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Catalog 128, A

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1. ABBEY, Edward. Jonathan Troy. NY: Dodd, Mead (1954). Abbey's first book, published when he was 27 and never allowed by the author to be reprinted. "Jonathan Troy" was a nom de plume that Abbey used in writing for his college literary journal and the subject of this novel -- a young firebrand who is, underneath, "morbidly romantic" -- suggests a certain amount of youthful posturing on Abbey's part, which he apparently came to regret later. However, the elements of Troy's character -- his fierce independence manifesting itself in a disdain for authority and for others' opinions, along with a finely tuned literary poetic sense -- strongly suggest the elements that would combine in later years to make Abbey's sensibility so potent. As an unsentimental ecologist and one of the instigating figures in the radical environmental movement, Abbey helped shape both the agenda and the terms of the debate for questions of development and exploitation versus preservation and conservation in the Southwest and, by extension, elsewhere throughout the country. This copy is inscribed by the author: "For Ron [Kezar]/ Ed Abbey/ Glen Canyon 1981." Kezar was one of the five founding members of the radical environmental group Earth First!, which was inspired by Abbey's novel 1975 novel The Monkey Wrench Gang, in which a group of ragtag environmentalists plot to blow up Glen Canyon dam. Kezar is thought to be the real author of the controversial book Ecodefense: A Field Guide to Monkeywrenching, which was edited by Earth First! co-founder Dave Foreman, and had an introduction by Abbey. In March 1981, the then-unknown group was planning its first major publicity stunt, the dropping of a 300 foot-long symbolic "crack" down the face of Glen Canyon dam, and Abbey was invited to witness literature in action. An exceptional association copy of the very scarce first novel by one of the most influential figures in the environmental movement in the second half of the 20th century. Trace rubbing to boards at spine extremities; a near fine copy in a very good dust jacket with several small edge chips, a couple of which are internally tape-mended.

2. ABBEY, Edward. The Monkey Wrench Gang. Salt Lake City: Dream Garden Press, 1985. The limited issue of the Tenth Anniversary Edition of his most famous novel, a combination roman à clef and "how-to" manual for direct-action environmentalists. This edition was illustrated by noted underground cartoonist R. Crumb, famous for his underground comix of the 1960s. It includes a chapter not in the original edition, and is thus a textually significant edition of the book as well. One of 250 numbered copies signed by the author; laid in is a signed limited print by R. Crumb: "You can't never go wrong cutting fence." Fine in a fine slipcase.

3. -. Another copy of the signed limited edition with the signed print laid in. Fine in a slipcase with a small edge bump.

4. ABBEY, Edward. Heading Home: Edward Abbey Talks About Writing. Boulder: Johnson Books (2003). Advance reading excerpt from the revised edition of Confessions of a Barbarian. This is the first uncut and unexpurgated appearance of David Petersen's 1984 interview with Abbey. Fine in stapled wrappers.

5. (ABBEY, Edward). NICHOLS, John. American Blood. NY: Holt (1987). The uncorrected proof copy of Nichols' violent and controversial novel about a Vietnam vet, sent to Abbey for review and, according to the letter laid in to Abbey from the publisher, for "as much protection as it can get before the ideologues get their hands on it." Nichols' "New Mexico trilogy," beginning with The Milagro Beanfield War, is considered one of the classics of Southwestern literature, and it is easy to see why the publisher would approach Abbey as an ally in seeking support for his new book. This novel, however, was criticized both for its violence and, more importantly, for the question of "authenticity" -- which in this case meant the author's "standing" for writing such a novel, which depicts a Vietnam vet as a crazed killer: veterans' groups complained that the author was helping to promote unfavorable stereotypes of Vietnam vets and, not having served in Vietnam and experienced the kind of violence that his character was apparently exposed to, he was not in a position to meaningfully take on those issues. Abbey evidently passed on the offer to review the book: the front cover reads (unsigned, but in Abbey's hand), "on to Doug - too gruesome for me." "Doug" is Abbey's close friend Doug Peacock, a decorated Vietnam vet, the author of Grizzly Years, and the basis for the character George Hayduke, the hero of Abbey's most famous novel, The Monkey Wrench Gang. The back cover has a few penciled notes in Peacock's hand. A well-read proof, with several pages detached though laid in, pencil notes on rear cover, page corners turned; in form, a good copy only; in function, a great copy, with the link between Abbey and his friend, and in some sense his inspiration, Doug Peacock, as well as between Abbey, perhaps the preeminent writer of the American Southwest, and Nichols, another major figure in the literature of the region.

6. ABRAHAMS, Robert D. The Bonus of Redonda. London: Routledge & Kegan Paul (1967). A novel set in the Caribbean island of Nevis. Inscribed by the author. Fine in a very good dust jacket with several internally tape-strengthened edge tears.

7. ACKROYD, Peter. First Light. London: Hamish Hamilton (1989). The first British edition, in a jacket price-clipped for Canada. Ackroyd's novel Chatterton was shortlisted for the Booker Prize, and his earlier novel Hawksmoor won the Whitbread Prize and the Guardian Fiction award. Inscribed by the author in London in 1996. Fine in a fine (price-clipped) dust jacket.

8. AGEE, James. Agee on Film. (NY): McDowell Obolensky (1958). A classic collection of film criticism and essays on film, by the author of Let Us Now Praise Famous Men and A Death in the Family. Agee was the film critic for The Nation and Time magazine between 1941 and 1948, and his writings took film seriously at a time when few considered the movies to be a legitimate art form. He also wrote the screenplays for The African Queen and The Night of the Hunter, among other films. Lower boards dampstained; a good copy in a very good dust jacket.

9. (ALGREN, Nelson). "The Brothers' House" in Story, Vol. V, No. 47. NY: Story Magazine, 1934. An early appearance in print by Algren, preceding his first book, Somebody in Boots. Owner name and address in pencil on front cover; minor foxing to pages; a good copy in spine-faded wrappers with a small tear at the crown.

10. ALLENDE, Isabel. The House of Spirits. NY: Knopf, 1985. Second printing of the first American edition of this expatriate Chilean author's first book. Inscribed by Allende: "For ___/ ___ with/ best regards from/ these crazy spirits/ Isabel Allende." Allende has added a drawing of a flower. Fine in a near fine dust jacket with a gutter nick and small tears at the heel.

11. ALLENDE, Isabel. Of Love and Shadows. NY: Knopf, 1987. Second printing of the first American edition of her second novel. Inscribed by the author in 1993. Fine in a near fine dust jacket.

12. ALLENDE, Isabel. Eva Luna. NY: Knopf, 1988. The first American trade edition of her third novel. Inscribed by the author "in celebration of storytelling" with self-caricature. Fine in a fine dust jacket.

13. ALLENDE, Isabel. The Stories of Eva Luna. NY: Atheneum, 1991. The first American edition of her first collection of stories. Inscribed by the author in 1993: "Thanks for a wonderful hospitality in Dartmouth," with flower. Fine in a fine dust jacket.

14. (AMIS, Martin). "Let Me Count the Times" in Granta 4. (Cambridge): Granta (1981). An early issue of the resuscitated Granta magazine, which became the showcase for new writing in the 1980s. This copy is signed by Martin Amis at his contribution. Other contributors include Raymond Carver and Guy Davenport, among others. Near fine in wrappers.

15. AMMONS, A.R. Uplands. NY: Norton (1970). The hardcover issue, one of 1000 copies only. Inscribed by the author in 1989. Fine in a near fine, corner-clipped dust jacket.

16. AMMONS, A.R. Sphere. NY: Norton (1974). The hardcover issue of this collection that was nominated for the National Book Award and won the Bollingen Prize for Poetry. His previous book, Collected Poems: 1951-1971, won the National Book Award. Inscribed by the author in 1989. Fine in a near fine, corner-clipped dust jacket.

17. AMMONS, A.R. Diversifications. NY: Norton (1975). The hardcover issue. Inscribed by the author in 1989. Fine in a very near fine dust jacket with creasing and corner clipping to the front flap.

18. AMMONS, A.R. The Snow Poems. NY: Norton (1977). Second printing. Inscribed by the author in 1989. Fine in a fine, corner-clipped dust jacket.

19. AMMONS, A.R. Selected Longer Poems. NY: Norton (1980). The hardcover issue. Inscribed by the author in 1989 and signed "Archie Ammons." Fine in a near fine, price-clipped dust jacket.

20. AMMONS, A.R. Worldly Hopes. NY: Norton (1982). The hardcover issue. Inscribed by the author in 1989. Fine in a fine dust jacket.

21. AMMONS, A.R. The Selected Poems, Expanded Edition. NY: Norton (1986). The hardcover issue. Inscribed by the author in 1989. Fine in a fine dust jacket.

22. AMMONS, A.R. Sumerian Vistas. NY: Norton (1987). The hardcover issue. Inscribed by the author in 1989. Fine in a fine dust jacket.

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