Catalog 153, F-J
93. FOER, Jonathan Safran. Eating Animals. NY: Little Brown (2009). The advance reading copy of his first book of nonfiction, a controversial examination of what we eat and what we are led to believe about what we eat. Signed by the author. Fine in wrappers.
94. FORCHÉ, Carolyn. The Country Between Us. (Port Townsend): Copper Canyon (1981). The limited edition, and the true first edition, of her second collection of poetry, the 1981 Lamont Poetry selection of the Academy of American Poets. Her first collection was published in the prestigious Yale Younger Poets series. This collection became the paradigm of "engaged" and activist poetry in the late '70s and early '80s. One of 200 copies signed by the author. Preceding the trade edition by several months. Fine.
95. FORD, Richard. My Mother, In Memory. Elmwood: Raven Editions, 1988. A limited edition of this essay, a shorter version of which had appeared in Harper's. Issued in a total edition of 140 copies, of which only 40 were hardbound and, of those 40, only 26 were offered for sale. This is one of 26 lettered copies signed by the author, with a frontispiece by noted artist Russell Chatham, hand-shaded and signed by Chatham as well. Designed and printed letterpress by Carol Blinn at Warwick Press. A fine copy of a beautiful production, with publisher's prospectus laid in.
96. -. Same title. The corrected galley proofs, marked copy "3/3," signed by the publisher, and marked as "Carol's copy" -- referring to Carol Blinn, who printed the book. Also inscribed by Richard Ford to a collector, "with the pleasure of meeting you." Galleys corrected in multiple hands. 12 sheets, 24" x 8," folded in half; fine. Unique.
97. FORD, Richard. "In the night, Matthews slept deeply again..." (n.p.): Knopf, 1997. A broadside excerpt from the story "Occidentals," which appeared in the collection Women with Men later that year. 7" x 14". Signed by Ford. Fine. Uncommon.
98. FORD, Richard. "It turns out that the hardest thing to find in the modern world is sound, generalized, disinterested advice..." Oxford, MS: Square Books/Blackbird Letterpress, 2006. One of 300 copies of this broadside excerpt from The Lay of the Land, printed on the occasion of a reading by the author. 8 1/2" x 11". Fine. Uncommon.
99. (FORD, Richard). HOBSON, Fred. The Southern Writer in the Modern World. Athens: University of Georgia Press (1991). Ford is one of a handful of writers Hobson examines in this volume, with particular attention paid to The Sportswriter. Fine in a fine dust jacket. Together with an autograph postcard signed by Ford, postmarked 1995, thanking the recipient (who had recently interviewed him) for sending a copy of the book, for "taking the time to talk to me about my book," and for taking more time and braving the heat [at a reading]. A plain postcard printed with Ford's address; fine.
100. FOWLES, John. The Collector. London: Jonathan Cape (1963). His acclaimed first book, basis for the 1965 film that was nominated for three Oscars. Fowles's novel of a psychopath who progresses from collecting butterflies to stalking and collecting human beings is a precursor to the many horror-thriller novels that populate our contemporary literary landscape (e.g., Thomas Harris' Silence of the Lambs, Brett Ellis' American Psycho, etc.) but with psychological violence and evil taking precedence over graphic violence. This copy is fine in a fine, first issue dust jacket with no blurbs on the front flap. Laid in is a color snapshot of Fowles, reportedly taken in the garden behind his home, and dating from the early 1990s.
101. FOWLES, John. The Aristos. London: Jonathan Cape (1965). The first British edition (preceded by the American) of his second book, nonfiction, a "self-portrait in ideas." Signed by the author. One lower corner tap, still fine in a fine dust jacket. An excellent copy of what is likely his scarcest trade edition, seldom found in this condition.
102. FOWLES, John. The Magus. London: Jonathan Cape (1966). Fowles' second novel, a near-fantasy set on a Greek island and involving a young expatriate Englishman who is drawn into the fantastic designs of a self-styled psychic. Basis for the 1968 movie for which Fowles wrote the screenplay. Signed by the author in 2002. A fine copy in a very near fine dust jacket with minuscule wear to the corners. One of the Modern Library's top 100 novels of the 20th century.
103. -. Same title. London: Blazer Films, 1967. Fowles' screenplay for the 1968 film. The film, with Anthony Quinn, Michael Caine, Candice Bergen and Anna Karina, gained a cult following in the Sixties in spite of (and perhaps partly because of) harsh critical reviews. The production was an ambitious one: the cast included two of the most well-known male leads of their time (Quinn & Caine), an up-and-coming young actress who had been nominated for a "Most Promising Newcomer" Golden Globe two years earlier (Bergen), and Anna Karina, a staple in the films of French avant garde director Jean-Luc Godard. The director was Guy Green, a former cinematographer, and while the material may have been a bit much for Green, whose previous movies had been more straightforward than the complicated, partly fantastic plot that Fowles' novel presented him with, the film was nominated for a British Academy award for cinematography. This script bears the name of David Harcourt and has revision sheets dated September 4, 7 and 12, and November 25, 1967. Harcourt is listed as a camera operator on a production schedule (laid in) dated August 15, 1967. Also laid in is the shooting schedule for November 11. These sheets are torn and sunned; the script itself is near fine and claspbound in very good red covers. An early, complete piece of writing by Fowles -- his first novel had been published four years earlier -- and perhaps the scarcest item in his bibliography. We have never heard of another copy turning up; it is Fowles' only screenplay to have been produced, as best we can tell, and the best "scout" that we know of this sort of material said he had never seen one before in over 30 years of looking.
104. FOWLES, John. The French Lieutenant's Woman. London: Jonathan Cape (1969). The book that many consider to be Fowles' best and most important, a landmark novel that uses an unconventional love story to explore the decline of Victorian England and the advent of the modern age and modern notions of freedom and self. This copy has a printed John Fowles bookplate on the half-title, and is signed by Fowles on the half-title (not on the bookplate): "John Fowles/ Lyme Regis." Small spot of fading to the top stain; else fine in a very near fine dust jacket with mild rubbing to the folds. Laid in is a photo of Fowles holding a copy of the book (presumably this copy); the photo is signed by Fowles on the verso.
105. GADDIS, William. The Recognitions. NY: Harcourt Brace (1955). His first novel, which received wildly mixed reviews upon publication and proceeded to sink into obscurity until the early Sixties, when a small literary journal in Greenwich Village single-handedly resurrected the novel, declaring it an under-appreciated masterpiece. The book was reissued at that time, with a number of revisions by the author, and the critical consensus is now that the book is indeed one of the great American novels of the postwar era. Modest fading to top stain and to cloth at crown; else fine in a near fine dust jacket with a sticker shadow on the front flap and slight wear to the spine extremities. A nice copy of this bulky book, which shows wear easily.
106. GADDIS, William. J.R. NY: Knopf, 1975. His second novel, and his first of two to win the National Book Award. This is the hardcover issue; there was also a simultaneous softbound first edition. Signed by the author. Trace smudging to lower page edges from the weight of the text block; else fine in a fine dust jacket with the pink top edge stain still bright and unfaded. A very attractive copy.
107. GAINES, Ernest J. The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman. NY: Dial, 1971. The uncorrected proof copy of his fourth and perhaps best-known book, a fictional autobiography of a former slave that was made into a well-received movie. Warmly inscribed by the author ("thanks for taking such an interest in my work") in 1988. Foxing to spine; near fine in tall, padbound wrappers. The proof is uncommon due to its fragile format; scarce signed. Gaines's 1993 novel A Lesson Before Dying won the National Book Critics Circle Award, was chosen for Oprah's book club, and was made into an Emmy award-winning HBO movie. He has been the recipient of a MacArthur Foundation "genius" award, a Guggenheim Fellowship, and numerous other awards.
108. GARCÍA MÁRQUEZ, Gabriel. La Hojarasca. Bogotá: Ediciones S.L.B., 1955. The first edition of the Nobel Prize winner's first book, a short novel later published in the U.S. as "Leaf Storm" in the collection Leaf Storm and Other Stories. Set in the fictional town of Macondo, where much of his later fiction also takes place, the book covers three boom-and-bust decades in the town's history, the "leaf storm" of the title referring to the human "trash" which is blown into town in prosperity and out at decline. The colophon indicates 4000 copies were printed, but the publisher's financial problems dictated that they were retrieved from the printer only as paid for and most copies are assumed to have been left unpaid-for and eventually either pulped or otherwise lost. The rarity of the book and García Márquez's own statements -- he has been quoted as saying that prior to the success of One Hundred Years of Solitude none of his books had sold more than 700 copies -- support such a scenario. Foxing and acidification to both pages and covers; some minor creasing; stray pen mark to rear cover; about very good in self-wrappers. A scarce and important first book.
109. GARCÍA MÁRQUEZ, Gabriel. One Hundred Years of Solitude. NY: Harper & Row, 1970. The first American edition of his masterwork, one of the most important novels of the century, which introduced magical realism to a wide audience and helped bring the boom in Latin American literature to this country. At the end of the 1970s this book was voted by the editors of The New York Times Book Review to be not only the best book published in the last ten years but the one most likely to still be read and still be important one hundred years hence. García Márquez has been awarded the Nobel Prize, among countless other literary awards. A fine copy in a second issue dust jacket that is very near fine, with just light shelf wear at the heel.
110. GARCÍA MÁRQUEZ, Gabriel. Love in the Time of Cholera. NY: Knopf, 1988. The limited edition, bound on special paper, with decorated acetate dust jacket in decorated slipcase. One of 350 copies signed by the author. His first signed limited edition, and a noteworthy signature as the author was at first prohibited from entering the U.S. because of his associations with Cuban leader Fidel Castro, and later, even after the prohibition was conditionally rescinded, he refused to enter this country on principle. Consequently, his signature is scarce. This edition, which was to have been published simultaneously with the trade edition, was delayed by several weeks due to the logistical difficulties involved with getting sheets to the author for signing, and then back to the U.S. for binding. Fine in acetate dust jacket and slipcase.
111. GARCÍA MÁRQUEZ, Gabriel. El General en su Laberinto. Mexico: Ediciones del Equilibrista, 1990. A limited edition of García Márquez's imagining of the last days of South American liberator Simón Bolívar. Of 1000 copies total, this is one of 250 copies published and distributed in Mexico. Signed by the author. Fine in a fine slipcase.
112. -. Same title, the American limited edition, The General in His Labyrinth. NY: Knopf, 1990. One of 350 numbered copies signed by the author. Fine in slipcase.
113. (GARCÍA MÁRQUEZ, Gabriel). Recopilación de Textos Sobre Gabriel García Márquez. (Havana): Casa de Las Américas (1969). Edited by Pedro Simón Martínez. One of 5000 copies of this collection of essays about García Márquez, not published in this country. Authors include Mario Vargas Llosa, Luis Harss, Julieta Campos, Carlos Fuentes, Reinaldo Arenas, and many others. An early collection of critical pieces, published prior to the release of One Hundred Years of Solitude in English but after its initial appearance, and extraordinary success, in its Spanish-language editions. Foxed; very good in tall, thin wrappers.
114. GARDNER, John. Stillness and Shadows. London: Secker & Warburg (1987). A review copy of the first British edition of this posthumously published volume, edited from Gardner's notes and introduced by Nicholas Delbanco. Age toning to page edges; still fine in a fine dust jacket. Scarce as a review copy; equally scarce in collectable condition.
115. GASS, William H. Omensetter's Luck. (NY): New American Library (1966). The uncorrected proof copy of his first book, another of the extraordinary literary debuts published in the mid-1960s by NAL -- normally a mass-market paperback house -- under the editorial direction of David Segal. The firm published John Gardner's first book, The Resurrection, as well as Cynthia Ozick's first book, Trust. Penciled notes on first page and in a few scattered places throughout the text: clearly a reviewer's copy. A few pages corner-turned; name and address on rear cover; price, page count, and author name handwritten on front cover. Lower 2" of front cover absent, thus only good in tall, ringbound wrappers. Rare: only the second copy we have ever encountered.
116. GOLDMAN, William. The Princess Bride. NY: HBJ (1973). The novel that formed the basis for the much-loved and successful Rob Reiner movie, for which Goldman also wrote the screenplay. A scarce book in the hardcover edition. One suspects that this book was difficult for its publisher to market -- Is it a children's book? Adult fantasy? Mainstream literature? -- resulting in a smaller-than-usual first printing for a Goldman book. Signed by the author. Fine in a very near fine dust jacket with two lamination creases to the front panel.
117. (GORDIMER, Nadine). "A Present for a Good Girl" in Silver Leaves: A South African Collection of Good Reading. Johannesburg: Silver Leaf Books [1952]. An 8-page story by Gordimer in this small volume that was published the year her first book to be published in the U.S., The Soft Voice of the Serpent, was issued. Printed on thin paper; this copy is fine in wrappers. An early appearance in print by the future Nobel Prize winner. Rare.
118. GRIESEMER, John. Typed Letter Signed. October 20, 1994. A letter from the author of No One Thinks of Greenland, a first novel of a secret military hospital in Greenland that was widely compared to Catch-22, to Lawrence Millman, whose own book, Last Places, included the paragraph that inspired Griesemer's novel. In the letter, Griesemer calls Millman "the godfather of the book," (which at that point was apparently called Q-Base). In the published book, Griesemer lists Millman among the people "To Be Commended for Distinguished Service" and cites Last Places, p. 141 as "the spark." An interesting glimpse at the genesis of a highly regarded work of literary fiction. Folded for mailing; else fine.
119. GROOM, Winston. Forrest Gump. Garden City: Doubleday, 1986. Groom's comic novel of a Vietnam vet whose simple-minded perspective provides fertile ground for satirical social commentary. Basis for the 1994 film that was nominated for 13 Academy Awards and won six. Signed by the author: "'Let me say this: Being an idiot is no Box of Chocolates.' Forrest Gump. (Signed by his friend, Winston Groom.) Oct. 1994." One of the film's most famous lines alluded to Life being like a box of chocolates; this quote, or pseudo-quote, may refer to the author's sense that he had been an idiot with respect to the film: reportedly he sold the rights for a modest amount, never expecting the kind of blockbuster success the film enjoyed, and he did not participate in any of the enormous profits from the film. Fine in a fine dust jacket. A beautiful copy of a book that shows wear easily and is seldom found signed, let alone with an inscription of such character.
120. HARRISON, Jim. The Farmer's Daughter. NY: Grove (2010). A collection of three novellas, his first since Legends of the Fall. Signed by the author on a tipped-in leaf. Fine in a fine dust jacket.
121. (HAZZARD, Shirley). VIVANTE, Elena. Paintings. West Chazy: Studio Press, 1995. A book of paintings by the Italian artist Vivante, with an introduction by Hazzard and inscribed by Hazzard in the year of publication: "For dear ___, dear ___ -- / These paintings of another/ precious friend -- with the/ love of the Humble Introducer/ Shirley." Hazzard's novel, The Great Fire, won the National Book Award. Only issued in wrappers; erasures to title page; else fine. Scarce.
122. HELPRIN, Mark. "Now he had been riding since early morning..." Berkeley: Black Oak Books, 1991. A broadside excerpt from A Soldier of the Great War, printed on the occasion of a reading by the author. 7" x 14". Matted; fine.
123. HEMON, Aleksandar. The Question of Bruno. (London): Picador (2000). The advance reading copy of the inventive and highly praised first book, a collection of stories, by a writer from Sarajevo for whom English is a second language. The U.K. edition is the first English language edition, preceding the U.S. This is the earlier state advance reading copy, lacking the copyright page. Fine in wrappers.
124. HILLERMAN, Tony. Autograph Note Signed. January, 30, 1992. A note written to another author, asking that he have his publisher send Hillerman his new book in bound galley format, so that he may more easily read it in bed. Signed in full, fine; with hand-addressed envelope.
125. HOAGLAND, Edward. Correspondence Archive. 1984-2010. Correspondence from Hoagland to fellow writer Larry Millman. Three typed letters signed; two typed notes signed; two typed postcards signed. The letters cover a large span of time and diverse topics: from arrangements to meet, to mutual acquaintances (or those that should be), to (briefly) Hoagland's being fired (briefly) from Bennington, to allusions to censorship and publishing difficulties. Sketchy, but much can be read "between the lines": the two clearly share interests, and the subject matter of their writings tend to intersect at times -- travels, the natural world, the Arctic north, etc. Except for some pieces having been folded for mailing; the lot is fine.
126. HOLLAND, Isabelle. The Man Without a Face. Philadelphia/NY: Lippincott (1972). An early book by this writer, her third. Basis for the well-received 1993 Mel Gibson movie. Inscribed by the author, "with love," in the year of publication. Holland wrote over 50 books in her career, many of them young adult novels that were known for their engagement with serious issues. As a publicist at J.B. Lippincott, one of the first books she worked on was Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird, and the two developed a lifelong friendship. It is easy to see the influence of Lee's book on Holland's own writings dealing with the moral issues facing young people coming of age. Fine in a very near fine dust jacket with mild edge sunning visible on the flaps. Uncommon in the first printing, especially signed.
127. HORNBY, Nick. Fever Pitch. London: Gollancz, 1992. The author's well-received first book. Signed by the author. Slight spine lean; near fine in near fine dust jacket. Basis for a well-received 2005 movie with Drew Barrymore and Jimmy Fallon.
128. HUXLEY, Aldous. Words and Their Meanings. Los Angeles: Jake Zeitlin (1940). The limited edition of this essay on language, attractively printed by the Ward Ritchie Press for Jake Zeitlin, the famous Los Angeles bookseller. One of 100 hardbound copies signed by the author; the rest of the edition was issued in wrappers. A thin book, with light splaying to boards; else fine in a near fine dust jacket with one closed edge tear at the upper front spine fold. A very attractive copy. Scarce in the signed edition.
129. IRVING, John. Setting Free the Bears. NY: Random House (1968). The first book by the author of such bestsellers as The World According to Garp and A Prayer for Owen Meany, among others. Unlike his later books which, after Garp, sold literally hundreds of thousand of copies -- millions, if one includes the paperback sales -- this book sold slightly over 6000 copies in two printings. Slight play in the binding; very near fine in a fine dust jacket but for a corner crease to the front flap.
130. IRVING, John. The Hotel New Hampshire. London: Jonathan Cape (1981). The first British edition of his fifth book, basis for the film of the same name. Inscribed by the author: "For Alastair/ with my appreciation/ for an absolutely/ lovely evening/ in Edinburgh./ John Irving." One tiny corner bump; else fine in a similar dust jacket. Possibly signed at the time of Irving's appearance at the Edinburgh International Book Festival in 2003. A nice inscription, and uncommon thus.
131. IRVING, John. A Son of the Circus. NY: Random House (1994). The uncorrected proof copy of this novel, complete with the first page, which contains the publisher's text describing the book and, very briefly, the author. This page was excised from most copies, reportedly at the author's request. Copies with the page intact are extremely uncommon; we have only occasionally seen them over the years. Fine in wrappers. Laid into this copy is the sales data (U.S. and Canada) of all of Irving's previous books, as well as a copy of a review of this book from Publisher's Weekly.
132. JONES, Shane. Light Boxes. Baltimore: Publishing Genius Press, 2009. The true first edition of his debut novel, published in softcover in an edition of 500 copies. After Spike Jones picked up the film rights, the title was re-issued by Penguin the following year. Fine in wrappers. Scarce.