Catalog 156, V-Z
180. VIDAL, Gore. Weekend. (NY): Dramatists Play Service (1968). A little-known two-act play by Vidal. Near fine in mildly spine-sunned, stapled wrappers, with an upper edge page crease throughout (from a clip?). Note: a later issue of this title was issued perfectbound, in 1996. Scarce. We've only seen this a couple of times.
181. (Vietnam). BOZEK, D.A. Artillery Medic in Vietnam. NY: Vantage (1971). A vanity press publication, published while the war was ongoing. A personal account by a medic in Vietnam: intermingled with the author's accounts of and reflections on the war are a number of his poems. While there is no explicit limitation for this title indicated, Vantage Press is one of the handful of "subsidy" or "vanity" press publishers that were determined, in a class-action case brought in the early 1980s, to have effectively cheated their authors by charging them for printing their books but never taking any formal steps to actually distribute them, instead pulping them after a designated period of time had passed. Thus, titles published by these presses tend to be extremely scarce**most of the copies that were distributed having been the ones the authors themselves gave away or sold. Signed by the author, who has added "1st Edition." Fine in a near fine, mildly spine-faded, internally tape-mended dust jacket.
182. (Vietnam). CASEY, Michael. Obscenities. New Haven: Yale University Press, 1972. A review copy of the author's first collection, published in the Yale Series of Younger Poets. One of the earliest collections of poetry by a vet and one of the most highly praised. This is the uncommon hardcover edition; there was a simultaneous issue in wrappers. Inscribed by the author: "For ___. Many thanks for the reading of the Caseys at Schoen Books. If you have a farm in Vietnam and a house in hell/ Sell the farm and go home. Mike." Also signed in full, "Michael Casey." Fine in a near fine, dusty and very slight spine-tanned dust jacket. Review slip and two-page press release laid in.
183. (Vietnam). DUNCAN, Donald. The New Legions. NY: Random House (1967). A personal account by a former Green Beret, and a scathing criticism of the U.S. policy in Vietnam. Inscribed by the author: "____ ____/ I love, and love to love,/ I love those who love but/ neither war nor revolution was/ ever won by or with love/ Love/ Don Duncan." Water damage to edges of prelims and first pages (not affecting text or inscription); still very good in a very good dust jacket with a hint of spine fading and some dampstaining to verso.
184. (Vietnam). DURDEN, Charles. Publishing Correspondence. 1975. Three typed letters signed to Thomas Guinzburg, president of Viking; 15 pages total, plus retained letters from Guinzburg and a promotional sheet. In 1976, Viking published Charles Durden's No Bugles, No Drums, one of the unsung novels of the Vietnam War, a black comedy as hilarious as it was black, which is saying a lot: it seethed with the kind of rage and cynical humor that, it is easy to forget, was the lingua franca of the later years of the war. A moving book which continues to do its share to keep one from forgetting the intensity of that era. In the earliest letter here, which runs two pages and is dated October 1, 1975, Durden thanks Guinzburg in about 400 words, spends another 100 words asking Guinzburg to have a drink with him, and less than 20 words saying he will try to keep his editor smiling. In a retained letter from Guinzburg, October 7, Guinzburg agrees to the drink, at which time he intends to explain why Durden's editor, Pat Irving, is "such a good editor and deserves the 1975 Patience of a Saint Award." The "Editor's Summary" of No Bugles, No Drums, dated October 29, is a single sheet, double-sided, with both a brief and a detailed description of the book, which it calls "a singularly honest, flamboyantly irreverent, fiercely angry, but somehow still comic war novel..." Durden's next letter, November 13, is an eleven page tirade, directed to Guinzburg, about Durden's editor. From a politer part: "I could use some help -- most especially an editor who doesn't look at words like they were ballbearings, and check each one with a micrometer but never be able to hear the music they make as they roll away." A full-page retained letter from Guinzburg, November 18, defends the professionalism of his staff and their enthusiasm for the book, without addressing any of the specific issues raised by Durden. The last Durden letter here, two pages dated November 24, attempts to make peace without giving any ground, but is mostly a request that Guinzburg help him on his quest to return to Vietnam to write a "What the hell was it all for?" piece in the same tone as No Bugles. The first Durden letter is on cheap paper, acidifying, with light edge wear and with two holograph corrections; very good. Both retained Guinzburg letters are on cheap paper and edge worn; one is folded for mailing. The Editor's Summary is fine. The second Durden letter is near fine with multiple holograph corrections and the handwritten postscript: "And I'd still like to get half-drunk with you." The third Durden letter is folded in thirds from mailing and has an upper corner turned, several holograph corrections, and has been marked "SOS File." Near fine. A revealing look at the behind-the-scenes stress of the creation of one of the great novels of the Vietnam war**one of the great war novels of any war. For all:
185. (Vietnam). GROOM, Winston. Better Times than These. NY: Summit (1978). The first book by the author of Forrest Gump, this was one of the self-consciously "big" novels of the Vietnam War**in the style of such World War II novels as The Naked and The Dead and From Here to Eternity. Inscribed by the author in the year of publication: "For ___ ** After all those years of your lovely songs, it is now a great pleasure to know you as a friend. All best wishes on your birthday. Affectionately, Winston Groom." Slight pull to text block and very light foredge foxing; near fine in a very good, lightly edge worn and rubbed dust jacket.
186. (Vietnam). MARLANTES, Karl. Matterhorn. Berkeley/NY: El León Literary Arts/Atlantic Monthly (2010). The advance reading copy (labeled "Uncorrected Proof") of the first El León/Atlantic Monthly edition of his first novel, after an initial El León print run of 1200 that was bought up by Atlantic Monthly when they agreed to a 60,000 copy print run. Signed by the author. This is the later state advance reading copy, with the Matterhorn title. There was an earlier state advance reading copy with the title Some Desperate Glory: most of those were destroyed. Fine in pictorial wrappers.
187. (Vietnam). MARLANTES, Karl. What It's Like To Go To War. NY: Atlantic Monthly Press (2001). The advance reading copy of the first book of nonfiction by the author of Matterhorn, one of best-selling and most highly praised novels of the Vietnam War. Signed by the author on May 24, 2011, five months prior to the publication of the book. Fine in wrappers.
188. VONNEGUT, Kurt. Cat's Cradle. London: Gollancz, 1963. The first British edition of one of his greatest novels, which manages to both condemn and celebrate science, religion and the human race in general. "A quietly satirical consideration of mankind and its need for sympathy and compassion, proposing that we live by foma, lies that make for human happiness." One of Pringle's 100 best science fiction novels. Also nominated for the Hugo Award, and chosen by the Modern Library as one of the best 100 novels of the 20th century. Signed by Vonnegut with a self-caricature. Minor bowing to boards and the page signatures are darkening unevenly; near fine in a very good, price-clipped dust jacket with mild edge sunning and a few tiny edge chips. Uncommon; rare signed. In a custom clamshell case.
189. VONNEGUT, Kurt. God Bless You, Mr. Rosewater. NY: HRW (1965). A review copy of Vonnegut's sixth book, one of the novels that began earning him a small but passionate following in the mid-1960s, before his breakthrough to the status of "major author," which came when Slaughterhouse-Five was published. Signed by the author with a self-caricature. Owner signature of cartoonist Claude Smith under front flap; very slight loss to spine lettering; otherwise a fine copy in a near fine dust jacket with some unnecessary tape strengthening on verso and slight dampstaining, also on verso. With press release laid in. In a custom clamshell case.
190. VONNEGUT, Kurt. Mother Night. London: Jonathan Cape (1968). The first British edition. Published six years after the American paperback and two years after the American hardcover. Signed by the author with a self-caricature. A couple spots to foredge, else fine in a near fine, mildly spine-sunned dust jacket. An uncommon edition, and extremely scarce signed.
191. VONNEGUT, Kurt, Jr. Happy Birthday, Wanda June. NY: Delacorte (1971). A play that opened off-Broadway in 1970 and later made it to Broadway for a successful, although relatively short, run. Illustrated with photographs from the Broadway production, and with an introduction by Vonnegut explaining the genesis and personal relevance of the play. Signed by the author with a self-caricature. A few spots to the margins of the preface, else fine in a dust jacket with spine reparations, now very good.
192. -. Same title, the first British edition. London: Cape (1973). Without the photographs of the U.S. edition. Signed by the author on a tipped-in leaf. Fine in a very near fine, price-clipped dust jacket with trace wear to the crown. In a custom clamshell case.
193. VONNEGUT, Kurt. Between Time and Timbuktu. NY: Delacorte (1972). A "space fantasy" for television, created by David O'Dell from works by Vonnegut, and then given to Vonnegut to, in his words, "fart around with." With photographs by Jill Krementz as well as stills from the television production. Vonnegut did not count this as one of his own publications, but he did write the preface. Signed by the author with a self-caricature. One of Vonnegut's more elusive titles, both because of its fragile, perfect-bound construction and a first printing that one would suspect was smaller than those of his novels. Mild foxing to the edges of the text block and slight fading to the endpapers; else fine in a fine dust jacket. In a custom clamshell case.
194. -. Same title. Vonnegut's carbon typescript for the original preface for Between Time and Timbuktu, which was not used in the published edition. The published version is about the television production and the advantages of novels over films: this unpublished version is about Vonnegut and his "Molly Bloom Period," during which he agreed to do and write many things he did not do and write. "How could I [write] with a pillow over my head?" Three stapled pages; signed by the author with a self-caricature. Self-deprecating and sly, as usual. Rare unpublished Vonnegut, probably unique. Vonnegut's papers reside at the Lilly Library at Indiana University, and very few manuscripts of his have turned up on the market. One fold, else fine. In a custom clamshell case.
195. VONNEGUT, Kurt. Breakfast of Champions. London: Cape (1973). The first British edition of this novel that was Vonnegut's fiftieth birthday present to himself and his characters: in it Vonnegut grants many of his previous characters their freedom (most notably Kilgore Trout who, unable to make it on the outside, returns in later books). Signed by the author with a self-caricature. Foxing to the foredge and front flyleaf; near fine in a near fine, mildly spine-sunned dust jacket with a bit of staining to the front panel. In a custom clamshell case.
196. VONNEGUT, Kurt. Wampeters, Foma & Granfalloons. (NY): Delacorte (1974). A collection of essays, speeches and opinions. Signed by the author with a smoking self-caricature that extends across the front flyleaf and half of the pastedown. A more elaborate self-portrait than most we have seen, done in silver marker on the blue endsheets. Fine in a near fine dust jacket with slight fading to the spine lettering. In a custom clamshell case.
197. VONNEGUT, Kurt. Poems Written During the First Five Months of 2005. (n.p.): (Self-published), 2005. Seventeen poems, photocopied and velobound. Self-published by Vonnegut and given to friends. With his photocopied signature and the date, 5/26/05. Fine. These poems were published, individually and in pairs, in issues of the Cornell Daily Sun beginning in October, 2005. They have not been published or collected elsewhere, other than this production Vonnegut himself did. Scarce.
198. (VONNEGUT, Kurt). RIVERS, Larry. Recent Relief Paintings. NY: Marlborough Gallery (1989). An exhibition catalog, with a foreword by Vonnegut. Signed by Vonnegut with a self-caricature. Fine in wrappers. Together with the program of a memorial service for Rivers, which is signed by Vonnegut: "I was his friend, and I was here, 8/22/02." The program is folded in fourths, with a small stain on the blank rear cover; near fine. The program and the catalog are housed together in a custom clamshell case.
199. (VONNEGUT, Kurt). Karass Number Six. Staten Island: Karass, 1994. A 'zine that takes its title, Karass, from Vonnegut's Cat's Cradle (a karass being a group of people doing God's will without ever discovering what they are doing). The back cover of this issue reproduces a letter from Vonnegut to editor Jeremy Jusak that says "I am tickled pink that there is now, thanks to you, a humane and lively publication named Karass." The original letter was signed with a smoking self-caricature and with an annotation, referring to the cigarette, "very bad." Fine in stapled wrappers, with an insert offering other issues for sale.
200. (VONNEGUT, Kurt). At Millennium's End. (Albany): State University of New York (2001). New essays on Vonnegut, with a foreword by Vonnegut. Includes pieces by Jerome Klinkowitz, Loree Rackstraw, David Pringle and others. Signed by Vonnegut with a self-caricature. Fine in wrappers.
201. WALLS, Jeanette. The Glass Castle. NY: Scribner (2005). The advance reading copy of Walls's award-winning and bestselling memoir; the film is rumored to be in development. Age toning to page edges; near fine in wrappers. Curiously scarce.
202. WARREN, Robert Penn. Audubon. A Vision. NY: Random House (1969). Inscribed by Warren: "To Lionel & Diana [Trilling], affectionate greetings, Red, [Red being Warren's nickname used by his close friends]. Lower rear joint cracked; thus very good in a near fine dust jacket with a closed edge tear at the lower front spine fold. Scarce as a signed trade edition**most signed copies of this title are the limited edition**and a very nice literary association copy.
203. WELSH, Irvine. Filth T-Shirt. (n.p.): (Russell Corp.), c. 1998. Promotional T-shirt for the 1998 novel by the author of Trainspotting. States title and author and is illustrated with the pig face in police hat that adorned the dust jacket. White cotton T-shirt, size large. Folded; else fine.
204. WELTY, Eudora. Three Papers on Fiction. Northampton: Smith College, 1962. Three essays: "Place in Fiction," "Words into Fiction," and "The Short Story," done while she was William Allan Neilson Professor at Smith College. Signed by the author. Tiny nick to crown; else fine in stapled wrappers.
205. WELTY, Eudora. Morgana. Jackson: University Press of Mississippi (1988). The first separate appearance of two stories from The Golden Apples. Inscribed by Welty to Kenneth [Haxton], "in old friendship." A very nice literary association copy: Haxton was the founder of the Levee Press, a short-lived Mississippi fine press that published Welty in the 1940s (Music From Spain) as well as publishing other notables of Southern literature. He was married to the novelist Ellen Douglas, and their son Brooks Haxton is also a highly regarded poet. Also signed by the illustrator, Mildred Nungester Wolfe. Foxing to the half title, where the signatures appear, and also to the boards, from the Southern clime; near fine in a near fine, mildly spine-faded dust jacket with foxing to verso. Housed in a custom folding chemise and slipcase.
206. WHITE, E.B. Typed Letter Signed. November 5 ["1976," 1977?]. Addressed to "Herb," (author and journalist Herbert Mitgang), and written with the principal purpose of retracting a tossed-off remark about his own (White's) work. White first thanks Mitgang for the visit and the "good vino," and then brings up "one small matter that had been on (his) mind. You remember that, at the end of the afternoon, we got on the subject of newsbreaks. [White often wrote "Newsbreaks" for The New Yorker.] I think I muttered something about my being able to 'do them with my left hand.' That was a slipshod remark, an inscrutable statement, and could be misinterpreted by my employer, if published. I still use both hands and both feet when doing the breaks. I give them my all---just as I always have. Although I have probably been holding down the newsbreak job for too long a time [at the time of this letter, that would have been about half a century], I like having the task: it gives me the feeling of belonging to the magazine, keeps me on the payroll, and affords me a fine glimpse every week of newspapers all over the country, which I enjoy. Pardon my intrusion on your professional privacy, but I'd like to withdraw the 'left hand' remark. It sounds as though I was soldiering on the job, and I don't think I am." Signed, "Yrs, Andy." [Andy being White's nickname.] All told, about 175 words to explain less than a dozen previously uttered, and in doing so speaking volumes about White's own sense of professionalism and his relation to his work. Mitgang wrote a column on White for the New York Times that was published on November 20, 1977 in which he mentions that White no longer does interviews but he consented to "a chat with an old acquaintance," meaning himself, and apparently the visit referred to here. When White died in 1985, Mitgang wrote the obituary of him for the Times, in which he called White "one of the nation's most precious literary resources." Typed on yellow paper, with one holograph correction; "1976" date written in ink at the top of the page, presumably by Mitgang, and possibly in error given the date of the Times piece; folded for mailing; two faint marginal smudges; signed in pencil. Near fine.
207. WILLIAMS, Terry Tempest. The Open Space of Democracy. (n.p.): University of Utah, 2003. Pamphlet printing Williams' commencement address at the University of Utah on May 2, 2003; Williams was awarded an honorary doctorate that day. Also issued as a limited edition and later collected in paperback with two other essays and published with the same title by the Orion Society. This issue was given out at the commencement. Seven pages; fine in stapled wrappers. Not signed, but William's signature appears in facsimile at the end of the text.
208. WILSON, S. Clay. Wilson's Andersen. San Francisco: Cottage Classics (1994). Wilson provides the illustrations for seven Hans Christian Andersen tales. The underground comic artist, notorious for his depictions of sex and violence, may seem an unlikely choice to illustrate Andersen, the beloved author of children's classics, but the combination seems more apt and felicitous than one might expect: the extravagance of Wilson's art fits snugly with the children's world of extremes that Andersen describes so well. And Wilson's unflinching willingness to break taboos and look at his subjects directly and without filters resonates nicely with the children's point of view in the first story in the collection, "The Emperor's New Clothes." Of a total edition of 1026 copies, of which 750 were in wrappers and 250 were numbered and in boards, this is one of 26 lettered copies in slipcase, with an original drawing by Wilson. This is copy "Z," and is inscribed by Wilson to his friend Nelson Lyon ("To Ol' Nels'") in 1994: "The Checkered Demon drunk, dazed and passed out, his cut head bleeding into a box of autographed fruit books." Which describes the original drawing. It is not known if all of Wilson's original artworks in the 26-copy edition were book-themed, or if this one is because he knew his friend Nelson Lyon was a bibliophile. One would guess the latter. Fine in a near fine slipcase. Very uncommon in the ultra-limited issue with the original artwork.
209. WILSON, S. Clay. Wilson's Grimm. San Francisco: Cottage Classics (1999). A second volume of Wilson illustrating children's classics, done five years after the first one. Wilson provides the illustrations for seven tales by the Brothers Grimm, and makes it impossible to miss the dark side of such stories as "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs" and "Hansel and Gretel." Of a total edition of 1250 copies, of which 924 were in wrappers and 300 were numbered and in boards, this is one of 26 lettered copies in slipcase, with an original drawing by Wilson. This is copy "Z," and is inscribed by Wilson to his friend Nelson Lyon in 2000, with a full-page drawing by Wilson of "the rotting zombie representing the letter Z," "the sex interest" (Bernice), and a Checkered Demon who is burning children's books. An elaborate illustration, with the presentation built into the artwork: the zombie explains his presence and says "Sooo this book is letter Z! O.K. Nels'?" Fine in a fine slipcase.
210. WILSON, S. Clay. Checkered Demon. May 10, 2002. A Checkered Demon (with martini and cigarette) drawn by Wilson on an autograph note signed to Nelson Lyon, ostensibly returning a movie ("I've now seen it twice due to my knackered memory bank!), but accomplishing far more in a 2 1/2" x 6" space, including travel plans and Mother's Day wishes. The note is "signed" in the form of a handwritten copyright notice on the demon, with copyright assigned to "Big Steve" (Steve being the S. in S. Clay Wilson). Fine.
211. WOLFE, Tom. Printer's Sample Pages for The Right Stuff. (n.p.): (FSG) (1973). The printer's sample pages. One sheet, folded in half, printing three pages of text, numbered pp. 3, 56-57, but with contiguous text; the fourth page lists type and setup specifications. Fine. Unusual publisher's ephemera of a sort that seldom reaches the market.
212. YEATS, William Butler. Michael Robartes and the Dancer. Dundrum: Cuala Press, 1920. A slim volume of poetry, one of 400 copies printed at the Cuala Press. Pages uncut and mildly darkened; several have shallow corner creases; small label rear pastedown; dampstaining to front edge of front cover. A very good copy, without the unprinted dust jacket. Contains some of Yeats's most powerful and well-known poems, most notably "The Second Coming," one of the most quoted poems of the 20th century, and one that gave birth to seemingly innumerable book titles. In our experience, one of the scarcest of Yeats's titles from this period; it seems scarcer than other Cuala Press editions with similar limitations.