Catalog 152, R
201. -. Same title. (London): (Orion)(2005). First thus, a reissue of his first published book, with a new 7-page introduction by the author for this edition, describing his early writing and the publication process for the original edition of this book. Signed by the author. Fine in a fine dust jacket
202. -. Same title. (London): (Orion)(2006). First thus, a paperback reissue, with the 7-page introduction of the 2005 edition. This edition was never formally offered for sale. Fine in pictorial wrappers, in a fine dust jacket on which is printed the beginning of Rankin's introduction. Uncommon.
203. RANKIN, Ian. Knots and Crosses. London: Bodley Head (1987). His second book, and the first to feature Detective Sergeant John Rebus, one of the most complex, engaging and -- these days -- popular characters in detective fiction: Rankin's first books, including the first Rebus novels, were only modestly successful commercially. Eventually the series gained in popularity to the point that they reportedly accounted for 10% of all sales of crime novels in Great Britain, selling a half million copies or more for each title and being bestsellers immediately upon publication. Signed by the author, who has added "Slainte!" and a game of tic tac toe (knots & crosses) on the title page. Yellowing to paper stock, else fine in a fine dust jacket.
204. -. Same title, the 20th anniversary edition. (London): (Orion)(2007). This edition contains a new introduction by the author, as well as a section at the end of the book of material that was deleted from the original novel. One of 1500 numbered copies signed by the author. Fine in a fine slipcase.
205. RANKIN, Ian. Watchman. London: Bodley Head (1988). His third book, and one of his scarcest, written before he had developed John Rebus into a recurring series character. At this point in his writing career, all three of his books were stand-alone novels. Age-toning to pages; else fine in a fine dust jacket.
206. -. Same title, the first American edition. New York: Doubleday Crime Club (1991). Signed by the author. Fine in a fine dust jacket.
207. -. Same title. (London): Orion (2003). First thus, a reissue with a new introduction by Rankin. Signed by the author, with a smiley face. Fine in a fine dust jacket.
208. RANKIN, Ian. Westwind. London: Barrie & Jenkins (1990). His fourth book, again a stand-alone novel, this one having more to do with international intrigue and espionage than with the domestic detective work of the Rebus series. Signed by the author, with an added doodle of a not-happy face. Slight age-toning to pages; else fine in a fine dust jacket. A beautiful copy of what is in our experience one of his scarcest titles.
209. RANKIN, Ian. Hide & Seek. London: Barrie & Jenkins (1991). His fifth book, and the second featuring Detective Inspector John Rebus. This was his breakthrough book the first book to be self-consciously part of an ongoing series. Rankin's commercial success began with this book and he was able to move to larger publishers successively as the sales of his novels grew. Only a few years earlier, he had been unable to find a publisher, and even at the time that this book was being published his previous two novels did not find publishing houses in the U.S. that were willing to take them on. Signed by the author, with an added game of tic tac toe (knots & crosses). Fine in a fine dust jacket.
210. -. Same title, the limited advance reading copy. One of 400 numbered copies. Signed by the author, with an added game of tic tac toe (knots & crosses). Mild corner creasing on the rear cover; else fine in wrappers.
211. RANKIN, Ian. Wolfman. London: Century (1992). The third novel in the author's acclaimed Inspector Rebus series. This book was issued simultaneously in softcover and hardcover, this being the hardcover issue -- presumably done in smaller numbers than the softcover, although both are now scarce. Several years after this title was published, when the Rebus series became a huge critical and commercial success, it was reissued as Tooth & Nail. This copy is signed by the author on the title page, with an added game of tic tac toe (knots & crosses). Tiny bump to crown; else fine in like dust jacket.
212. RANKIN, Ian. A Good Hanging and Other Stories. London: Century (1992). A dozen Inspector Rebus stories. Signed by the author, with an added hangman drawing. Fine in a fine dust jacket.
213. RANKIN, Ian. Strip Jack. (London): Orion (1992). The hardcover issue of this John Rebus novel, which was also issued simultaneously in softcover. This was the first Rankin book to be published by Orion, which has continued to publish his novels to the present day. Signed by the author, with an added hangman drawing. Tiny stray pen mark (likely authorial) to lower page edges; fine in a fine dust jacket.
214. -. Same title, the simultaneous issue in wrappers. Signed by the author. Fine in wrappers.
215. RANKIN, Ian. The Black Book. (London): Orion (1993). A John Rebus novel, the fifth in the series. Signed by the author, with a hangman drawing. Fine in a fine dust jacket, and scarce thus.
216. -. Same title, the first American edition. NY: Otto Penzler (1994). 1994 was a watershed year for Rankin in the U.S.: Strip Jack was published by St. Martin's Press, and Otto Penzler published Hide & Seek and this title; and Simon Schuster published the new Rebus novel, Mortal Causes. After that, all of his books were published in the U.S. as well as the U.K., and they progressively became bigger and bigger sellers in both countries. Signed by the author. Fine in a fine dust jacket.
217. RANKIN, Ian as HARVEY, Jack. Witch Hunt. (London): Headline (1993). The true first edition of his first book under the (disclosed) pseudonym of Jack Harvey. Signed by the author as "Ian Rankin." Mild acidification to page edges; else fine in a fine dust jacket. An uncommon title, written and published well before Rankin became the bestselling author he is now; he later said that the sales of his Rebus books had been so modest to this point that he thought he had a chance for greater commercial success if he tried a different genre -- espionage vs. detective fiction -- and even a different name. Although he was on track for greater success with his Rebus novels, at this time his books were still not generally being published in the U.S. at all.
218. RANKIN, Ian. Mortal Causes. (London): Orion (1994). A John Rebus novel. Signed by the author, with a game of "knots & crosses." Fine in a fine dust jacket. A beautiful copy.
219. -. Same title, the first American edition. NY: Simon & Schuster (1995). Signed by the author. Remainder stripe lower page edges; else fine in a fine dust jacket with a small sticker removal scratch on the front panel.
220. RANKIN, Ian as HARVEY, Jack. Bleeding Hearts. (London): Headline (1994). The second of his books written under the disclosed pseudonym "Ian Rankin writing as Jack Harvey." Rankin had moved to France in 1990 to write full-time, and his John Rebus novels had not yet become the automatic bestsellers they later became. His agent suggested he write a series of pseudonymous mainstream thrillers, and he signed a contract to produce three of them. Two of them, Witch Hunt, the first of his thrillers, and Bleeding Hearts, the second, have become among the most difficult Rankin books to find in the first editions. This title reportedly had a hardcover printing of only 800 copies, most of which were targeted for libraries. This copy has a slight spine lean and mild age-toning to pages; very near fine in a fine dust jacket.
221. RANKIN, Ian. Let It Bleed. (London): Orion (1995). The hardcover issue. Inscribed by the author: "___, Thanks for the review! Cheers, Ian." Fine in a fine dust jacket.
222. -. Same title, the simultaneous issue in wrappers. Signed by the author, with an added happy face. Fine.
223. RANKIN, Ian as HARVEY, Jack. Blood Hunt. (London): Headline (1995). The third of his books written under the disclosed pseudonym "Ian Rankin writing as Jack Harvey." Slight age-toning to pages; else fine in a fine dust jacket. Again, a small first printing.
224. RANKIN, Ian. Black & Blue. (London): Orion (1997). The hardcover issue of this Rebus novel that won the Crime Writers' Association Macallan Gold Dagger Award for Fiction, and was a finalist for the U.S. Mystery Writers' Association's Edgar Award for best novel. Signed by the author. Fine in a fine dust jacket.
225. -. Same title. The uncorrected proof copy. Signed by the author, with a game of "knots & crosses." Fine in wrappers.
226. -. Same title, the first American edition. NY: St. Martin's (1997). Signed by the author. Fine in a fine dust jacket.
227. RANKIN, Ian. Herbert in Motion and Other Stories. (London): Revolver (1997). A limited edition, published as Revolver #1. Four short stories, two of them previously unpublished. One of 200 numbered copies signed by the author, who has added "Hee-ya!" above his signature. Fine in stapled wrappers.
228. RANKIN, Ian. Death is Not the End. (London): Orion (1998). A novella, featuring John Rebus. Signed by the author. Fine in a fine dust jacket.
229. RANKIN, Ian. Rebus: The Early Years. (London): Orion (1999). Collects Knots & Crosses, Hide & Seek and Tooth & Nail (Wolfman). With a new introduction by Rankin. By this time, the Rebus novels were automatic bestsellers, but the early books were out of print and scarce; Orion began a series of reissues with this volume. Signed by the author. Small bump to lower rear board edge; else fine in a fine dust jacket.
230. RANKIN, Ian. Beggars Banquet. Gladestry: Scorpion Press (2002). The limited edition of this collection of 21 stories, seven of which involve Inspector John Rebus. One of 99 numbered copies signed by Rankin. With an introduction by Lawrence Block. Fine.
231. RANKIN, Ian. A Question of Blood. Gladestry: Scorpion Press (2003). The limited edition of this John Rebus novel. One of 90 numbered copies signed by Rankin. With an introduction by Jeffrey Deaver. Fine.
232. RANKIN, Ian. Rebus's Scotland: A Personal Journey. (London): Orion (2005). Quarto, with text by Rankin and photographs, mostly of Edinburgh, by Tricia Malley and Ross Gillespie. Signed by the author. Fine in a fine dust jacket.
233. RANKIN, Ian. The Naming of the Dead. Gladestry: Scorpion Press (2006). The limited edition of this John Rebus novel. One of 80 numbered copies signed by Rankin. With an introduction by Phil Rickman. Fine.
234. (RANKIN, Ian). "Voyeurism" in New Writing Scotland 3. (Aberdeen): Association for Scottish Literary Studies (1985). A short story by Rankin in this collection, which preceded his first book and was only issued in wrappers. Signed by Rankin at his contribution, with an added "knots & crosses" (tic tac toe). Spine evenly sunned; else fine. Uncommon signed.
235. (RANKIN, Ian). 1st Culprit and 2nd Culprit. London: Chatto & Windus (1992, 1993). Two volumes of this Crime Writer's Annual. Rankin contributes "Trip Trap" to the first volume and "Well Shot" to the second. Both are John Rebus stories. Signed by Rankin at his contribution in 1st Culprit, with a doodle of a face. Other contributors include Tony Hillerman, Eric Ambler, Ruth Rendell, Antonia Fraser, Dick Francis, Sara Peretsky, and many others. A bit of age-toning to the page edges of 2nd Culprit; else the volumes are fine in wrappers and dust jackets. For the two:
236. (RANKIN, Ian). Criminal Minded. (Edinburgh): Canongate (2000). Rankin provides the introduction to this collection of crime fiction by five other writers: Anthony Bourdain, Jon A. Jackson, James Sallis, Andrew Vachss and Douglas E. Winter. Signed by Rankin with a face doodle. Only issued in wrappers; fine.
237. (RANKIN, Ian). REGILD, Christoffer. Intense Scotland. (Copenhagen): Politisk Revy (2001). Quarto, a bilingual picture book with photos by Regild and an introduction by Rankin in English and Danish. Very small bumps at the lower board edges; else fine without dust jacket, as issued. An attractive and uncommon book.
238. RIEFENSTAHL, Leni. A Memoir. NY: St. Martin's (1993). The third printing of the first American edition. Signed by Riefenstahl. Old price written on flyleaf; else fine in a near fine dust jacket with a short snag on the spine. Two picture postcards of Hitler laid in.
239. ROBBINS, Tom, as "GOMEZ, Slick." Still Life With Woodpecker. (n.p.): (n.p.)(n.d.). An unproduced screenplay of his 1980 novel, written pseudonymously as "Slick Gomez" by Robbins, who has altered the novel's ending and given himself a cameo appearance in the script. Signed by the author as both Robbins and Gomez. Photocopied sheets, bradbound in plain black covers. Fine. An extremely uncommon, unpublished work by Robbins, the author of Another Roadside Attraction and Even Cowgirls Get the Blues, among other titles, and one of the leading literary voices to come out of the counterculture of the late 1960s.
240. ROTH, Philip. Goodbye, Columbus. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1959. A review copy of his first book, a collection of short fiction including the title novella -- which was the basis for a well-received movie in the Sixties -- and five short stories. Winner of the Houghton Mifflin Literary Fellowship Award and the National Book Award. Roth's second National Book Award came 35 years later, and he has by now won virtually every major literary award given in this country. Mild indentation to front board, else a fine copy in a very near fine, very slightly rubbed dust jacket. Author photo (no review slip) laid in. One of the nicest copies we've seen of this book, and exceptionally scarce as an advance copy.
241. ROTH, Philip. His Mistress's Voice. (Lewisburg): Press of Appletree Alley, 1995. A fine press limited edition of a story that first appeared in The Partisan Review in 1986. One of 195 numbered copies, signed by the author. An uncommon edition: although the stated limitation was 195, the press was selling unbound copies a couple of years after the initial publication date, suggesting that not all of the sets of sheets were bound. Fine in quarter leather, burgundy cloth boards, in a fine slipcase. The nicest edition done of one of Roth's works.
242. ROTH, Philip. The Human Stain. Boston/NY: Houghton Mifflin, 2000. A review copy of this novel that won the PEN/Faulkner Award. Signed by the author. Fine in a fine dust jacket, with author photo laid in and several pages of promotional material (no review slip). Very scarce signed, especially as an advance copy.
243. ROTHENBERG, Jerome. Jerome Rothenberg Titles from the Library of Clayton Eshleman. Approximately 40 Rothenberg items from Eshleman's library spanning the years 1960 -- Rothenberg's first book -- to 2006. Most of the items are signed or inscribed by the author to poet Clayton Eshleman. An interesting group of titles, representing a longstanding friendship and a strong poetic and literary connection. The group includes Rothenberg's first book inscribed to Eshleman in the year of publication, and documents their ongoing relationship from a time prior to the publication of Eshleman's own first book, and over the course of nearly five decades. The two poets shared not only a friendship but a strong interest in ethnopoetics, something that sets both apart from many of the other poets of their generation and links these two quite closely. The Rothenberg books were part of what Eshleman has called his "core library," and the poetic and personal connections represented by these copies provide an important piece of the poetic history of their era. A detailed list is available on request. For the lot:
244. ROWLING, J.K. Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone; Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets; Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. (London): Bloomsbury (1997-1999). The uncorrected proof copies of the first three Harry Potter books. The first volume is white with a yellow stripe; 224 pp.; and lists "Joanne Rowling" on the copyright page and "J.A Rowling" on the title page. The second volume is blue with white; 252 pp. (although it claims on the rear cover to be 256 pp.); and leaves the Dedication page blank beyond the word "Dedication." The third volume is the first issue, purple with white, with textual variations between this issue and the published book (there was also a later, green and white issue); 315 pp. (although it also claims to be 256 pp. on the rear cover); the dedication page reads "? dedication." The first volume is slightly dusty and has a small, faint erasure in the yellow stripe; the first and second volumes each have a slight corner crease to the lower front cover; else the set is fine in wrappers. Housed together in a custom clamshell case. These were the only titles for which there were proof copies done: after the third book, Bloomsbury did not print or issue prepublication proofs. Reportedly, there were only 200 copies of the proof for Philosopher's Stone and only 50 copies of the purple proof for Prisoner of Azkaban, which means that no more than 50 sets such as this could ever be assembled, making this perhaps the rarest set of Harry Potter items possible. The seven book series has worldwide sales in excess of 400 million copies.
245. ROWLING, J.K. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. (London): Bloomsbury (1999). The uncorrected proof copy of the third Harry Potter book. This is the second issue of the proof, in green and white wrappers, 316 pages (although the rear cover states the pagination at 256 pages.) Inscribed by the author on the dedication page, where the printed text reads "? dedication" and has been circled by Rowling with an arrow pointing to her words: "To Thomas, with very best wishes, J.K. Rowling." She has also added an "X" under her name. After the third book, Bloomsbury did not print or issue prepublication proofs. Reportedly there were only 50 copies of the purple proof for Azkaban, and some greater number of the green proof, but the green doesn't appear to be any more common on the market. This copy has apparently been read: handling in evidence on rear cover; spine creases; and corner creases to front cover. Very good in wrappers.
246. ROWLING, J.K. Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, and the Chamber of Secrets, and the Prisoner of Azkaban, and the Goblet of Fire, and the Order of the Phoenix, and the Half-Blood Prince, and the Deathly Hallows. London: Bloomsbury, 1999-2007. Together with The Tales of Beedle the Bard. London: Children's High Level Group, 2008. The first printings of the deluxe editions of the full Harry Potter series, and including the collector's edition of Beedle. The Potters are clothbound with pictorial onlays, all edges gilt; fine without dust jackets, as issued. The leatherbound Beedle is in a drawstring bag, which, with ten illustrations by Rowling, are housed together in a large box made to look like a textbook, which is contained in the publisher's sleeve and original cellophane envelope. Also included is the Sotheby's catalog for the auction of one of seven copies of the manuscript of Beedle the Bard, with an introduction by Rowling. For the set: