Catalog 142, C
33. CAREY, Peter. The Tax Inspector. (St. Lucia): University of Queensland Press (1991). The true first edition of this novel by the author of the Booker Prize-winning Oscar and Lucinda and The True History of the Kelly Gang, among others. Affectionately inscribed by the author to two recipients, once on the title page, "For ____/ while he was in the lav," and once, with love, on the dedication page to a recipient "who deserves two pages of her own." Small spots to foredge; near fine in a very near fine dust jacket.
34. CAREY, Peter. Theft. (Milsons Point): Knopf (2006). The first Australian edition of his most recent novel. Signed by the author. Fine in a fine dust jacket.
35. CARRUTH, Hayden. The Crow and the Heart. NY: Macmillan, 1959. The first book, only issued in wrappers, by a writer who later became the Poet Laureate of the U.S. Inscribed by the author in the year of publication: "For Dolly and Tom/ with love -- / Hayden/ Oct. 7, 1959." A few pencilled notations in text, including an annotation to the dedication page; spine-rolled; mild rubbing and edge-foxing; very good in wrappers.
36. CARSON, Rachel and WILSON, Vanez. Bear River. Washington, D.C.: Fish and Wildlife Service, 1950. An illustrated 13-page booklet, about the Bear River National Wildlife Refuge in Utah, co-written by Carson. Published as Conservation in Action No. 8. Carson was the first woman to take and pass the Civil Service test, and was hired by the Bureau of Fisheries in 1936 as a junior biologist. She worked for the government for 15 years, eventually becoming the chief editor of all the publications of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services. She quit her government job in 1952 to devote herself full-time to writing. Quarto; very near fine in stapled wrappers. Scarce; we have never seen another copy.
37. (CARSON, Rachel). "Silent Spring" in The New Yorker. (NY): New Yorker Magazine, June 16, 23 and 30, 1962. The first published appearance of this work, which, when published in book form, single-handedly caused the banning of the pesticide DDT by documenting its deleterious side effects on the natural food chain. Carson was inspired to write the book by a letter from a friend imploring her to find someone in Washington who could have an influence on stopping the spraying of pesticides in her area, which were killing the local songbirds; because of Carson's renown for her earlier books on the sea, her friend imagined that Carson might well have sway that an ordinary citizen wouldn't. Carson initially wrote to E.B. White at The New Yorker, suggesting to him that this would be a suitable subject for an article. White responded that he agreed but didn't have the time, suggesting that she write it herself. Carson imagined it to be a brief article that she would finish in a matter of months. As her research progressed, she realized that each time she uncovered some new fact or anecdote, the story got larger and more complex -- and also potentially more threatening to the chemical industry. Carson realized that the book was going to have to have an unshakable foundation in scientific fact, and that with that basis she would also have to write a passionate and persuasive argument. Controversy was inevitable even before the book's publication: chemical industry spokesmen routinely denied her requests for information; biologists who offered information and help requested anonymity, for fear of losing their jobs. When portions of the book were first published in this three-part series in The New Yorker, the reaction of the industry was swift and furious -- a huge public relations campaign extolling the benefits of chemical use in society, combined with threats to withdraw advertising from any magazines or newspapers that favorably reviewed the book. The controversy, however, only generated more interest, and more sales. Silent Spring was chosen as a Main Selection of the Book of the Month Club. President Kennedy ordered the Science Advisory Committee to study the effects of pesticides; and Congressman John V. Lindsay -- later the Mayor of New York City and a Presidential candidate -- entered the first third of the New Yorker article into the Congressional Record. By the end of the year, over 40 bills had been introduced to regulate pesticide use in various states, mostly as a result of Silent Spring. Throughout the writing of the book, Carson waged a personal battle against cancer; she died in 1964. Three issues, each with a slight vertical fold in the middle from mailing; near fine. For the three:
38. CARVER, Raymond. If It Please You. Northridge: Lord John Press, 1984. A short story published as a limited edition. Of a total edition of 226 copies, this is one of 200 numbered copies signed by the author. Spine- and edge-sunned; near fine without dust jacket, as issued.
39. CARVER, Raymond. Early for the Dance. Concord: William B. Ewert, 1986. A collection of poems. Of a total edition of 136, this is one of 36 Roman-numeraled copies, the entire hardcover edition. Signed by the author. Fine without dust jacket, as issued.
40. -. Same title. One of 10 sets of advance sheets prepared by the publisher. Twelve 9" x 12" double flat gatherings printed on the rectos only, laid into a gray folding cardstock case, with a card laid in presenting the sheets with compliments, indicating the limitation, and signed by the publisher. A fine set of this rare advance issue.
41. CARVER, Raymond. Where I'm Calling From. NY: Atlantic Monthly (1988). The publisher's limited edition of the definitive collection of Carver's fiction, published just before he died and containing his final versions of a number of his most important and most anthologized stories, a number of them revised from their earlier published appearances, as well as seven stories previously uncollected. One of 250 numbered copies signed by the author. Bound in white cloth stamped in red and gold, and enclosed in the publisher's blue slipcase. Fine.
42. CARVER, Raymond. The Toes. Concord: Ewert, 1988. A limited edition that was in preparation for private distribution as a 1988 holiday greeting when Carver died, on August 2, 1988. The edition was completed but, unlike the earlier projects, there was no signed issued of it. There were 136 copies done, of which 36 were bound in wrappers. This is a full set of prepublication trial versions: four versions, prepared on July 28, 1988, with a note from the publisher identifying the different states and noting that five sets were "pulled" -- i.e. created -- of the trial versions. Fine.
43. CARVER, Raymond. Tell It All. (Rome): Leconte (2005). A bilingual (Italian/English) edition of unpublished writings: poetry and two one-act plays written with Tess Gallagher. Also includes a small album of photos and excerpts from Remembering Ray and Dear Ghosts. Fine in self-wrappers.
44. (CARVER, Raymond). "Poseidon and Company" in Forum, Vol. 5, No. 2. Muncie: Ball State Teachers College, 1964. A short work of fiction written while he was a student at the Iowa Writers' Workshop and preceding his first book by several years. An extremely uncommon appearance in print by Carver; we have never heard reference to this before, although apparently the story had appeared in print a year earlier in the literary magazine of Humboldt State College, which Carver himself edited. Several small stains to covers; very good in stapled wrappers.
45. (CARVER, Raymond). When We Talk About Raymond Carver. (Layton): (Peregrine Smith) (1991). The uncorrected proof copy of this collection of conversations about Carver, with such writers as Richard Ford, William Kittredge, Robert Stone, Tobias Wolff, Jay McInerney, and others. Edited by Sam Halpert. The proof includes a piece by Tess Gallagher that was withdrawn before the published version. Fine in wrappers.
46. (CASSADY, Neal). Mano-Mano/2. Denver: Bowery Press, 1971. Includes a reproduction of a two-page Cassady letter; a two-page Kerouac letter to Ed White, written in 1949; and a long interview with Ken Kesey originally recorded in 1965 and including information about the lawsuit filed against him and Viking Press pertaining to One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, among other subjects. Fine in stapled wrappers.
47. CATHER, Willa. Alexander's Bridge. Boston/NY: Houghton Mifflin, 1912. First edition, second issue, with the half-title following the title; only three copies of the first issue, with the half-title preceding the title page, are known, including one unbound advance copy and the Library of Congress deposit copy. The total edition, bound over several years, was 5270 copies, with this copy being one of the early bindings, retaining the author's middle initial on the front cover and spine. Partially erased owner gift inscription on front free endpaper; spine cloth faded and speckled; else near fine, lacking the dust jacket.
48. (CHANDLER, Raymond). SMITH, H. Allen. Lo, the former Egyptian! Garden City: Doubleday, 1947. A novel by the humorist, this copy having belonged to Raymond Chandler, stamped with his name and address on the front flyleaf. Near fine, lacking the dust jacket.
49. (CIARDI, John). PATCHEN, Kenneth. Fables and Other Little Tales. Baden: Jonathan Williams, 1953. Poet John Ciardi's copy, with Ciardi's ownership signature and address stamp and with a few underlinings and marginal notations in the early part of the text, presumably Ciardi's. This is the issue in wrappers, not identified by the bibliographer, and one of 450 copies. With a plain bookmark laid in from the Saturday Review, where Ciardi worked as poetry editor. Near fine in self-wrappers.
50. (Civil Liberties). American Civil Liberties Union. Civil Liberty. (NY): (ACLU) (1920). A position statement issued by the ACLU in the year of its founding. Covers free speech, free press, freedom of assemblage, the right to strike, law enforcement, search and seizure, fair trial, immigration, education, and race equality. One sheet folded to make four pages; rear page sunned; minor edge wear; small stamp of the Swarthmore College Peace Collection (duplicate) in upper margin. A seminal document, which borrows heavily from the U.S. Constitution -- by implication pointing out that constitutionally guaranteed liberties need protection beyond their being asserted in writing. Very good.
51. COBEN, Harlan. Miracle Cure. (Latham): British American Publishing (1991). The second book by the author of the Myron Bolitar series of novels as well as some of the most highly praised page-turning thrillers of recent years. Coben was the first mystery writer to win all three major U.S. awards -- the Edgar, Shamus and Anthony awards. Inscribed by the author. Fine in a near fine dust jacket with one short, closed edge tear and a touch of rubbing to the spine extremities. Fairly uncommon.
52. COBEN, Harlan. The Innocent. (London): Orion (2005). A limited edition advance reading copy of this recent novel, one of only 120 numbered copies. Fine in wrappers. Given that the first trade printings of this novel in the U.S. and the U.K. were likely huge, this is doubtless the scarcest issue of this novel.
53. CONRAD, Joseph. Youth. Edinburgh & London: William Blackwood and Sons, 1902. First edition, first issue, of the collection that contains "Heart of Darkness," probably Conrad's most well-known and most often collected story. There were 3150 copies printed, of which 625 were for colonial issue. Conrad said that "Youth" and "Heart of Darkness" were the first two of his stories to attract attention in a wider sphere, both of them being autobiographical. "Heart of Darkness," which was not published separately in Conrad's lifetime, was selected as one of the Modern Library books of the century. This copy bears the bookplate of noted Cambridge musicologist, Edward Joseph Dent, a longtime friend of E.M. Forster and the basis for one of Forster's characters in the novel Where Angels Fear to Tread. A distinguished provenance. Slight foxing to the page edges, otherwise very near fine, in custom quarter-leather clamshell case. Together with a photograph of Conrad taking a sun sight with a sextant on the bridge of the Tuscania, on his trip from Glasgow to America in April, 1923. Pictured with Conrad is David Bone, the ship's captain. 3 1/2" x 5 3/4". Fine.
54. COUPLAND, Douglas. Lara's Book. Rocklin: Prima Publishing (1998). The author of Generation X gives his take on the Lara Croft phenomenon, a combination graphic novel, cultural critique, and meditation on issues such as the meaning of free will and what constitutes life. Also includes "strategies and secrets!" for the computer game where Lara Croft was born. Quarto. Price sticker and partially removed price sticker on rear cover; near fine in wrappers. An uncommon book in the first edition, and a commentary by perhaps one of the best possible writers to tackle the subject -- with wit and humor, and just the right touch of Meaning.
55. COUPLAND, Douglas. Super City. (Montreal): (Canadian Centre for Architecture) (2005). A limited edition produced to accompany the CCA exhibition, in which Coupland examines the effects of Legos on his life. Heavily illustrated with images from the exhibition, historical advertising images for Legos, and other architectural photographs. One of 750 numbered copies signed by Coupland. Fine in wrappers.
56. CREELEY, Robert. A Wall. NY/Stuggart: Bouwerie Editions/Edition Domberger (1969). Of a total edition of 210 copies, this is one of 125 numbered copies for sale in the U.S. Signed by Creeley and the designer, William Katz, who also provides a serigraph. Additionally inscribed by Creeley: "For Allen and Joan, with my love, Bob." Quarto; stringbound sheets laid into tri-fold cover. Fine. Uncommon.
57. CREELEY, Robert. Thirty Things. Los Angeles: Black Sparrow, 1974. A collection of poems by Creeley, with monoprints by his then-wife, Bobbie. One of 250 copies signed by the author. Fine in near fine acetate dustwrapper.
58. CREWS, Harry. Scar Lover. NY: Poseidon (1992). "A story of love and redemption," inscribed by Crews to Martha Stewart, reportedly at a Connecticut fund raiser. Fine in a fine dust jacket. An unusual association copy: one wouldn't normally think of Crews -- the master of the grotesque -- as associated with Stewart, the homemaker extraordinaire and master of neatness.
59. CROWLEY, Aleister. The Argonauts. NY: Gordon Press, 1974. A limited edition of this 1904 work by Crowley, a play based on his study of Hinduism and the Upanishads. One of 200 copies, reprinting the text of the original in facsimile. Fine without dust jacket, apparently as issued.
60. CROWLEY, Aleister. Two Fragments of Ritual. (NY/Berkeley): O.T.O./Stellar Visions, 1987. A 10-page pamphlet printing excerpts from two rituals, reportedly discovered by Johann Weishaupt, founder of the Order of the Illuminati, and printed by Crowley's Ordo Templi Orientis, the mystical society he founded. Fine in stapled wrappers with water-colored endpages.
61. CROWLEY, John. Aegypt. NY: Bantam (1987). The uncorrected proof copy of the first book in an ambitious tetralogy that also includes Love and Sleep, Daemonomania, and one as-yet-unpublished volume. Finalist for the World Fantasy Award and selected as one of David Pringle's 100 best fantasy novels of all time. According to Crowley, there were textual differences between this proof and the final published book. Signed by the author. Near fine in wrappers.