its history, having won in 1982 for his novel The Life and Times of Michael K.
88. COLWIN, Laurie. Typescript. March, 1984. Three ribbon-copy pages, with holograph corrections, of an article purportedly on Victorian china but equally about the passion for collecting or, in her terms, acquiring. Signed by Colwin. Fine. Together with an autograph letter signed transmitting the article and offering, in addition, to "write 3 pages on why blue & white summer/winter coverlets are like cats, and also 3 pages on how things that got away continue to haunt one. Ditto about things you feel you ought to want (a floral blue & white coverlet for a good price when geometric patterns are what you love) but don't want." Also together with a formal, signed Letter to the Editor intended for publication, which names a ceramicist whose name was apparently omitted from her published article (although it appears in the typescript) and a typed note signed conveying the Letter to the Editor and adding, "I am very glad you are getting married. You are doing the right thing. My motto is: a successful wedding is one at which the bride and groom actually have a good time." These are folded in fourths for mailing; else fine, with one envelope. Finally together with an autograph note signed from May, 1985 offering to try to write something about "blue & whites" and inviting the recipient to "come and have a sandwich on the Seminary lawn and watch your friend Rosa walk up and down stopping to pick up every twig she sees. I find this little biped most startling." Folded for mailing; else fine, with envelope. Colwin was a highly praised novelist and short story writer, as well as a much-loved writer on food -- a frequent contributor to Gourmet magazine -- who has been called "the most direct literary descendant of M.F.K. Fisher." For all:
89. CONDON, Richard. Prizzi's Honor. NY: Coward, McCann & Geoghegan (1982). The uncorrected proof copy of this novel of the Mafia that was made into a highly praised film. Condon was also the author of The Manchurian Candidate, made into one of the defining movies of the 1960s, among many other novels. Near fine in wrappers.
90. CONDON, Richard. Typed Note Signed. April 18, 1986. Written to the editor of Art & Antiques, declining to write an article and invoking "Sad Rule One: the more exalted, lavishly handsome the purpose of a magazine, the less it pays contributors." Signed "R." Folded once vertically for mailing; else fine, with envelope. A short note very much in keeping with the wry spirit of much of Condon's fiction.
91. CONNELL, Evan S., Jr. The Anatomy Lesson and Other Stories. NY: Viking, 1957. The author's first book, a collection of stories. Connell is perhaps most well-known for his first novel, Mrs. Bridge (and its sequel, Mr. Bridge); his novel of the collecting obsession, The Connoisseur; his controversial novel, Diary of a Rapist -- which anticipated such later, equally controversial, efforts as Gordon Lish's Dear Mr. Capote and Brett Ellis Easton's American Psycho; and for Son of the Morning Star, a nonfiction examination of the Custer myth and the battle of Little Bighorn. Fine in a heavily spine-faded, but otherwise near fine dust jacket.
92. CONNELL, Evan S. Typescript of "Pre-Colombian Apprentice." August, 1986. An 8-page ribbon-copy typescript on his discovery of pre-Colombian art and its place in giving him the idea for the novel The Connoisseur. With a typed note signed dated August 4, transmitting the piece to an editor at Art & Antiques magazine. Fine, with mailing envelope. Also together with a typed note signed from April in which he agrees to write the piece and a typed note signed from July elaborating on his proposal with details of photographs he can provide from his own collection. In August, Connell sends another typed note signed agreeing to discuss changes by phone. In November, one typed note signed conveys two more specific changes, and a second typed note signed defends some of the original language. All notes are folded for mailing; else fine, with envelopes. An interesting small archive, both for its inherent content and for the light it sheds on one of Connell's most highly regarded novels. For all:
93. CONNELL, Evan S. Typed Notes Signed. 1988. Two typed notes signed. The first, from May, comments on having been to South America but not to Paracas. The second, from June, again takes up the subject of Paracas and his correspondent's "remark about Theroux's piece on the color blue." Connell also mentions working on "this alchymy book [The Alchymist's Journal]." The second note has a couple faint spots; otherwise both are folded for mailing and fine, with envelopes.
94. CONNELL, Evan S. Typed Note Signed. April 8, [no year]. Connell declines to write an article as he is trying to "get back to work on another book, The Alchemist's Journal." The spelling of the title was later changed. Signed by the author. Folded for mailing; else fine, lacking the envelope.
95. CONNELLY, Michael. Trunk Music. Boston: Little Brown (1997). The advance reading copy of this novel in the author's highly praised and bestselling Harry Bosch series. Fine in wrappers.
96. CONROY, Pat. Beach Music. NY: Doubleday/Talese (1995). Fourth novel, sixth book, by the author of The Great Santini and Prince of Tides, among others. Fine in a fine dust jacket and signed by the author.
97. COOK, Thomas H. Evidence of Blood. NY: Putnam (1991). The uncorrected proof copy of this thriller by an author who has been nominated for several Edgar Awards and won the Edgar for Best Novel in 1997 for The Chatham School Affair. Fine in wrappers.
98. COOK, Thomas H. The Chatham School Affair. NY: Bantam Books (1996). Winner of the Edgar Award for Best Mystery Novel of the year. Signed by the author. Fine in a fine dust jacket.
99. CORDER, E.M. The Deer Hunter. NY: Exeter Books (1979). The first hardcover edition of the story based on the Deric Washburn screenplay. Published as a paperback original the previous year. Inscribed by Michael Cimino, who directed the movie and won Academy Awards for both Best Director and Best Picture. Cimino's next effort after this, however, was the much-maligned Heaven's Gate, an ambitious political epic based on the sheep wars of late 19th century America, and using the conflicts of the era as analogues for contemporary social issues. The film was so severely criticized that in many places it closed on opening day, and it remains one of the most infamous disasters in Hollywood history, although retrospective critical analysis is reaching a consensus that the film was not as bad as contemporary critics asserted; that, in fact, the critical reception may have had as much to do with inflated expectations as with the inherent quality of the movie. Fine in a near fine, lightly rubbed dust jacket.
100. CORNWELL, Bernard. Sharpe's Triumph. (NY): HarperCollins (1999). The uncorrected proof copy of the first American edition of this new novel by one of the leading writers of historical fiction in the vein of Patrick O'Brian's acclaimed Aubrey-Maturin series. Fine in wrappers.
101. CORNWELL, Patricia. The Body Farm. NY: Scribner (1994). The advance reading copy of this Kay Scarpetta novel. The first Scarpetta novel, Postmortem, won an Edgar Award for Best First Mystery -- as well as the Creasey, Anthony and Macavity Awards, the only novel ever to win all four in a single year -- and immediately established Cornwell as a bestselling author. First printings of her new books number in the high six figures. Fine in wrappers.
102. CORNWELL, Patricia. Hornet's Nest. NY: Putnam (1996). The uncorrected proof copy of this novel about three police officers, a departure from her Kay Scarpetta forensic medicine mysteries. The text reproduces a number of holograph editorial corrections. The first printing of this title was announced as 750,000 copies. Fine in wrappers.
103. CORNWELL, Patricia. Southern Cross. NY: Putnam (1999). The uncorrected proof copy in gray glossy wrappers. Another novel featuring Police Chief Judy Hammer and her assistant, Virginia West, as did Hornet's Nest. Light rubbing; else fine.
104. CRICHTON, Michael. Electronic Life. NY: Knopf, 1983. The advance reading copy of Crichton's extended, dated essay on computers and technology in general. Although the specific hardware and software Crichton talks about is all obsolete and completely irrelevant to today's computer environment, much of this book could be subtitled "How to think about computers," and is still quite relevant as an introduction for non-technical people. Crichton, of course, is the bestselling author of such novels (and films) as Jurassic Park, Rising Sun, The Andromeda Strain and many others. Near fine in wrappers.