Catalog 149, N-O
178. NABOKOV, Vladimir. The Eye. NY: Phaedra, 1965. The first English-language edition of this short novel originally published in Russian (in Paris) in 1930. This is Juliar's Variant "a," with publisher's address line. Foxing to top edge, else fine in a slightly dusty dust jacket.
179. NABOKOV, Vladimir. Despair. NY: Putnam (1966). The first American edition, and the second English translation of this novel that first appeared in Russian. Nabokov did both the translations, first for a British edition that was published in 1937 and then, nearly 30 years later, for this edition. He also revised the text somewhat and, according to an author's note, reinstated "an important passage which had been stupidly omitted in more timid times." A bit of foxing to top edge and a small sticker abrasion to the flyleaf, else a fine copy in a very near fine, slightly dusty jacket.
180. NABOKOV, Vladimir. Nabokov's Quartet. (NY): Phaedra, 1966. Four short stories, two of them published in the U.S. for the first time here, the others from The New Yorker and Esquire. Juliar's Variant "a," with green endpapers. Fine in a lightly rubbed, near fine dust jacket.
181. NABOKOV, Vladimir. The Waltz Invention. (NY): Phaedra, 1966. A play by Nabokov, originally published in Russian in 1938. Juliar's Variant "d," with red endpapers and lacking "New York 17, N.Y." on the rear flap. Slight top edge foxing, else fine in a near fine dust jacket with a snag at the crown.
182. NABOKOV, Vladimir. Mary. NY: McGraw-Hill (1970). The first American edition of Nabokov's first novel, originally published in Russia in 1925. Fine in a very near fine dust jacket nicked at the crown.
183. NABOKOV, Vladimir. Lolita: A Screenplay. NY: McGraw-Hill (1974). Nabokov's original screenplay for the film version of his classic novel. The final version of the screenplay, as used in Kubrick's film, differed substantially from this. With a foreword by Nabokov, recounting the details of his work on the film and his reaction to it. Fine in a near fine dust jacket with a nick at the crown and some faint spotting to the front panel.
184. (National Book Award). The Book That Changed My Life. NY: Modern Library (2002). The uncorrected proof copy of this collection of interviews with winners of and finalists for the National Book Award. Authors include Don DeLillo, E.L. Doctorow, Robert Stone, Barry Lopez, Grace Paley, Charles Johnson, James Carroll, Philip Levine, Alice McDermott, Cynthia Ozick and others. Fine in wrappers.
185. (Native American). (ALLEN, Paula Gunn). Visions of Color: Four Ethnic Women Writers. (n.p.): (Washington State University), 1990. A poetry collection issued, hors commerce, to coincide with a conference featuring Paula Gunn Allen, Lorna Dee Cervantes, Laureen Mar and Jayne Cortez. Signed by Paula Gunn Allen. Fine in stapled wrappers. An uncommon item.
186. (Native American). BRUCHAC, Joseph. Indian Mountain and Other Poems. Ithaca: Ithaca House (1971). The first book by this writer of Abenaki descent, who has carved out a unique place in contemporary American Indian literature as a publisher, poet, novelist, anthologist, storyteller and chronicler of traditional stories. Warmly inscribed by the author to his grandmother: "For Grandma/ For her birthday./ July 4, 1972/ Love,/ Sonny." Joseph "Sonny" Bruchac was raised by his grandparents, and his grandmother influenced his early love of reading. Some staining to front cover and some rubbing and surface peeling there. Very good in wrappers. A nice association copy.
187. (Native American). (BRUCHAC, Joseph). Words From the House of the Dead. Prison Writings from Soledad. Greenfield Center: Greenfield Review Press, 1971. A collection of writings by inmates of the infamous Soledad prison, which were smuggled out of the prison and printed anonymously to protect the inmates' identities. Co-edited by Bruchac and William Witherup. This was the first book published by Bruchac's newly founded Greenfield Review Press -- Greenfield Review Chapbook #1. Inscribed by the author to his parents: "For Dad/ & Mom/ Our 1st Book!/ Love/ Your Son." Spine slightly faded; very good in stapled wrappers. Again, a nice association copy.
188. (Native American). (Cherokee Indians). PEITHMANN, Irvin M. Red Men of Fire. A History of the Cherokee Indians. Springfield: Charles C. Thomas (1964). A history of the Cherokees told from the Indians' perspective, by a writer who is 1/8 Cherokee. While the book covers early Cherokee history to some extent, the bulk of it is devoted to the period of the tribe's encounters with whites, its banishment on the "Trail of Tears" from its traditional homelands, and its history in the Indian Territory afterward. Fine in a fine, mildly spine-tanned dust jacket.
189. (Native American). HEAT MOON, William Least. PrairyErth. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1991. The advance reading copy of his second book, like his first an exploration of place but in this case, rather than an extended road trip, the author focuses on one small section of Kansas. Signed by the author. Fine in wrappers.
190. (Native American). (LARSON, Charles). PIERRE, Chief George and LARSON, Charles. Autumn's Bounty. San Antonio: Naylor (1972). A novel by Pierre, a chief of the Colville Confederated Tribes of Washington state, dealing with the controversial question of "termination" -- the ending of federal control over Indian reservations and the resultant freedoms, and losses, the policy would entail. This copy belonged to Charles R. Larson, author of the landmark book American Indian Fiction, "the first critical and historical account of novels by American Indians." Larson's pencilled notes are in evidence throughout; Autumn's Bounty is included on pp. 137-140 of Larson's text. This is the seemingly more common issue, in reddish-brown cloth; there was also an issue in a deeper brown, textured binding. Fine in a near fine, spine-tanned dust jacket with a couple closed edge tears. A nice association copy of this novel.
191. (Native American). LOUIS, Adrian. Skull Dance. (Jamaica): Bull Thistle, 1998. One of 276 copies of this attractively printed and bound collection of poems. Fine in tall string-tied wrappers, set into a fine dust jacket.
192. (Native American). MARACLE, Lee. "LEE, Bobbi." Bobbi Lee: Indian Rebel. Struggles of a Native Canadian Woman. (Richmond, B.C.): (Liberation Support Movement Press) (1975). Volume 1 of a projected two-volume autobiography recounting personal history and political radicalization. Only issued in wrappers. Later reissued by the Women's Press in Toronto in 1990, with Maracle's authorship more prominently credited. Name whited out on first blank; near fine in wrappers.
193. (Native American). NEIHARDT, John G. Black Elk Speaks. NY: Morrow, 1932. The autobiography of Black Elk, an Oglala Sioux holy man, as told to Neihardt, a poet with a long knowledge of, and strong sympathy for, the Plains Indian cultures. Inscribed by Neihardt: "For Paul Kriser with all kind thoughts, John G. Neihardt - Chicago, March 27. '44." A seminal book: the paperback edition, circulating on college campuses in the 1960s, helped re-ignite interest in Native American cultures among non-Natives. The accessibility of the text, as recounted by Neihardt, helped the book become an underground classic at a time when an alternative religious paradigm was being sought in the 1960s, as countercultural upheavals called into question the premises of the Western world view. Foxing to front joint and upper board edges; a near fine copy in a very good, price-clipped dust jacket with chipping to the spine ends and rubbing to the now-fragile folds. Illustrations by Standing Bear, a Minneconjou Sioux and longtime friend of Black Elk. An important book, and uncommon in dust jacket, especially signed.
194. -. Another copy. This copy belonged to the artist Irvin "Shorty" Shope. Inscribed to Shope by his wife in 1945, using Shope's Blackfoot name, "Maquea - stumick," or "Wolf Bull." Shope, a cowboy artist who was adopted into the Blackfoot tribe, painted a number of portraits of Native American leaders over the years. Later inscribed by Shope's son to his daughter. Foxing to top edge and offsetting to endpages; a near fine copy in a fair, price-clipped dust jacket: the majority of the jacket is present, albeit in large pieces, with the spine subtitle laid in. A notable copy of this book.
195. (Native American). SANDOZ, Mari. Crazy Horse. The Strange Man of the Oglalas. NY: Knopf, 1942. The classic, and still considered the best, biography of the legendary Sioux warrior. Inscribed by the author: "To Earl and Freddy because they must be swell fellows to have such nice friends. Sincerely, Mari Sandoz." Fold out map present; front hinge starting; handling to cloth; a very good copy in a very good, price-clipped dust jacket with small edge chips and rubbing to the folds. An important book, and seldom found signed: only two signed copies have appeared at auction in the last 30+ years.
196. -. Another copy. Inscribed by the author: "For Martha Martin because she has a gay smile for the public and a warm heart too. Sincerely, Mari Sandoz." Fold out map present, offsetting to hinges and joints; near fine in a very good dust jacket with rubbing to the front spine fold and a small corner chip pending.
197. (Native American). VIZENOR, Gerald. Water Striders. (Santa Cruz): (Moving Parts Press) (1989). An attractive broadside, with a series of four haiku poems and drawings by Marada Edelstein. One of 85 copies printed on Gilbert Oxford text paper, of which 15 were numbered and signed by the author; this is one of the 70 unsigned copies. Approximately 30" x 11-1/4", accordion-folded to 5-3/4" x 11-1/4". Uncommon: this is the only copy of this issue of the broadside that we have seen. Fine.
198. (Native American). (Women at Wounded Knee). Cante Ohitika Win ("Brave Hearted Women"). (Pine Ridge): Cante Ohitika Win (c. 1976). A booklet on the role of women on the Pine Ridge Reservation. Small pencil note front cover; else fine in stapled wrappers. Together with a copy of Civil Rights Digest Bicentennial Issue [Washington, D.C.: U.S. Commission on Civil Rights, 1963], which has an article by Shirley Hill Wit on "The Brave-Hearted Women." Fine in stapled wrappers. For both:
199. NEAL, Avon. Pigs & Eagles. North Brookfield: Thistle Hill Press, 1978. "An Ecological Parable." One of 500 copies, signed by Neal and by Fritz Eichenberg, who provides a wood engraving, also signed, as illustration. The text and the illustration are in separate saddle-stitched wrappers; these are housed together in a slipcase. Very slight spine-sunning to wrappers, else fine; the slipcase is near fine.
200. NIN, Anais. Under a Glass Bell. NY: Dutton, 1948. First Dutton edition. A collection of stories, which includes two of the novellas from Winter of Artifice. Inscribed by the author: "These stories of life in France but also of the universe." Mottling to boards, foxing to foredge; a very good copy in a very good dust jacket with faint sunning to spine, slight rubbing and edge wear and one tear to the lower front spine fold.
201. (NORMAN, Howard). Northern Tales. NY: Pantheon Books (1990). This is a review copy of the simultaneously issued Canadian edition [Mississauga: Random House of Canada, 1990], which is comprised of the first American edition with a Canadian review slip mounted to the front pastedown. A compilation of traditional stories of the Eskimo and other northern Indian peoples, selected and edited by Norman. Recipient's information masked on the review slip; else fine in a fine dust jacket.
202. (NORMAN, Howard). Alcheringa, Vol. 1, No. 5. NY: Rothenberg & Tedlock, 1973. An important magazine of "ethnopoetics," with poetry from numerous Native American cultures as well as other tribal cultures. This issue includes excerpts from Howard Norman's first collection of Cree and Ojibwa tales, The Wishing Bone Cycle, not published in book form until three years later. With two paragraphs of introduction by Norman. Also includes the transcript of a tale by a Zuñi storyteller, along with a bound-in recording of the live performance. Rubbed; near fine in wrappers.
203. O'BRIAN, Patrick. The Mauritius Command. London: Collins, 1977. The uncorrected proof copy of this early volume in the series of highly acclaimed historical novels featuring Captain Jack Aubrey and his friend Dr. Stephen Maturin of the British Royal Navy in the early 19th century. This was the fourth book in the series, which eventually ran to 20 volumes, with a 21st volume, unfinished at the time of the author's death, being published posthumously. Routing initials on flyleaf; spine slant; a near fine copy in a near fine dust jacket with a tiny chip at the crown. Scarce.
204. O'BRIAN, Patrick. Men-of-War. NY: Norton (1995). The uncorrected proof copy of the first American edition of this nonfiction overview of life in the 18th century British navy, intended in part as a companion volume to his Aubrey/Maturin series. Small thin quarto, heavily illustrated (although the proof reproductions are of poor quality). One slight corner crease; else fine in wrappers.
205. O'BRIEN, Tim. In the Lake of the Woods. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1994. A novel involving a Vietnam vet who rises to a position of public prominence but carries a secret that threatens to undo his accomplishment. Named best novel of the year by Time magazine. Inscribed by the author: "To ___, Peace, & thanks for the great interview. Tim O'Brien." Fine in a fine dust jacket. This is the thin issue, 1" thick; no priority established.
206. O'BRIEN, Tim. Tomcat in Love. Franklin Center: Franklin Library, 1998. A limited edition, with an introduction written especially for this edition that keeps us from calling this title a departure for O'Brien: "Though I am known as a 'Vietnam writer' -- whatever that may be -- I have always pegged myself more as a 'love writer,' and in that regard Tomcat in Love is no departure at all." Signed by the author. Leatherbound, all edges gilt, with a silk ribbon marker bound in. Fine.
207. OFFUTT, Chris. Typed Note Signed. July 5, 1999. Several short paragraphs in which Offutt agrees to sign a book and thanks his correspondent for writing: "Writing is an isolating act and it is terrific to hear from the world beyond my room...I appreciate knowing that these stories are able to reach someone whose background and experience in life are different from my own." He goes on to say he's moving, "...leaving Kentucky again forever. This is the sixth departure of my adult life. Fodder for the next book I suppose." In 1999, Offutt published Out of the Woods, a collection of stories about characters who left Kentucky. His next book, No Heroes, in 2002, was a memoir about returning. Signed by the author. Folded for mailing; fine, with hand-addressed envelope.
208. O'NEILL, Joseph. Netherland. NY: Pantheon (2008). The advance reading copy of the first American edition of this acclaimed novel set in New York City in the aftermath of the 9/11 terrorist attacks. Nominated for the Man Booker Prize. Small corner crease to upper rear cover, else fine in wrappers.
209. OZICK, Cynthia. The Pagan Rabbi and Other Stories. NY: Knopf, 1971. A review copy (used for review - slip not present) of her second book, first collection of stories. Several notations in the text and the reviewer's address label and draft review on the front flyleaf, where he has also written the book's scheduled publication date. A fine copy in a very good dust jacket with sunning to the rear panel and one small edge tear.
210. (OZICK, Cynthia). The Middle East: Uncovering the Myths. NY: Anti-Defamation League (1991). A collection of papers prepared for a conference sponsored by Writers & Artists for Peace in the Middle East. Ozick chaired the conference and provides an introduction to this volume. Fine in wrappers.