Catalog 152, M
125. McCARTHY, Cormac. The Orchard Keeper. NY: Random House (1965). The uncorrected proof copy of McCarthy's first book, which won a Faulkner Foundation Award for best first novel of the year. Although the book was successful enough to go into a second printing, fewer than 3000 copies were sold in total, and it was a quarter century before McCarthy's All the Pretty Horses won the National Book Award and the National Book Critics Circle Award and brought him recognition beyond the small, passionate circle of devotees who had been aware of him over the years. Foxing to page edges and some minor staining to covers; some spotting to the spine and darkening from bleed-through of binder's glue. It is worth noting that an early and enthusiastic supporter of McCarthy's book at Random House was Albert Erskine, who was at the time the Editorial Director of the company and had been William Faulkner's editor, as well as being instrumental in the publication of Ralph Ellison's Invisible Man and Malcolm Lowry's Under the Volcano. Although he was not technically working as an editor at that time, Erskine took McCarthy under his wing and worked with him on the book over the course of nearly two years because he believed in it so strongly. A very good copy in wrappers. Scarce.
126. McCARTHY, Cormac. Outer Dark. NY: Random House (1968). His scarce second novel, the total sales of which amounted to 2705 copies. Slight sunning to spine and splaying to front board; a near fine copy in a near fine dust jacket with one closed edge tear.
127. McCARTHY, Cormac. Blood Meridian. NY: Random House (1985). A review copy of his fifth book, a powerful novel of the Old West, based on an actual series of events in 1849-1950 in Texas and Mexico, and rendered with an eye to bringing to life the surreal violence of the time and place. Recently voted one of the five best works of American fiction of the last quarter century in a survey conducted by The New York Times Book Review. McCarthy's first five books sold fewer than 15,000 copies total -- this title selling only 1883 copies before it was remaindered. Since the success of All the Pretty Horses in 1992, his novels have had first printings in excess of 100,000 copies. One corner lightly tapped; else fine in a fine dust jacket, with publisher's promotional information laid in. A beautiful copy, and very scarce as an advance copy.
128. McCARTHY, Cormac. All the Pretty Horses. NY: Knopf, 1992. The uncorrected proof copies, all three states, of the first volume of the Border Trilogy, a landmark novel that won both the National Book Award and the National Book Critics Circle Award and propelled its author to "instant" literary celebrity -- after nearly three decades of writing well-received literary novels in relative obscurity. The first state proof prints "Volume One of A Border Trilogy" on the front cover. In the second state, the printed subtitle is changed by hand to "Volume One of The Border Trilogy" and a "4" is added to the publication date of May 1992. The third state makes these two changes in print and also changes the text correspondingly on the summary page. All three volumes fine in wrappers.
129. McCARTHY, Cormac. The Border Trilogy. NY: Knopf (1999). The first combined edition of All the Pretty Horses, The Crossing and Cities of the Plain, issued as a volume in Knopf's "Everyman's Library" series. Signed by McCarthy on a tipped-in sheet. Reportedly, this first printing was issued both with and without a dust jacket. This is the state without the jacket. Fine.
130. McCARTHY, Cormac. No Country for Old Men. NY: Knopf, 2005. The trade publisher's signed limited edition: one of an unspecified number of copies signed by the author on a tipped-in leaf. A novel of drugs and violence set in the contemporary Southwest, the film adaptation of which won four Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Director. Fine in a fine dust jacket.
131. -. Same title. An advance copy. 8 1/2" x 11" bound double-spaced typescript, with printed cover stating simply, "It's been seven long years..." Photocopied letter from the editor bound in, dated December 6 [2004], asking that the novel be treated as "strictly confidential." Tapebound in cardstock covers, with title label taped to spine. Near fine. We have never seen another copy of this early issue of the book -- by all appearances the very first version of it to be released anywhere -- and casual inspection shows the text to have at least small differences from the published book as well as a different proposed price from the actual retail price.
132. -. Same title, the limited edition. New Orleans: B.E. Trice, 2005. One of 325 numbered copies bound in quarter leather and marbled paper boards, signed by the author and housed in a cloth slipcase. An attractive production. It is worth noting that the Trice edition is a completely separate edition from the Knopf trade edition, printed on different paper, with title page and other prelims different as well; most of Trice's earlier limited editions were made up of the publisher's sheets with a tipped-in colophon and title page. Fine in a fine slipcase.
133. McCARTHY, Cormac. The Road. NY: Knopf, 2006. The uncorrected proof copy of his Pulitzer Prize-winning novel, now in the process of being filmed. Fine in wrappers. Advance copies of this book have turned out to be extremely scarce; it appears that far fewer of them were distributed than one would expect for a writer of McCarthy's stature.
134. -. Another copy. Reading crease to spine; small spots to foredge; near fine in wrappers.
135. -. Same title, bound advance sheets, 8 1/2" x 11", tapebound in clear plastic covers; an early issue of the book. Like the proof, a scarce issue: only a handful of these have turned up, to the best of our knowledge; this is the only copy we have seen. One corner crease to spine tape; else fine.
136. McCARTHY, Cormac. The Sunset Limited. NY: Vintage (2006). A "novel in dramatic form," released the following year by Dramatist's Play Service. Only issued in wrappers and difficult to find in the first printing. Fine.
137. (McCARTHY, Cormac). Poster for the International Cormac McCarthy Colloquy. El Paso: Cormac McCarthy Society, 1998. Poster for the first International Cormac McCarthy Colloquy, held in El Paso, Texas, October 16-18, 1998. Colorful reproduction of an image by Peter Josyph, who has produced a number of images of Cormac McCarthy's house in El Paso over the years, and has reportedly produced a film about the house in recent years. Approximately 28 3/4" x 20 1/4". Rolled; else fine. Uncommon.
138. McCORD, Howard. Gnomonolgy: A Handbook of Systems. Berkeley: Sand Dollar, 1971. Proof copy, 25 1/2" x 22", printing the projected 24 pages on a single sheet -- each page being approximately 4 1/4" x 5 1/2". There was an advance issue of this title with those dimensions, of which there were 12 copies; this proof seems to have been the basis for that issue. The afterword excerpts two letters from Gary Snyder. Folded to 6 1/2" x 11". A couple small stains, a bit darkened, with light wear at the folds. Near fine. In pencil: "From Howard McCord to Howard Norman," in an unknown hand.
139. McGUANE, Thomas. Ninety-Two in the Shade. NY: FSG (1973). The uncorrected proof copy of McGuane's third novel, which was made into a movie and which secured his reputation as a major American author (as opposed to a "promising" young writer). McGuane himself directed the film adaptation, which starred Peter Fonda and Margot Kidder. Signed by the author. Fine in wrappers and custom clamshell case. A scarce proof, especially signed.
140. -. Same title, the first draft manuscript. Key West: (n.p.)[c. 1971]. Photocopy of McGuane's 227-page typescript, labeled "first draft" and with his address stamp on each page. Some staining to cover page, still a very good copy. In a much tattered envelope hand-addressed from Jim Harrison to Dan Gerber and dated 1972. With textual variations between this and the published text. The earliest version of the novel to have ever been offered on the market, with distinguished provenance.
141. McGUANE, Thomas. Some Horses. (NY): Lyons Press (1999). The deluxe limited edition. One of 10 numbered copies signed by the author and publisher. Quarterbound in leather and marbled paper over boards; fine in a fine, marbled slipcase. One of the rarest items in the McGuane canon.
142. McMURTRY, Larry. In a Narrow Grave. Austin: Encino, 1968. The signed limited edition of this collection of essays, McMurtry's first book of nonfiction and his first limited edition. One of 250 numbered copies bound in quarter leather and signed by the author. This copy is additionally inscribed by McMurtry and by the publisher, Bill Wittliff, to a collector. Wittliff founded Encino Press and he later served as screenwriter and executive producer of the miniseries adaptation of Lonesome Dove, McMurtry's Pulitzer Prize-winning novel. Several shallow scratches to boards on the rear cover; else fine in a fine slipcase. A notable copy of this uncommon limited edition.
143. McNAMER, Deirdre. Rima in the Weeds. (NY): HarperCollins (1991). An award-winning first novel -- "the American West from a woman's point of view" -- by a critically acclaimed Missoula, Montana author. Inscribed by the author: "For Steve [Krauzer] and Dorrit - Friends through the years - love - Dee." Fine in a fine dust jacket. A nice association copy.
144. McPHEE, John. Riding the Boom Extension. Worcester: Metacom, 1983. The first book publication of this piece, which first appeared in The New Yorker and was eventually reprinted in Table of Contents. Of a total edition of 176 copies, this is one of 150 numbered copies in saddle-stitched marbled paper self-wrappers. Signed by the author. Fine, with publisher's prospectus laid in. Quite uncommon these days.
145. (McPHEE, John). "The Big Hustler" in Time, Vol. 78, No. 26. (Chicago): Time, Inc., 1961. McPhee has the cover story in this issue, on the life and career of Jackie Gleason. Mailing label lower corner; musty; near fine in stapled wrappers. A very early McPhee piece, preceding his first book by four years and prior to his move to The New Yorker.
146. MILLER, Henry. Order and Chaos Chez Hans Reichel. (Tucson): (Loujon Press)(1967). One of the most elaborately produced volumes in the elaborate history of the Loujon Press -- hand printed and bound by Jon and "Gypsy Lou" Webb, beginning in 1966, in a dazzling array of colored papers and hand made sheets, with an original photographic portrait of Miller bound in. This is the Cork issue of 1967 [Shifreen & Jackson A157g]: a lettered limited edition created from the 1399 copy print run of S&J A157c. This is copy "B," and is signed by Miller in 1967. A bit of tape residue to dust wrapper, else fine in a fine slipcase.
147. (MITCHELL, Margaret). A Tribute to Margaret Mitchell. (Atlanta): (Trust Company of Georgia) (n.d.). Announcement presenting the case for adding an oil portrait of Mitchell to the collection of illustrious Georgians gracing the main banking room of the Trust Company of Georgia. Reproduction of the painting tipped in. Folio, folded to make four pages; faint creasing; near fine. A scarce, ephemeral piece, indicative of the esteem in which the author of Gone With The Wind was held in her native Georgia.
148. MORRISON, Toni. Beloved. London: Chatto & Windus (1987). The advance reading copy (marked "uncorrected proof") of the first British edition of her fifth novel, which won the Pulitzer Prize, was the basis for the award-winning 1998 film by Jonathan Demme, and was voted the Best Work of American Fiction of the past quarter century in a 2006 survey by The New York Times Book Review. Fine in wrappers. Scarce.
149. MORTENSON, Greg and RELIN, David Oliver. Three Cups of Tea. (NY): (Viking) (2006). The first edition of this highly praised account of a young Westerner who, in response to kindnesses bestowed on him when he was lost in the mountains of Pakistan after an unsuccessful ascent of K2, vowed to return to that village and build a school -- a project that led to his founding the Central Asia Institute and to initiate an ongoing effort that has resulted to date in the building of more than 90 schools in impoverished regions of Pakistan and Afghanistan. The first edition has a subtitle that the author did not like and that was changed, at his insistence, on later editions. The book became a bestseller and has spent nearly three years on The New York Times Book Review bestseller list. It has also been adapted to a version for young adults and one for children. A remarkable, moving account of one man's commitment to changing the world for the better, and a remarkable story of a book that began in obscurity and has since become a cultural touchstone -- required reading for U.S. (and other) military leaders, as well as inspiring reading for millions of others, over three million copies having been sold. Fine in a fine dust jacket. Scarce in the first printing.