Catalog 113, M
226. MALAMUD, Bernard. The Natural. NY: Harcourt Brace (1952). His first book, one of the great baseball novels of all time and the basis, decades later, for a well-received movie. Spine crown lightly bumped; small abrasion to front pastedown; a near fine copy of the issue in gray boards, in a near fine dust jacket with light wear at the spine extremities. In a custom folding chemise and slipcase. A very nice copy of this book, which has become increasingly difficult to find in collectible condition in recent years, the unlaminated dust jacket being prone to rubbing, chipping and overall wear.
227. MALAMUD, Bernard. A New Life. NY: Farrar Straus & Cudahy (1961). An advance copy, folded and gathered sheets, of the fourth novel by the author of The Natural. Nominated for the National Book Award. Fine, laid into a very good dust jacket. An uncommon pre-publication format.
228. MALLON, Thomas. Arts and Sciences. NY: Ticknor & Fields, 1988. The uncorrected proof copy of his first novel, a comic coming-of-age story that also charts the transition from the Sixties to the post-Sixties era. Slightly sunned, else fine in wrappers.
229. MALLON, Thomas. Aurora 7. NY: Ticknor & Fields, 1991. The uncorrected proof copy of his second novel, which fictionalizes May 24, 1962 and Scott Carpenter's space flight. Faint spotting; else fine in wrappers.
230. MARSHALL, Paule. Daughters. NY: Atheneum, 1991. The uncorrected proof copy of this highly praised novel by the author of Brown Girl, Brownstones, among others. Spine crown bumped; near fine in wrappers.
231. MATTHIESSEN, Peter. In the Spirit of Crazy Horse. New York: Viking (1983). Matthiessen's controversial and suppressed book on the conflict between agents of the federal government and members of the radical American Indian Movement in the 1970s, which culminated in a gun battle that left two FBI agents and one Indian dead. Matthiessen argues that the conviction of Leonard Peltier for the agents' death was a miscarriage of justice. His book was the subject of two lawsuits -- by one of the FBI agents involved in the case and by the former governor of South Dakota -- which effectively suppressed it for nearly a decade. A Supreme Court ruling declining to hear the case after an appeals court had thrown out the suits on the basis of First Amendment considerations finally allowed the book to be reprinted after nine years of litigation and untold millions of dollars in legal expenses -- a harrowing experience for the author, his publishers and (one assumes) their insurers; and a sobering example of how a legal case can effectively suppress a publication even if the case is finally deemed to be without merit: Matthiessen's book was effectively removed from its target audience for the crucial window of time during which it was most relevant (and agitation on Peltier's behalf might have had the best chance for success). A landmark of recent literary history and First Amendment tests. Signed by the author. Near fine in a dust jacket creased on the front flap, else fine.
232. MAXWELL, William. Billie Dyer and Other Stories. NY: Knopf, 1992. The uncorrected proof copy of this collection of seven related stories, six of which first appeared in The New Yorker. Faint spine fade, else fine in wrappers.
233. MAYOR, Archer. The Dark Root. (NY): Mysterious Press (1995). The sixth book in his acclaimed mystery series, featuring Lt. Joe Gunther of the Brattleboro, Vermont police. Signed by Mayor. Fine in a fine dust jacket. With a typed note signed by the author laid in.
234. MAZURSKY, Paul and GREENFELD, Josh. Harry and Tonto. NY: Saturday Review Press/E.P. Dutton, 1974. The book version of Mazursky's film. Inscribed by Mazursky to film critic Pauline Kael in the year of publication: "Dear Pauline,/ Is there any possibility/ of your running a studio the/ other six months?/ With respect & love -- / Paul Mazursky." Mazursky directed the film, for which Art Carney won an Oscar and Mazursky and Greenfeld were nominated for one. Fine in a fine dust jacket. A nice association copy.
235. McBAIN, Ed. Vespers. NY: Morrow (1990). The advance reading copy of this novel in the author's highly praised series of 87th Precinct police procedurals. Fine in wrappers.
236. McBAIN, Ed. Mary, Mary. (NY): Warner Brothers (1993). The advance reading copy of this novel in the author's series featuring Matthew Hope, a Florida defense attorney. "Press Copy" markings, else fine in wrappers.
237. McCARTHY, Cormac. The Orchard Keeper. NY: Random House (1965). McCarthy's first book, which won a Faulkner Foundation Award for best first novel of the year. Although the book was successful enough to go into a second printing, fewer than 3000 copies were sold in total, and it was a quarter century before McCarthy's All the Pretty Horses won the Pulitzer Prize and the National Book Award and brought him recognition beyond the small, passionate circle of devotees who had been reading him and collecting his books all along. This book is notorious for several flaws: the front flap tends to detach at the fold, from slightly excessive scoring in the bindery, and the white jacket is susceptible to yellowing and soiling. This is a fine copy in a very good dust jacket with the typical flaws: the front flap is partially detached and the rear panel shows some minor soiling, with a small chip at the back corner of the spine crown. Still, overall, an attractive copy of a scarce and important first novel.
238. McCARTHY, Cormac. Outer Dark. NY: Random House (1968). His scarce second novel, the total sales of which amounted to 2705 copies. A faint hint of sunning to the board edges; still fine in a very near fine dust jacket with slight tanning to the spine lettering and a short, shallow scratch at mid-spine. A very nice copy of a book that appears to be at least as scarce as his first and seldom turns up in fine condition, the soft paper jacket being especially prone to wear. One of the nicest copies of this title we have seen.
239. McCARTHY, Cormac. Child of God. NY: Random House (1973). His third book. Very tiny dent to front board; still fine in a near fine, price-clipped dust jacket with two short edge tears, one of which is internally tape-mended, and some creasing to the front flap. Without the remainder mark so often found on copies of this title.
240. McCARTHY, Cormac. Suttree. NY: Random House (1979). His fourth book, which many considered his best, at least until the Border Trilogy (and some even still). A scarce book, which sold fewer than 3000 copies in the original edition. Small, faint waterstain to rear cloth (and on verso of jacket there); else fine in a fine dust jacket with a gutter nick at the rear spine fold.
241. McCARTHY, Cormac. Blood Meridian. NY: Random House (1985). His fifth book, a powerful novel of the Old West, based on an actual series of events in 1849-1950 in Texas and Mexico, and rendered with an eye to bringing to life the surreal violence of the time and place. Fine in a fine dust jacket.
242. McCARTHY, Cormac. All the Pretty Horses. NY: Knopf, 1992. The first volume of the Border Trilogy, a landmark novel that won both the National Book Award and the National Book Critics Circle Award and propelled its author to "instant" literary celebrity -- after nearly three decades of writing well-received literary novels in relative obscurity. The hardcover edition of this novel went into numerous printings, eventually selling nearly ten times as many copies as all of his previous books combined. Fine in a fine, purported "second issue," dust jacket, with a colored initial letter on the front flap and five blurbs on the rear panel; we are increasingly convinced, however, that the earlier jacket that has been reported was a trial, or proof, jacket of some sort that was never actually issued.
243. -. Same title. The advance reading copy, issued in wrappers and publisher's folding box, signed by the author and sent out in advance of publication to promote the book. Rumor has it that approximately 400 were to be done but the author quit after about 200, and declined to do any more. McCarthy has a reputation as, if not exactly a recluse, one who prizes his independence and privacy, and books signed by him are uncommon. Fine in the folding box.
244. -. Same title. The uncorrected proof copy. This is the second state of the proof, which consists of the first state with two changes made in pencil on the front cover: "A Border Trilogy" has been changed to "The Border Trilogy" and the publication day of "4" has been added to the month of May. A later state made these changes in print. Fine in wrappers.
245. -. Same title, the final state of the uncorrected proof. Fine in wrappers.
246. -. Same title. The first separate publication of any portion of The Border Trilogy, an offprint of the excerpt published in the March 1992 issue of Esquire. Fine, with four-color illustrations. An ephemeral piece, which was given away at the time of publication but has since become scarce.
247. McCARTHY, Cormac. The Crossing. NY: Knopf, 1994. The sequel to All the Pretty Horses, and the second novel in The Border Trilogy. One of an unspecified number of copies of the trade edition signed by the author on a tipped-in leaf. Fine in a fine dust jacket.
248. -. Same title. One of an intended 1000 copies signed by the author on a tipped-in colophon, "for friends of the author and publisher." Reports vary on the number of copies actually signed thus. Fine in a fine dust jacket.
249. McCARTHY, Cormac. The Stonemason. (Hopewell): Ecco (1994). The limited edition of this play. One of 350 numbered copies, signed by the author on a tipped-in leaf. Fine without dust jacket, as issued, in a fine slipcase.
250. McCARTHY, Cormac. The Gardener's Son. (Hopewell): Ecco Press (1996). The limited edition of this McCarthy screenplay, which aired on PBS. One of 350 numbered copies signed by the author. Fine in a fine slipcase.
251. McCARTHY, Cormac. Cities of the Plain. New Orleans: B.E. Trice (1998). The limited edition of the third book in the Border Trilogy. One of 300 numbered copies, quarterbound in leather and signed by the author. This is the smallest limitation of any of McCarthy's books (aside from the sold-out deluxe issue of this title). Fine in a fine slipcase.
252. -. Same title, the trade publisher's limited edition. NY: Knopf, 1998. One of 1000 (unnumbered) copies signed by the author on a tipped-in leaf. Relying on rumor, we are told that, like The Crossing, fewer than the stated limitation were actually signed. Fine in a fine dust jacket.
253. McGARRITY, Michael. Tularosa. NY: Norton (1996). The author's first book, a mystery novel set in New Mexico and introducing Kevin Kerney. Nominated for an Anthony Award for Best First Novel. Signed by the author. Fine in a fine dust jacket. Laid in is an autograph postcard signed.
254. McKENNA, Terence. True Hallucinations. San Francisco: HarperSanFrancisco (1993). The advance reading copy of a volume by this psychedelic explorer and expounder of the virtues of magic mushrooms. As one reviewer commented, "if only a fraction of McKenna's thought is true, he will someday be regarded as the Copernicus of consciousness." Fine in wrappers.
255. McMURTRY, Larry. Terms of Endearment. NY: Simon & Schuster, 1975. The uncorrected proof copy of his sixth novel which, like his first and third, was made into a highly praised Hollywood film. A pad-bound proof, and an extremely fragile format. The front cover is detached but present, stain to the lower rear cover; still about very good in tall wrappers. Signed by the author. In an attractive quarter-leather, custom clamshell box.
256. MENOTTI, Gian Carlo. The Last Savage. Greenwich: New York Graphic Society (1964). Quarto, a narrative adaptation of the author's own opera. Warmly inscribed by the author to Pauline Kael in 1965. A bit of fading at the crown, otherwise fine in a very good dust jacket chipped at the crown.
257. MERRIAM, Eve. Basics. NY: Macmillan (1962). Poetry, delivered as "an i-can-read book for grownups." Inscribed by the author to Pauline Kael "with best wishes and admiration." Near fine in a good dust jacket largely abraded on the rear panel and with a 2" hole there.
258. MERRIAM, Eve. The Inner City Mother Goose. NY: Simon & Schuster (1969). The simultaneous issue in wrappers of this collection of political poems based on Mother Goose rhymes. Inscribed by the author to Pauline Kael, "Peace, Love and Survival in our cities." Quarto; near fine.
259. MERRIAM, Eve. The Nixon Poems. NY: Atheneum, 1970. More political poetry, again inscribed by the author to Pauline Kael, "with hopes of peace despite all." Quarto; near fine in wrappers.
260. MILOSZ, Czeslaw. Visions from San Francisco Bay. NY: FSG (1982). The uncorrected proof copy of the first American edition of this collection of essays by the Nobel Prize winner. Fine in tall wrappers.
261. MOODY, Rick. Purple America. Boston: Little Brown (1997). The fourth book, second novel by the author of The Ice Storm, among others. Moody was selected by The New Yorker as one of its 20 best young American writers -- a response by the magazine to the highly publicized list done a couple of years earlier by Granta magazine. Signed by the author. Small aqua dot lower page edges; else fine in a fine dust jacket.