Catalog 147, H-K
78. (HALEY, Alex). VAN SERTIMA, Ivan. They Came Before Columbus. NY: Random House (1976). Haley's copy of the uncorrected proof copy of Van Sertima's book, a controversial bestseller published the year after Haley's Roots, which argued that Africans had visited and even colonized the Americas long before Columbus. An interesting copy, in that the tremendous and surprising success of Haley's book may have influenced Van Sertima's publisher to think that there would be a strong mainstream market for a book positing this thesis, which might otherwise have been the province of a small press or academic publisher. A read copy, with pencilled marginal marks and spine creasing; very good in tall wrappers. Stamped with Haley's name on the title page.
79. (HALEY, Alex). CHASE-RIBOUD, Barbara. Echo of Lions. NY: Morrow (1989). Haley's copy of the advance sheets of this historical novel by the author of Sally Hemings. 8 1/4" x 11 3/4"; tapebound in printed cardstock and an acetate cover. Stamped with Haley's name on the title page. Also included are a synopsis, an author bio, two versions of the copy for the jacket flaps, and an announcement of Chase-Riboud receiving the Carl Sandburg Poetry Prize. Chase-Riboud, an African-American visual artist and sculptor as well as a writer, made headlines when she sued Steven Spielberg and Dreamworks productions for $10 million for plagiarism in the award-winning film Amistad, which dealt with the same slave ship rebellion that this book is a novelization of. Charges and counter-charges flew; Chase-Riboud sought an injunction against the release of the film; the suit was dropped in short order without any terms of settlement being disclosed. A fine copy of a scarce proof, in an unusual format, and a copy with interesting provenance.
80. HALL, Donald. Seasons at Eagle Pond. NY: Ticknor & Fields, 1987. A prose sketch of life through the seasons at the poet's New Hampshire home. An attractively printed and bound volume, with woodcut illustrations by Thomas Nason. Inscribed by the author to another nature writer in 1988, "... talking, drinking coffee, with pleasure..." Fine in a very near fine slipcase with a small abrasion at one corner.
81. HARRIS, Thomas. The Silence of the Lambs. NY: St. Martin's (1988). His highly acclaimed third novel, the first to have Hannibal Lecter as the central character, a figure that has become a cultural touchstone. Basis for the Jonathan Demme film with Anthony Hopkins and Jodie Foster, winner of five Academy Awards and one of the American Film Institute's top 100 Films of the Century. Inscribed by the author. Slight upper corner tap; else fine in a fine dust jacket.
82. HASS, Robert. Human Wishes. NY: Ecco (1989). The hardcover issue of this collection of poems by the two-term U.S. Poet Laureate, also the winner of the National Book Award and a MacArthur Foundation "genius grant." Inscribed by Hass to another writer "with admiration," and with that writer's ownership signature. Fine in a fine dust jacket. A nice association copy.
83. HAYS, Donald. The Hangman's Children. NY: Atlantic Monthly (1989). The author's second book, a novel of the Sixties, set in 1968 and moving from the Ozarks to Haight-Ashbury. Inscribed by Hayes to another writer "who writes so beautifully." Fine in a fine dust jacket.
84. HEARON, Shelby. Five Hundred Scorpions. NY: Atheneum, 1987. Inscribed by Hearon to another writer: "To ___ - a real nice guy, my vintage, my scars -- it was a pleasure to be with you. Best, Shelby." Fine in a fine dust jacket. A nice inscription and nice association.
85. HEGI, Ursula. Unearned Pleasures and Other Stories. Moscow: University of Idaho Press (1988). The second book by the author of Stones From the River. Inscribed by Hegi to another writer: "To ___ and the words that connect us. It's good to be here. With warmest regards - Ursula Hegi." Fine in a very near fine dust jacket with a little rubbing on the rear panel.
86. HEGI, Ursula. Tearing the Silence. On Being German in America. (NY): Simon & Schuster (1997). Nonfiction, an account of trying to come to terms with the Holocaust after moving to America when she was 18. Warmly inscribed by Hegi to a literary couple, at Bread Loaf. Fine in a fine dust jacket.
87. (HEMINGWAY, Ernest). "About Marlene Dietrich" in Marlene Dietrich, Playbill Vol. 5, No. 10. NY: Metromedia, 1968. Five paragraphs, spanning two pages, in the Playbill for the production of "Marlene Dietrich" at the Mark Hellinger Theatre; in part: "...the happiest time I have is when I have written something that I am sure is good and she reads it and likes it... For I think she knows more about love than anyone." Hemingway and Dietrich were close friends (he called her "the Kraut") and this is an unusual and little-known appearance of Hemingway's writing. A bit of foxing to the top edge of the front cover; near fine in stapled wrappers.
88. HJORTSBERG, William. Gray Matters. NY: Simon & Schuster (1971). The second novel by the author of Falling Angel, which has become something of an underground classic over the years. This title is one of the few books we've seen with a blurb by Rod Serling, creator of the television series The Twilight Zone. Inscribed by Hjortsberg to a literary couple in 1993, "that nervous night at MSU - with love and hope" and an added "Whoa" from the mouth of the Simon & Schuster logo. Fine in a near fine, price-clipped dust jacket with one nick at the upper front panel.
89. HJORTSBERG, William. Nevermore. NY: Atlantic Monthly Press (1994). A historical novel and something of a bibliomystery: set in 1920 New York, a killer acts out grisly passages from Edgar Allan Poe tales. Inscribed by the author to a literary couple: "The long, long trail keeps on winding, but isn't the horizon just around the corner?" Fine in a fine dust jacket. A nice association copy.
90. HOCH, Edward. Typescript of "The Man Who Knew Everything." (NY): Shock, 1960. Eight page original typescript of this story, heavily rewritten and edited, with many deleted passages still legible. Cover letter signed by Hoch, transmits the story to the editor, saying it has been rewritten "along the lines you suggested." The typescript is fine; the cover letter is near fine. Hoch was, at the time of his death earlier this year, thought to be the most prolific writer of mystery stories ever, with over 900 of them published, including 450 in Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine. That being said, his manuscripts do not turn up on the market often.
91. HOLDEN, Craig. The River Sorrow. (NY): Delacorte (1994). The author's first book. Inscribed by Holden to another writer, "with great thanks for all the insights which made us all quite a bit smarter about writing." With a typed letter signed laid in transmitting the book. Fine in a fine dust jacket.
92. HOSSEINI, Khaled. The Kite Runner. NY: Riverhead, 2003. The advance reading copy (marked "uncorrected proof for limited distribution") of the author's first book, published to tremendous critical acclaim, and an unlikely bestseller, being a family story set in Afghanistan, written by an Afghan expatriate. Reportedly it was the first novel published in English by an Afghan writer, and it was the third bestselling title of the year in the U.S. The film made from the book had its opening pushed back out of concern for the safety of the young actors in the movie who were still in Afghanistan. Fine in wrappers. An uncommon prepublication issue of one of the most surprising literary successes of recent years.
93. HOUELLEBECQ, Michel. Whatever. (London): Serpent's Tail (1999). The uncorrected proof copy of the first English language edition of the controversial author's first book, originally published in France in 1994. One tiny foredge spot, else fine in wrappers, with a contest sticker on the front cover offering 20 readers of the proof a bottle of Plonk for the wittiest responses for what the dachshund said to the poodle.
94. (Imprisoned Writers). Writers in Prison! NY: P.E.N. America (1973). Broadside listing the names of approximately 200 imprisoned writers in 26 countries. International P.E.N.'s Writers in Prison Committee, formed in 1960, monitors and protests the harassment, imprisonment and murder of writers and journalists. 20" x 29 1/2". Folded; near fine. A reminder of the danger, and by implication the power, of the written word. A comparable poster produced today would likely have a similar number of names, in familiar places. Uncommon.
95. (Jefferson Airplane). Paz Progress, Vol. III, Issue 1. (n.p.): (Icebag Corp.)(1969). Liner notes for the album Volunteers, presented in the form of a newspaper: the first side features news clips; the verso has lyrics. Among the "news clips" are a quote from Jerry Garcia of the Grateful Dead; batting averages for the "Amerikan League," featuring Willie Mays, Richard Nixon, John Lennon, O.J. Simpson, and others; a largely blacked-out editorial by one of the Smothers Brothers; etc. Folds out to 22" x 11". Near fine.
96. (JOHNSON, Denis). The Paris Review Book for Planes, Trains, Elevators and Waiting Rooms. NY: Picador (2004). A collection of stories and poems from The Paris Review, arranged by length so as to be read during the appropriately-timed commute. With an introduction by Richard Powers and stories by Denis Johnson, Alice Munro, Philip Roth, Raymond Carver, T.C. Boyle, Junot Diaz, Rick Moody, Ethan Canin, and many others. Signed by three authors including Denis Johnson, who contributes "Beverly Home." Only published in wrappers. Front cover splayed; near fine.
97. (JOYCE, James). PHILLIPS, Phil. Camera Notes of Joyce's Dublin. (n.p.): (n.p.) [1951]. A handmade production: 18 period photographs of Dublin plus a title page. Black & white photos, 7" x 6", each mounted to 9" x 11" cardstock; numbered in pencil in the lower right corner and annotated in pencil on verso: Eccles Street, Bachelor's Walk, the statue of Thomas Moore, Trinity College, Kildaire Street, Chapelizod, etc. 1951 gift inscription to an amateur Joyce scholar on the title page and some insect damage there and in the margins of several other pages. All loosely laid into a ribbon-tied chemise. Likely unique.
98. JUST, Ward. Echo House. Boston: Houghton Mifflin (1997). Later printing of this novel, which was a finalist for the National Book Award, and which explores Just's customary terrain -- the behind-the-scenes power brokers of the Washington, D.C. political life -- an arena in which Just has no peer among contemporary novelists, in terms of insider information and insight. Inscribed by Just to another writer: "with all due respect on the evening of the NBA (Boo hoo)." With the signature of the recipient as well. The award went to Cold Mountain by Charles Frazier (who is not the author mentioned above). A read copy: spine slanted; near fine in a very near fine dust jacket.
99. KENEALLY, Thomas. Schindler's Ark. Sydney: Hodder & Stoughton (1982). The first Australian edition of the book that became Schindler's List when published in the U.S. and which was the basis for the Academy Award-winning Spielberg film. Winner of the Booker Prize. Keneally is Australian and his books are usually published there first; in this case, however, the U.K. edition precedes the Australian edition: for collectors who "follow the flag," this would be the more desirable edition, and it is better bound than the U.K. edition. Small bookstore label from an Australian bookstore front flyleaf; else fine in a fine dust jacket.
100. KENNEDY, John F. Photograph. (n.p: n.p., n.d.). A smiling portrait of Kennedy, apparently during his years as President. Inscribed by Kennedy: "To Bill/ with very best wishes/ John Kennedy." Headshot, 8" x 10". Two pinholes to top margin, minor edge wear; near fine.
101. KEROUAC, Jack. The Subterraneans. NY: Grove (1958). The second printing of Kerouac's first novel to be published after the success of On the Road. Made into a movie with Leslie Caron in 1960, which attempted to capture the hipster life on film. Clothbound; tiny dent to spine; near fine in a good dust jacket with several small spine chips and a long closed tear to the front panel. An important Kerouac book, which is practically never seen in the first printing: indeed, the limited edition of 100 copies has turned up on the market more frequently in the past several years than the trade first printing. Almost impossible to find in dust jacket.
102. KEROUAC, Jack. Manhattan Sketches. (n.p.): Pirate Edition/[Hanuman] (n.d.) [c. 1987]. A small book in the Hanuman series, this being an out of series title printed and bound consistently with that series but a pirated, rather than authorized, edition and thus never formally offered for sale. "Pirate Edition" stated on title page. 2 3/4" x 4 1/8". Plain wrappers stamped in gold, which suggests an early book in the series, published around 1987, in a pictorial dust jacket with a photograph of Kerouac by Allen Ginsberg on the front panel. Fine in wrappers and very near fine dust jacket. An uncommon item, with text that differs from the piece published under the same title in the anthology The Moderns.
103. KEROUAC, Jack. Pull My Daisy. (n.p.: n.p., n.d.). A VHS tape (28 minutes) of the 1959 film narrated by Kerouac, directed by Robert Frank and Albert Leslie, and starring Allen Ginsberg, Peter Orlovsky, Larry Rivers and Gregory Corso, among others. Loosely based on Kerouac's unpublished play The Beat Generation, Or the New American Church. The title "Pull My Daisy" is taken from the first line of a poem co-written (in alternating lines) by Kerouac and Ginsberg and credited to Ginsberg when published in Neurotica 6 [NY: Neurotica Publishing, 1950], a near fine copy of which is included. The tape is fine in case. Uncommon.
104. KESEY, Ken. Sometimes a Great Notion. NY: Viking (1964). His second and most ambitious novel, about a logging family in Oregon, and embodying the individualistic values that helped Kesey to become a counterculture leader and icon. This is the state with the Viking ship on the first half-title, and in the first issue dust jacket, with the author photo credited to "Hank Krangler" and only two lines of biographical information about the author on the rear flap. Slight pull to text block; near fine in a very good dust jacket with a 2" edge tear on the front panel and some staining or offsetting visible only on verso. Still, a very nice copy of a book, which, because of the black dust jacket, tends to rub and show wear readily.
105. KESEY, Ken. One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest. Norwalk: Easton Press (1999). A limited edition reissue of Kesey's landmark first book, which, when first published in 1962, helped to shape a generation's attitudes on issues of authority, power, madness and, finally, individuality. Signed by the author, with an additional Easton Press certificate of authenticity signed by Kesey laid in. Leatherbound, all edges gilt, with a silk ribbon marker bound in. Fine. Quite uncommon: Easton Press did two editions of Cuckoo's Nest, only one of which was signed. The unsigned edition is widely available, whereas the signed ones have been scarce for a long time. Kesey signed each one slightly differently: in this copy, his signature is in black with purple "shadows." One suspects there were far fewer signed copies created than unsigned ones.
106. (KESEY, Ken). Oregana '56. (n.p.): University of Oregon, 1956. The college yearbook for Kesey's junior year. Kesey is pictured as a member of the Druids (an organization of the most outstanding men in the junior class; a member of the Order of the O (charged with enforcing campus traditions); a columnist for the Oregon Daily Emerald; a cast member of Macbeth; a member of Beta Theta Pi (a mark on this page reverses the names of two rows of men); and a member of the wrestling team. Thick quarto bound in leatherette. Minor foxing to covers; near fine.
107. KING, Stephen. The Stand. NY: Doubleday (1978). One of King's early novels published by Doubleday, in a remarkably cheap binding. A massive book -- 823 pages -- which some consider his best. Nonetheless, a larger edition with "restored" text was issued in 1990. Inscribed by the author to horror writer Stanley Wiater in 1982: "All best, and thanks for coming by." Previously inscribed to Wiater from his wife in 1979, on the rear pastedown. A bulky volume, with a bit of sag in the binding and a cup ring on the front board; still about near fine in a dust jacket with a partial price sticker on the lower front flap and a gift card adhered to the inner rear flap; else fine. With Wiater's Gahan Wilson-designed bookplate on the front pastedown. A nice copy, and a nice association copy.
108. KING, Stephen. Cujo. NY: Mysterious Press (1981). The limited edition. One of 26 lettered copies, signed by the author. The lettered edition is not noted on the colophon, but instead is indicated by the letter (in this instance, "R") and a typed note signed by the publisher to the original recipient of this copy. One of the earliest of King's limited editions. There was a numbered edition of 750 copies of this title, but this lettered edition is one of the smallest limitations of any edition of any of King's novels. Fine in a fine acetate dust jacket and fine slipcase.
109. KING, Stephen. Secret Windows: Essays and Fiction on the Craft of Writing. NY: Book of the Month Club (2000). An exclusive Book of the Month Club anthology of King's writings about writing. Introduced by Peter Straub. This copy is signed by King. Fine in a fine dust jacket. Extremely uncommon signed: the book was never offered for sale in bookstores; there were no readings; etc.
110. KITTREDGE, William. Hole in the Sky. NY: Knopf, 1992. His highly praised memoir, which traces his family's history as wealthy landowners in southeastern Oregon, a mixed blessing for the author, as he describes it. Kittredge's memoir is in part an elegy for the Great Basin and the large ranch that was his family legacy and, as such, it reflects on the myths of the Old West and was a key work in defining the literature of the "New West." Signed by the author. Fine in a fine dust jacket.
111. KITTREDGE, William. Southwestern Homelands. Washington, D.C.: National Geographic Society (2002). Nonfiction, essays on the American Southwest by one of the leading writers on the West. Signed by the author. Fine in a fine dust jacket.
112. KITTREDGE, William. The Willow Field. NY: Knopf, 2006. His first novel, after a number of highly praised books of stories, essays, and a memoir. Signed by the author. Fine in a fine dust jacket.
113. -. Another copy. Signed by the author. Fine in a near fine dust jacket with some rubbing to the front panel.