Catalog 126, L-M
225. LAGERKVIST, Pär. The Eternal Smile. NY: Random House (1954). A collection of stories, his third book published here, and the first after he had won the Nobel Prize. Fine in a near fine, mildly spine-tanned dust jacket.
226. LAGERKVIST, Pär. The Sibyl. NY: Random House (1958). The first American edition of this novel, which is widely thought to contain some of his most beautiful writing, and which introduces the character Ahasuerus, a figure who appears in the rest of Lagerkvist's group of philosophical novels. Along with Barabbas and The Dwarf, this is considered to be one of his three most important novels. Fine in a fine dust jacket, and very scarce thus. A beautiful copy.
227. LAGERKVIST, Pär. The Holy Land. NY: Random House (1966). The first American edition of this continuation of his allegorical sequence, which started in The Sybil with the introduction of the character Ahasuerus, but really took root in his next book, The Death of Ahasuerus, the direct antecedent to Pilgrim at Sea. Fine in a very near fine dust jacket with trace corner rubbing.
228. LE CARRÉ, John. The Looking-Glass War. NY: Coward McCann (1965). The first American edition of his fourth book, published a year after his success with The Spy Who Came in From the Cold, which redefined the spy genre. This grim novel, though not as successful, began the series in which Le Carré pushed authenticity to new levels in espionage fiction. Fine in a very near fine dust jacket with trace shelf wear at the edges.
229. LE CARRÉ, John. Smiley's People. NY: Knopf, 1980. The first American edition of the final book in the trilogy collectively entitled "The Quest for Karla," which is widely considered the greatest series of spy novels ever written -- combining a degree of realism with a literary accomplishment that made spying and the covert world of intelligence a metaphor for moral and spiritual inquiry into the place of man in the world, and his fate. Signed by the author on the title page. Remainder mark; else fine in a fine, price-clipped dust jacket.
230. (LE CARRÉ, John). Philby. The Spy Who Betrayed a Generation. (London): Deutsch (1968). Le Carré provides a 15-page introduction to this book about the most famous British spy of the 20th century. Fine in a near fine, spine-faded dust jacket.
231. (LEE, Harper). FOOTE, Horton. Beginnings. NY: Scribner (2001). The advance reading copy of the second installment of Foote's memoir, after Farewell. With a blurb by Harper Lee praising Farewell on the rear cover. Foote wrote the Academy Award-winning screenplay for Lee's Pulitzer Prize-winning To Kill a Mockingbird. Slight corner bend; still fine in wrappers.
232. LENT, Jeffrey. In the Fall. NY: Atlantic Monthly Press (2000). His well-received first book, which was a Main Selection of the Book of the Month Club -- unusual for a first novel. Because of the Civil War setting, the novel received inevitable comparisons to Charles Frazier's Cold Mountain; the author's writing style was compared to that of Faulkner. Signed by the author. Fine in a fine dust jacket.
233. (LEONARD, Elmore). HEINZ, W.C. The Professional. (Cambridge): Da Capo Press (2001). First thus, a reissue of Heinz's 1958 novel with a new introduction by Elmore Leonard. This is the advance reading copy. Front cover splayed from promotional information laid in; else fine in wrappers.
234. LEWIS, Sinclair. Kingsblood Royal. NY: Random House (1947). The second printing of one of his last books, a novel of race relations that anticipated some of the social issues of the 1950s and 60s. Inscribed by Lewis: "For Lee -- / from/ Laura Z. Hobson/ N.Y. 1947/ -- Too bad you/ didn't edit this one!/ Sinclair Lewis." Hobson was the author of Gentleman's Agreement, a bestselling novel that was made into an Academy Award-winning movie in the year this was published and, like this book, dealt with racial prejudice and, more particularly, "going undercover" to discover hidden truths about discrimintation: Hobson's book was a study of anti-Semitism and Kingsblood Royal deals with the question of the racial identity of a light-skinned black man who can pass for white, which is based in part on the life of Walter White, a blond-haired, blue-eyed African-American who was head of the NAACP. An interesting and suggestive inscription. Sunning to spine ends; else fine in a very good, edgeworn dust jacket.
235. LOWRY, Malcolm. Alcoholic Tribute Signed. Undated. An unaddressed tribute apparently paying compliment to the son (daughter?) of the writer of "The Lonely Faun," Reginald Redman, a noted jazz composer. Signed "Malcolm Lowry" on verso and "Malcolm (not Michael) Lowry" on the front. In addition to the other text, on each side Lowry has written the fragment "green ties among the supervisor's candles blues." Lowry's tribute, presumably never sent, was apparently written in a drunken state, as might be expected, and he repeats his sentiments, and self-doubts, several times for emphasis, in commenting on the recipient's volume (or writing) "Thought." "Let me pay my small alcoholic tribute. At any rate The Lonely Faun is wünderbar and Thought is - is - is - one of the huge fragilities before which comment is disgusting." 7" x 9". Folded in half, with prominent drink stain; very good. A revealing glimpse of the author's urgent, and self-critical, perception and commentary. Manuscript material by Lowry, the author of the classic Under the Volcano, is exceedingly rare.
236. MAILER, Norman. Barbary Shore. NY: Rinehart (1951). Mailer's second book. Signed by the author. Like his first book, The Naked and the Dead, this title was published in black pseudo-cloth boards that rub remarkably easily, with a coarse paper dust jacket printed in black, which also tends to show wear. This is a very near fine copy, with trace wear only at the corners, in a near fine, lightly spine-tanned dust jacket with rubbing only at the folds. The jacket is printed in black and green; there was also a black and red jacket, with no priority known.
237. MAILER, Norman. The Last Night. NY: Targ Editions, 1984. A story by Mailer, published in an attractive limited edition by noted bibliophile William Targ. One of 250 copies signed by the author. Fine in plain white dust wrapper, which is dusty and spine-sunned. The story was originally published in Esquire in 1962.
238. MAMET, David. American Buffalo. NY: Grove Press (1978). His first book, winner of the Drama Critics Circle Award for the best American play of 1977. This is the scarce hardcover issue; there was a simultaneous softcover. Fine in a fine dust jacket and signed by the author and stamped with his chop.
239. MAMET, David. Sexual Perversity in Chicago and The Duck Variations. NY: Grove Press (1978). The uncommon hardcover issue of these two plays, which, like American Buffalo, opened off-Broadway and immediately earned Mamet recognition and awards for his playwriting. Remainder mark; edge-sunned boards; else fine in a near fine, price-clipped dust jacket. Signed by the author and stamped with his Chicago comet chop. Scarce in hardcover, and extremely so signed.
240. MAMET, David. A Life in the Theater. NY: Grove Press (1978). The hardcover issue of this play. Signed by the author. Remainder stripe; else fine in a fine, price-clipped dust jacket.
241. MAMET, David. The Water Engine and Mr. Happiness. NY: Grove Press (1978). The hardcover issue of these two plays, reportedly done in a printing of only 1000 copies. Signed by the author and stamped with his blue Chicago chop on the half-title. Faint top edge foxing; still fine in a fine dust jacket.
242. MAMET, David. The Woods. NY: Grove Press (1979). The hardcover issue of his fifth regularly published play. Signed by the author and stamped with his chop on the title page. Fine in a near fine, mildly sunned dust jacket.
243. MAMET, David. Lakeboat. NY: Grove Press (1981). The hardcover issue of this play, which was made into a movie in 2000 by Joe Mantegna with a screenplay by Mamet. Mantegna has appeared as an actor in several of the films written and/or directed by Mamet. Signed by the author and stamped with his chop on the title page. Fine in a fine dust jacket.
244. MAMET, David. The Shawl and Prairie du Chien. NY: Grove Press (1985). The hardcover issue of these two plays, and one of the author's scarcest titles. Signed by the author and stamped with his chop. Fine in a fine dust jacket.
245. MAMET, David. Goldberg Street. NY: Grove Press (1985). Short plays and monologues. This is the simultaneous issue in wrappers and is signed by the author on the half-title. Fine.
246. MAMET, David. Three Children's Plays. NY: Grove Press (1986). The very scarce hardcover issue of three collected plays: "The Poet and the Rent," "The Frog Prince" and "The Revenge of the Pandas or Binky Rudich and the Two-Speed Clock." Signed by the author and stamped with his chop on the title page. Fine in a fine dust jacket.
247. MAMET, David. Writing in Restaurants. (NY): Viking (1986). His first collection of essays. Signed by the author on the half-title and stamped with his chop. Fine in a fine dust jacket.
248. MAMET, David and CROUSE, Lindsay. The Owl. NY: Kipling Press (1987). A children's book co-authored by Mamet and his wife, with illustrations by Stephen Alcorn. Signed by Mamet on the title page, and stamped with his chop. Fine in a fine dust jacket.
249. MAMET, David. House of Games. NY: Grove Press (1987). The screenplay of the first movie that Mamet directed, which starred Joe Mantegna and Lindsay Crouse. Only issued in wrappers. Fine.
250. MAMET, David. Speed-the-Plow. NY: Grove Press (1988). The hardcover issue of this play that starred Madonna and Joe Mantegna in its original production. Signed by the author on the title page and stamped with his chop. Remainder stripe and one slight corner bump; else fine in a fine dust jacket.
251. MAMET, David and SULTAN, Donald. Warm and Cold. NY: Grove Press (1988). A children's book, with text by Mamet and drawings by Sultan. This is the trade edition; an elaborately produced limited edition was done in 1985. Signed by Mamet. Quarto; fine in a fine dust jacket.
252. MAMET, David. Some Freaks. (NY): Viking (1989). His second collection of essays, on themes artistic and autobiographical. Inscribed by the author in 1990 "with all best wishes and thank you for putting up with my theories on education over dinner." Fine in a fine dust jacket.
253. MAMET, David. The Hero Pony. NY: Grove Weidenfeld (1990). His first volume of poetry. Signed by the author and stamped with his chop on the half-title. Fine in a fine dust jacket.
254. MAMET, David. On Directing Film. (NY): Viking (1991). Signed by the author and stamped with his chop on the half-title. Fine in a fine dust jacket.
255. MAMET, David. The Cabin. NY: Turtle Bay, 1992. A collection of essays, many of them autobiographical. Signed by the author and stamped with his chop on the title page. Fine in a fine dust jacket.
256. -. Same title, a limited edition of the title essay. San Francisco: Arion Press, 1992. One of 500 copies. This copy is warmly inscribed by Mamet in 1996 "with all appreciation for your granting me a most lovely weekend at Dartmouth." Fine in self-wrappers.
257. MAMET, David. Homicide. NY: Grove Weidenfeld (1992). A screenplay by Mamet for a film that he also directed; only issued in wrappers. Signed by the author and stamped with his chop. Fine.
258. MAMET, David. Oleanna. NY: Pantheon (1992). A play issued in an edition of only 1500 copies. Signed by the author and stamped with his chop on the half-title. Fine in a fine dust jacket, and scarce signed.
259. MAMET, David. The Village. Boston: Little Brown (1994). His first novel. Signed by the author and stamped with his chop. Fine in a fine dust jacket.
260. MAMET, David. Passover. NY: St. Martin's (1995). A novella, with illustrations by Michael McCurdy. Fine in a fine dust jacket. Signed by the author and stamped with his chop.
261. MAMET, David. The Cryptogram. NY: Vintage (1995). A short play, only issued as a paperback original. Inscribed by the author "with thanks" and with a self-caricature in 1996. Fine.
262. MAMET, David. Make-Believe Town. Boston: Little Brown (1996). His fourth collection of essays and remembrances. Inscribed by the author in the year of publication with a lengthy inscription in part thanking the recipient for "your continued interest in my work." Fine in a fine dust jacket.
263. (MATTHIESSEN, Peter). "Red & Blue Days" in A Clark City Press Reader 1993. (Livingston): (Clark City Press) (1993). An advance reading excerpt from a book of Matthiessen's writings on the American West that was planned by the press but never published. Three other authors (Jon A. Jackson, Bruce Cutler, Merill Gilfillan) have books excerpted here: their books were later issued by other publishers. Fine in stapled wrappers.
264. 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 dust jacket.
265. McCARTHY, Cormac. "Already you could see through the dust on the ponies' hides..." (n.p.): Texas Writers Project, 2000. A broadside poster printing an excerpt from Blood Meridian in red, silver and gold over a black & white photograph of the Lost Mine Trail, Big Bend. The first separate publication of this piece, a large poster suitable for framing. Approximately 24" x 34". Rolled; else fine.
266. McDONALD, Gregory. The Brave. NY: Barricade Books (1991). The first edition ("first printing" stated and without number line) of this little-known, extremely grim novel by the author of the popular "Fletch" series of mysteries, among others. Notable for having been made into a movie, and a deeply disturbing one, by Johnny Depp -- his first directing effort and also his first screenwriting effort (with his brother). Signed by the author. Fine in a fine dust jacket.
267. McPHEE, John. Levels of the Game. NY: FSG (1969). An account of a landmark tennis match between Arthur Ashe, the first world-class African-American tennis player, and Clark Graebner, "a middle-class white conservative dentist's son from Cleveland." A detailed, point-by-point account of the match, and an exploration of their different tennis styles that sheds light on their different backgrounds and lives and, by extension, on the larger cultural differences to be found within American society. Inscribed by the author. Fine in a near fine, price-clipped dust jacket with fading to the red spine lettering.
268. McPHEE, John. The Deltoid Pumpkin Seed. NY: FSG (1973). A nonfiction account of a serious, but flawed, attempt to create a new kind of aircraft -- a combination airplane and lighter-than-air airship. An intriguing subject elucidated by McPhee's crystal-clear prose. Inscribed by the author. Fine in a fine dust jacket.
269. -. Same title. Signed by the author. Small smudge to flyleaf; still fine in a fine dust jacket.
270. McPHEE, John. The Pine Barrens. NY: FSG (1981). A reissue of his fourth book, with added photographs by Bill Curtsinger and new postscript by McPhee. Quarto; remainder stripe; else fine in a fine dust jacket. A very attractive volume. Signed by McPhee, and scarce thus.
271. McPHEE, John. Riding the Boom Extension. Worcester: Metacom, 1983. The first book publication of this piece, which first appeared in The New Yorker and was eventually reprinted in Table of Contents. Of a total edition of 176 copies, this is one 150 numbered copies in saddle-stitched marbled paper self-wrappers. Signed by the author. Fine.
272. -. Another copy. Slight wave to rear panel, possibly from the production of the marbled paper; still very near fine. Signed by the author.
273. McPHEE, John. Outcroppings. Salt Lake: Peregrine/Gibbs Smith (1988). Photographs of the West and Southwest by Tom Till, one of the premier nature photographers working in the U.S. today, accompanied by selections of McPhee's writings. With a five page introduction by McPhee for this volume, explaining why he writes about the West. Signed by McPhee and Till. Quarto. Fine in a near fine, spine-faded dust jacket with scratches on the rear panel. A beautiful production, with Till's photographs complementing McPhee's lucid prose.
274. MILOSZ, Czeslaw. Unattainable Earth. NY: Ecco Press (1986). The uncorrected proof copy of this collection of poetry and other pieces, of his own and of others, that attempt to "approach the inexpressible sense of being." Translated by Milosz, the Nobel Prize winner, and Robert Hass, who was at the time Poet Laureate of the U.S. Fine in wrappers. There was also a proof in tall wrappers.
275. MINOR, Wendell. Art for the Written Word. NY: Harcourt Brace (1995). A compendium of dust jacket cover art by Minor over a 25-year period, with commentary on the covers by many authors, including Larry McMurtry, Tracy Kidder, W.P. Kinsella, Fannie Flagg, Pat Conroy, James Michener, Gloria Naylor, Louise Erdrich, Charles Baxter, David Payne, Garrison Keillor, John Hersey and many others, including David McCullough, who provides an introduction. Signed by Minor. Minor designed a number of notable dust jackets, from Catch-22 to Richard Brautigan's The Hawkline Monster, Sherman Alexie's The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven, and a paperback reprint of Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird and Toni Morrison's Sula, representing a wide range of styles. Fine in a fine dust jacket.
276. MORRISON, Toni and Slade. The Book of Mean People. NY: Hyperion (2002). A children's book, written by Morrison and her son, Slade, and illustrated by Pascal Lemaître. Signed by Toni Morrison. Quarto; fine in a fine dust jacket. The only children's book by the Nobel and Pulitzer Prize-winning author.
277. MOSLEY, Walter. Six Easy Pieces. NY: Atria Books (2003). Six previously published Easy Rawlins pieces and one new story. Signed by the author. Fine in a fine dust jacket.
278. MOSLEY, Walter. What Next. A Memoir Toward World Peace. (Baltimore): (Black Classic Press) (2003). "A Memoir Toward World Peace." Nonfiction, an essay written in response to the September 11 terrorist attacks by the award-winning African American novelist most famous for the Easy Rawlins mystery series. Signed by the author. Fine in a fine dust jacket.