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Catalog 108, I-L

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156. IRVING, John. The World According to Garp. NY: Dutton (1978). The advance reading copy of the author's fourth novel, and his breakthrough book. The first printing of Garp was reported at 35,000 copies, despite none of his previous books selling even 5,000 copies; but Irving switched publishers for this book, and Dutton promoted the novel heavily. After issuing two sets of proofs in small numbers, Dutton printed this advance reading copy for wide distribution to the book trade. The publisher's risk, in producing such a large first printing, and their marketing efforts -- including creating this advance copy -- helped to bring attention to the novel, which became a bestseller and a National Book Award finalist, transforming Irving's career. This is Margaret Drabble's copy and bears her holograph notes inside the rear cover and an instance of underlining: "Why are all the serious jobs done by quacks?" Together with the galleys for her review in Harper's. Drabble's lengthy, favorable review was one of many that brought Garp the recognition it merited and helped bring Irving the readership that he now enjoys -- first printings of his novels now run well into six figures. The galley sheets are much folded to fit within the pages of the book and the pages exhibit offsetting there. The advance reading copy itself is spine-creased and spine-cocked; very good in wrappers. A unique and significant copy of Irving's first acknowledged masterpiece.

157. IRVING, John. A Prayer for Owen Meany. (Toronto): Lester & Orpen Dennys (1989). The first Canadian edition of what may be Irving's best-loved book (a substantial claim for a book by the author of The World According to Garp), which was the basis for the recent movie Simon Birch. Signed by the author. Fine in a fine dust jacket.

158. IRVING, John. Trying to Save Piggy Sneed. (Toronto): Knopf Canada (1993). The first Canadian edition of his first collection of short pieces. Published after the British edition (or possibly simultaneously; we've heard conflicting stories), but preceding the U.S. edition (expanded from this collection) by over two years. Fine in a fine dust jacket. Both the British and Canadian editions, because of the smaller populations of those countries compared to the U.S., would have been printed in numbers much smaller than the U.S. edition.

159. IRVING, John. The Imaginary Girlfriend. (London): Bloomsbury (1996). The first British edition of this title, which was incorporated into the U.S. edition of Trying to Save Piggy Sneed and has had no separate U.S. printing. Remainder dot lower page edges; else fine in a very near fine dust jacket.

160. IRVING, John. A Widow for One Year. Media: Unicycle Press (1998). The American limited edition, theoretically issued to precede the first trade edition in the U.S. One of 1200 copies signed by the author. Leatherbound, gilt stamped, with an introduction by Irving on gender and structure that does not appear in other editions. The first publication by Unicycle Press, issued with a relatively small limitation compared to the Franklin Library signed editions of Irving's last several novels. Fine. At the list price:

161. IRVING, John. My Movie Business. NY: Random House (1999). The uncorrected proof copy of his latest book, an account of his career involvement with the movies, from thirteen years of working on the screenplay for The Cider House Rules (for which he won an Oscar) to trying, unsuccessfully, to get his first novel, Setting Free the Bears, made into a film. Fine in wrappers, with publisher's promotional sheet laid in.

162. ISHIGURO, Kazuo. "I did though on one occasion not long ago pluck up the courage..." Berkeley: Black Oak Books, 1990. A broadside excerpt from the Booker Prize-winning novel, The Remains of the Day, printed on the occasion of a reading by the author. 7" x 11". Fine.

163. JIN, Ha. Waiting. NY: Pantheon (1999). The author's second novel, after two award-winning collections of short stories and two volumes of poetry. Surprise winner of the National Book Award. Signed by the author. Fine in a fine dust jacket.

164. -. Same title. The advance reading copy. Fine in wrappers, with publisher's promotional material laid in.

165. KEROUAC, Jack. Excerpts From Visions of Cody. (NY): (New Directions) (1959). A limited edition, one of 750 numbered copies signed by the author. A portion of Kerouac's work-in-progress, which was only published in its entirety after he died. Small owner name on pastedown; uneven edge-darkening to boards; near fine. The publisher's original acetate dust jacket (chipped, cloudy, rubbed and darkened) is retained. An attractive copy of a book that soils easily and has become increasingly scarce as the years go by -- and yet is probably still the most accessible, least expensive way to get a signed Jack Kerouac first edition.

166. KESEY, Ken. "Wayne Altenhoffen stood up with a black ledger and opened it with a flourish..." Berkeley: Black Oak Books, 1992. A broadside excerpt from Sailor Song, attractively printed by Okeanos Press and issued on the occasion of a reading by the author. 6 5/8" x 12 3/8". Fine.

167. KINNELL, Galway. A New Selected Poems. Boston/NY: Houghton Mifflin, 2000. The uncorrected proof copy of this new selection of Kinnell's poems from his eight published volumes. The earlier edition of his Selected Poems won both the Pulitzer Prize and the National Book Award. Light spine bump, else fine in wrappers.

168. LEE, Chang-rae. A Gesture Life. NY: Riverhead Books, 1999. The advance reading copy of one of the most highly praised novels of the year. The author's first book, Native Speaker, won the PEN/Hemingway Award, among numerous other honors. Fine in wrappers.

169. LEE, Harper. To Kill a Mockingbird. Toronto/Montreal: McClelland & Stewart (1965). The first Canadian edition, published five years after the American edition. Her only book, a huge bestseller that had sold five million copies before this edition came out, in addition to having won the Pulitzer Prize and having been made into an Academy Award-winning movie. This edition was intended to be used as a text and has 15 pages of questions for study at the back of the book. This is the publisher's file copy, so stamped on the front flyleaf, with a BIN # in ink at the top of the page. A fine copy in pictorial boards, without dust jacket, presumably as issued. A unique copy of an extremely scarce edition.

170. LIGHTMAN, Alan. "In this world, the passage of time brings increasing order..." Berkeley: Black Oak Books, 1993. A broadside excerpt from Einstein's Dreams, printed by Okeanos Press on the occasion of a reading by the author. 11" x 8 1/4". Fine, and signed by the author.

171. LOPEZ, Barry. Coyote Love. Portland: Coyote Love Press (1989). A beautiful hand-printed limited edition of three Coyote tales from North American Indian traditions. One of only 99 copies, bound in Mexican Bark covers, illustrated by Gary Buch and hand-illuminated by Allen Q. Wong. Signed by the author and illustrator. An extraordinarily handsome volume, each copy an individual work of great artistry, with beaded string ties hung from the binding evoking the Indian culture of the book's subject. A fine copy of one of the nicest limited editions we have seen.

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