Catalog 147, L
115. LEE, Harper. To Kill a Mockingbird. Philadelphia: Lippincott (1960). The advance reading copy of her first and only novel, a huge bestseller upon publication, winner of the Pulitzer Prize, and basis for an Academy Award-winning film. The book has become a cultural touchstone and has retained its relevance as a commentary on, and criticism of, racial discrimination since its original publication in the early years of the Civil Rights movement. Interestingly, the publisher's note on the advance copy describes the book in terms that would seem more suitable for light summer beach reading than for a Gothic novel of racism and prejudice set in the deep South: it promises to "furnish a jackpot of sales during the summer" and calls the publication of this first novel "rare fun and lift"; the Truman Capote blurb emphasizes the book's humor and calls it "so funny and so likeable." None of this is too unusual for publishing hyperbole, but in retrospect it seems ironic that this book was marketed in this way. There were two prepublication softbound issues of the book: the one with the type in Courier typeface (like a typewriter) has been presumed to be earlier than the one with more polished typesetting. This copy has the Courier typeface and includes a laid in slip stating "This is an ADVANCE Reading Copy. Publication Date Jul 11 1960." Slight spine lean, a bit of handling evident on the white wrappers; still the finest copy we have seen, and the only copy we have seen with the publication slip.
116. LE GUIN, Ursula. Dancing at the Edge of the World. NY: Grove Press, 1989. Master galleys, two sets ("Specifications" and "Revised Specifications") for this collection of essays, talks and book reviews by Le Guin, the acclaimed writer of science fiction and fantasy. This was Le Guin's second book of nonfiction. Her fiction has won multiple Hugo and Nebula Awards including two novels, The Left Hand of Darkness and The Dispossessed, that each won both awards; both were also chosen for David Pringle's list of the 100 best science fiction novels. Her Earthsea series is one of the most highly praised fantasy series; the first book in the series, A Wizard of Earthsea, was one of Pringle's 100 best fantasy novels; the third book in the series won the National Book Award for children's literature, and the fourth book in the series was another Nebula Award winner. Le Guin is the daughter of the noted anthropologists Alfred and Theodora Kroeber, and her fiction explores such diverse subjects as Taoism, anarchism, feminism and ethnography. Approximately 300 pages for each set; each is very heavily copyedited, with the second set (stamped "Master Pages") incorporating the changes indicated in the first set ("Master Galleys"). Each set is signed by Le Guin. From the papers of Charles Garvin, a small press publisher and longtime friend of Le Guin. His Pendragon Press published her book From Elfland to Poughkeepsie in 1973. Apart from some incidental edge creasing; fine. A glimpse at the work still-in-progress by a writer of great stature and seriousness, whose work both elevates and transcends the genre in which she writes.
117. LESLEY, Craig. River Song. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1989. The second book by the author of the award-winning Winterkill. Inscribed by Lesley to another writer in the month of publication: "___ - You know this territory. Thanks for your generous spirit. With my affection and best wishes. Craig." First several pages paperclipped; else fine in a fine dust jacket. A nice inscription and a nice association.
118. LESLEY, Craig. The Sky Fisherman. Boston/NY: Houghton Mifflin, 1995. A coming of age novel set in the Pacific Northwest with a young Indian as the protagonist. Inscribed by Lesley to another writer in the month after publication: "___ - who knows this country. I hope each page celebrates the hard working West. With my admiration and friendship. Craig." With the recipient's signature as well. Spine lean; near fine in a fine dust jacket.
119. (LESSING, Doris). "The Singing Door" in Second Playbill Two. (London): Hutchinson Educational (1973). A play by Lessing, who won the Nobel Prize for literature. Hers is one of five plays in this volume, in a series intended for use in schools: most copies that show up are ex-library copies. Splaying to boards; else fine in a near fine, price-clipped dust jacket with an edge tear at the upper front panel. Quite uncommon.
120. LOOS, Anita. But Gentlemen Marry Brunettes. NY: Boni & Liveright, 1928. The sequel to her bestselling Gentlemen Prefer Blondes. Illustrated by Ralph Barton with Flapper-era drawings. Trace loss to spine gilt; very near fine in a near fine Barton-illustrated dust jacket with modest edge wear. An attractive copy of a signal book of its time.
121. LOPEZ, Barry. Desert Notes. Kansas City: Sheed Andrews McMeel (1976). A review copy of his first book, a collection of "narrative contemplations" of the desert, told in a poetic, lucid prose, the clarity and simplicity of which is uncommonly suited to the subtleties of perception and expression it contains. Foxing to top edge and mild bowing to boards; near fine in a very near fine dust jacket with slight corner wear and a small star on the front flap. A very nice copy, with almost none of the rubbing that typically afflicts this dust jacket. Review slip and publicity sheet laid in.
122. -. Another copy, not a review copy, but inscribed by the author in the month prior to publication: "For ___/ a woman of courage/ Barry." Additionally signed in full on the title page. Light splaying to boards; near fine in a rubbed, near fine dust jacket with wear at the spine tips. A nice personal inscription, and the earliest we have seen.
123. -. Another copy. Signed by the author. Previous owner name erased from front flyleaf; very near fine in a very good, rubbed dust jacket with some mild staining.
124. LOPEZ, Barry. Giving Birth to Thunder Sleeping with His Daughter. Kansas City: Sheed McMeel (1978). His second book, a retelling of Native American tales of Coyote the Trickster, subtitled "Coyote Builds North America." Lopez revivifies the tales, restoring their humor and vitality, and thus their power to affect the contemporary reader, rather than recounting them in the dry manner of an anthropologist dissecting a "subject." Signed by the author. Very slight bowing to boards; still fine in a near fine dust jacket worn at the lower edge and spine extremities and lightly rubbed on the spine.
125. LOPEZ, Barry. River Notes. Kansas City: Andrews and McMeel (1979). His fourth book, a companion volume to his first, Desert Notes, and to his later collection, Field Notes. A collection of short stories that have the feel of prose poems as well as reflective, personal essays. A difficult-to-classify book by a writer who has made a practice of writing hard-to-categorize volumes, the most consistent thread of them being an effort to recognize the sacred in the seemingly ordinary. Signed by the author. Light foxing to top edge and a tiny bump to upper board edge; near fine in a very good dust jacket with minor edge wear and a small chip to the lower rear panel.
126. LOPEZ, Barry. Winter Count. NY: Scribners (1981). A collection of stories that take on the aspect of personal essays or philosophical reflection, tinged with a reverence for life that is as much the subject of the writing as any particular character or tale. Signed by the author. Mild spine lean; else fine in a near fine, sunned dust jacket with light wear to crown.
127. LOPEZ, Barry. Crossing Open Ground. NY: Scribners (1988). A collection of essays on "the bond between mankind and the land and man's heartbreaking betrayal of [it]." Signed by the author. Foxing to page edges; near fine in a near fine, rubbed and price-clipped dust jacket with a small gutter nick.
128. LOPEZ, Barry. Field Notes. NY: Knopf, 1994. A collection of stories, his first since Winter Count. Inscribed by the author: "For ___ -- / How lovely to have had your friendship, your affection, all these years. -- / Love, B." Spine cloth a bit mottled; near fine in a near fine dust jacket with a bookstore inventory label on the rear panel. A nice copy, and an extremely warm personal inscription.
129. -. Another copy. Signed by the author and with an additional gift inscription from him on behalf of a friend. Spine cloth slightly mottled; near fine in a dusty, near fine dust jacket with a small vertical spine slice and a bookstore inventory label on the rear panel.
130. LOPEZ, Barry. Lessons from the Wolverine. Athens: University of Georgia Press (1997). A short story, attractively illustrated by Tom Pohrt, who also illustrated Lopez's Crow and Weasel. Signed by Lopez. Fine in a very good dust jacket with blended dampstaining on the rear panel.
131. LOPEZ, Barry. Light Action in the Caribbean. NY: Knopf, 2000. A collection of stories. Signed by the author. Fine in a fine dust jacket.
132. LOPEZ, Barry. Resistance. NY: Knopf, 2004. Another collection of stories, these revolving around issues of personal and political resistance and distance from the mainstream. Signed by the author. Fine in a very near fine dust jacket with a strip of dampstaining visible on verso.
133. LORDE, Audre. The First Cities. NY: Poets Press (1968). The first book by this African American poet, thinker, feminist and activist, with an introduction by Diane Di Prima. Light vertical crease; near fine in stapled wrappers.