Catalog 112, S
217. SETTLE, Mary Lee. Celebration. NY: FSG (1986). The first trade edition of this novel (preceded by the Franklin Library edition). Inscribed by the author to Annie Dillard: "For Annie, who is/ a long time whisperer-and-/ laugher-and- understander/ togetherer -/ Much love/ Mary Lee." One page corner turned; fine in a near fine, edge-sunned dust jacket. A nice inscription by the author of the Beulah quintet and the National Book Award-winning Blood Tie.
218. SHAY, Jonathan. Achilles in Vietnam. Combat Trauma and the Undoing of Character. NY: Atheneum (1984). A major study of post-traumatic stress disorder in Vietnam veterans by a psychiatrist who treated thousands of vets after Vietnam. This copy is warmly inscribed by the author to novelist Tim O'Brien, one of the most highly praised writers of the Vietnam experience. The author uses a lengthy quote from O'Brien's The Things They Carried to illustrate the theme of one of his chapters. Fine in a fine dust jacket. Blurbs by Robert Olen Butler and Gloria Emerson, among others.
219. SILKO, Leslie Marmon. Ceremony. NY: Viking (1977). Her first novel, which combines traditional native storytelling techniques with the Western form of the novel to create a book that embodies what it describes -- the book itself is structured as a healing ceremony. Inscribed by Silko to writer and publisher Gus Blaisdell in the year of publication. In the 1970s, Silko was attending law school and Blaisdell was in charge of grants to ethnic writers at the National Endowment for the Arts. Blaisdell awarded a grant to Silko that allowed her to quit law school and write this book. The inscription reads: "For Gus,/ The one who kept me/ going at a time when/ I almost became a/ lawyer instead./ I won't forget,/ Love,/ Leslie/ 12 April 1977/ Albuquerque." Fine in a near fine, spine-faded first issue dust jacket with a paper clip imprint at the upper edge of the front panel and a tiny gutter nick on the rear panel. An excellent association copy of this important novel.
220. SILKO, Leslie Marmon. Almanac of the Dead. NY: Simon & Schuster (1991). The uncorrected proof copy of her second novel, an ambitious attempt to retell 500 years of history from a Native American perspective, by viewing the damaged lives of a group of contemporary Indian drug dealers and misfits, and the anger and fervor of a group of revolutionaries. The central image of an "almanac of the dead" -- a pre-Columbian book of divination -- provides the historical link that unites her contemporary characters with their more glorious forebears. Inscribed by the author to Laura Coltelli, "with love," prior to publication. Beneath the inscription, Silko has added: "Warning:/ This galley is full of errors./ The published version is much/ better. Read this only once;/ wait for the published version/ before you read it again." Coltelli is the author of Winged Words, a collection of interviews with Native American women writers. Near fine in wrappers.
221. SIMIC, Charles. Austerities. NY: Braziller (1982). The issue in wrappers of this collection of poetry. Inscribed by the author to the poet Ai in 1984. Near fine. Laid in is a photocopied flyer from a 1984 reading, which reprints five Simic poems. Simic's book, Charon's Cosmology, was a finalist for the National Book Award in 1978. Ai won the National Book Award for poetry last year.
222. SIMMONS, Charles. Wrinkles. NY: FSG (1978). Inscribed by the author to the designer of the book in 1979: "For Jeffrey Schaire,/ overseer of books/ and of this book,/ with affection." Fine in a very near fine dust jacket with one tiny tear at the upper front spine fold.
223. SIMON, Rachel. Little Nightmares, Little Dreams. Boston: Houghton Mifflin/Lawrence, 1990. Seymour Lawrence's copy -- i.e., the publisher's personal copy -- handbound in full leather with raised bands, gilt stamping, t.e.g. and marbled endpapers. Fine. Lawrence typically had one copy of "his" authors' books bound in leather for the author, and one for himself. Rare.
224. SIMPSON, Mona. Anywhere But Here. NY: Knopf, 1987. The first novel by this Granta 20 author. Inscribed by Simpson to another novelist. Near fine in a near fine dust jacket with a light stain on the rear panel and rear flap. A nice literary association.
225. (SITWELL, Edith). A Book of the Winter. London: Macmillan, 1950. An anthology of poetry and prose about winter, compiled by Sitwell. Inscribed by Sitwell to Theodore Roethke, "with admiration and best wishes." A nice literary association. Fine in a near fine, mildly spine-tanned dust jacket.
226. SNEPP, Frank. Decent Interval. An Insider's Account of Saigon's Indecent End Told by the CIA's Chief Strategy Analyst in Vietnam. NY: Random House (1977). A tell-all memoir by one of the CIA's chief analysts and operatives in Saigon during the last months of the war. This book was published without CIA approval in violation of Snepp's secrecy oath and caused a judicial ruling that broadened the government's secrecy requirements of its employees to include even those who had not taken oaths and/or did not deal with classified material. Although no one ever claimed that Snepp revealed classified material, the fact that he published the book without CIA review and submission to CIA censorship caused the court to rule against him, and he had to forfeit his royalties as well. A landmark book in the annals of free speech issues, as well as for its content -- a condemnation of U.S. policy on the grounds of patriotism and ethics, from within the intelligence establishment. Inscribed by the author to Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Tom Wicker in the month of publication: "Thank you for the best/ argument yet for doing/ this book." A note on Random House stationery explains that Snepp was in the office when Wicker's request for the book came in. Wicker is an Associate Editor for The New York Times and has written the "In the Nation" column for The Times since 1966. Fine in a near fine dust jacket.
227. SNYDER, Gary. Typed Note Signed. May 9, 1996. An aerogramme to Diane di Prima, written from Japan, agreeing to something, with the exception being that she leave off the "respectfully yours." Snyder adds: "the cherry blossoms having departed for the Other Shore, the azalea blossoms send back their answer." He closes: "yours fraternally in the workers & peasants struggle." Folded in fourths for mailing, and mildly edgetorn in opening; very near fine. A wonderful association between two of the most important poets of postwar America.
228. STARK, Sharon Sheehe. The Dealers' Yard and Other Stories. NY: Morrow (1985). Her first book. Inscribed by the author to author Andre Dubus, whose blurb appears on the dust jacket. Near fine in a very good dust jacket with a creased tear at the lower front panel. Other jacket blurbs by Tim O'Brien, John Updike, Anne Tyler, and others.
229. STONE, Robert. Dog Soldiers. Boston: Houghton Mifflin (1974). His second novel, winner of the National Book Award and one of the best novels to link the impact of the Vietnam war on American society in the Sixties to the dark side of that era -- the official corruption and the underside of the drug experiences of a generation. Inscribed by the author to novelist Ivan Gold and his wife, "who've been out in all the weather," and signed with "love." Gold's praise of Stone's first book, A Hall of Mirrors -- which appeared on the front page of The New York Times Book Review and was a huge boost to the young writer's career -- is excerpted on the rear panel of this book. Fine in a fine dust jacket.