Catalog 128, P-R
241. PASTERNAK, Boris. The Blind Beauty. NY: Harcourt Brace World (1969). The first American edition of this play by the author of Doctor Zhivago, published nine years after his death. Dampstaining to lower boards; thus very good in a near fine, mildly edge-sunned dust jacket internally tape-strengthened at the spine.
242. PATON, Alan. Cry, the Beloved Country. NY: Scribner (1948). An advance copy of the first American edition of Paton's first novel, a modern classic of racial prejudice under South Africa's apartheid system -- a bellwether book for race relations in this country as well as a searing exposé of conditions in Paton's own country. Bound signatures (penultimate signature laid in unbound); near fine, laid into a good dust jacket, chipped at the head and torn along the front spine fold. A scarce prepublication state of this landmark of 20th century literature.
243. PAZ, Octavio. Viento Entero. Delhi: (Caxton Press), 1965. A limited edition of this single poem by the Mexican Nobel Prize winner, published in India when the author was the Mexican Ambassador to that country. He resigned from diplomatic service in 1968 in protest of the government's bloody suppression of student demonstrations during the 1968 Olympics in Mexico. One of 197 copies signed by the author. This copy is additionally inscribed by Paz to Selden Rodman "con un abrazo cordial" in the month after publication. A mildly sunned, near fine copy in wrappers, in a discolored glassine dustwrapper. A nice association between two major cultural figures of the Americas.
244. PAZ, Octavio. Ladera Este. Mexico: Joaquin Mortiz (1970). Second edition of this collection of poetry by the Nobel Prize winner. Inscribed by the author to Selden Rodman. Dampstained covers; good in wrappers. A nice association.
245. PORTER, Katherine Anne. The Leaning Tower and Other Stories. NY: Harcourt Brace (1944). A collection of stories by one of the leading writers of her generation. Two of Porter's books were National Book Award nominees and her Collected Stories, which included stories from this volume, won both the Pulitzer Prize and the National Book Award. Tanning to spine cloth; a near fine copy in a near fine, spine-tanned dust jacket with modest edge wear.
246. POUND, Ezra. The Spirit of Romance. (Norfolk): New Directions [1953]. A review copy of the reissue of Pound's fifth book, considerably revised from the original edition and done with a printing of only 500 copies. Near fine in a near fine, spine-tanned dust jacket, with review slip laid in. Uncommon, especially in an advance state.
247. PRICE, Reynolds. The Promise of Rest. NY: Scribner (1995). The third book in his sequence that began with The Surface of Earth and continued with The Source of Light. Inscribed by the author in the year of publication "with all the strong good hopes from/ Reynolds Price." Fine in a near fine dust jacket with slight corner bumps and internal tape strengthening at the crown.
248. PROSE, Francine. Women & Children First. NY: Pantheon Books (1988). Her first collection of short fiction, after seven novels. Inscribed by the author in the year of publication for a friend of a friend, with birthday wishes, and signed "Francine." Fine in a near fine, mildly spine-faded dust jacket.
249. PROULX, E. Annie. Heart Songs and Other Stories. NY: Scribner (1988). Her first book of fiction, after a number of nonfiction books, mostly of the "how-to" variety. A collection of short stories, which received good reviews and launched the author on a career that has led to her being widely considered one of the best American fiction writers today. Signed by the author. Fine in a near fine, mildly spine-faded dust jacket with a gutter tear on the front panel.
250. PROULX, E. Annie. Postcards. NY: Scribner's (1992). Her second book of fiction and first novel. Winner of the PEN/Faulkner Award. Signed by the author. Tiny erasure to half-title; still fine in a fine dust jacket with a slight crimp at the crown. A very nice copy of this notable debut.
251. PROULX, E. Annie. The Shipping News. NY: Scribner (1993). Her third work of fiction and second novel, which won both the National Book Award and the Pulitzer Prize -- a rare literary double. Light corner taps; else fine in a near fine, mildly spine-faded dust jacket.
252. -. Another copy. Signed by the author in the year of publication. Fine in a fine dust jacket.
253. PROULX, Annie. Close Range. (NY): Scribner (1999). A collection of "Wyoming Stories," one of which, "The Half-Skinned Steer," was selected for inclusion in The Best American Short Stories of the Century. This collection was voted one of the best books of the year by The New York Times Book Review. Signed by the author. Fine in a fine dust jacket.
254. QUINDLEN, Anna. One True Thing. NY: Random House (1994). A novel, the first by this writer who won a Pulitzer Prize for her nonfiction commentary. Basis for a well-received film for which Meryl Streep was nominated for an Oscar. Inscribed by the author "with gratitude." Fine in a fine dust jacket.
255. ROBINSON, Edwin Arlington. Cavender's House. NY: MacMillan, 1929. A collection of poetry by this three-time Pulitzer Prize winner. Spine cloth sunned; near fine in a very good, asymmetrically price-clipped, internally tape-strengthened, spine-faded dust jacket. Publisher's promotional pamphlet laid in.
256. ROETHKE, Theodore. Autograph Letter Signed. April 3, 1958. Written to the poet John Ciardi, conveying gratitude for Ciardi's having read from Roethke's works at an undisclosed event and expressing a wish that "I could have been a mouse in the wall" at the event. He refers to Doubleday issuing a book of his collected poems in the fall, and expresses his good wishes to Ciardi ("you rugged character"), relating that for him "it's been up and down this year." A nice letter by the Pulitzer Prize-winning author. One page, unlined. Signed "Ted Roethke." Folded in sixths for mailing; fine. With hand-addressed envelope.
257. RUSHDIE, Salman. The Moor's Last Sigh. NY: Pantheon (1996). One of 1000 numbered copies of the advance reading copy of the American edition of this novel that won the Whitbread Award and was shortlisted for the Booker Prize. Signed by the author. Fine in wrappers in publisher's two-part, sliding cardstock box, an elaborate production for a promotional item.