Catalog 158, V
209. -. Same title. This copy has 20 of the initial 27 items, although the contents suggest it at one time had 24. Near fine, three-hole punched and compiled in binder, as suggested be done in the cover letter.
210. (Vietnam). Folk Art. River-Crossing Pa Ndau. (n.p.):(n.p.)(n.d.). The Hmong people of Laos are a tribal people in the highlands of Southeast Asia. They were recruited by the C.I.A. to fight against the communist Vietnamese and Pathet Lao in the 1960s, and they suffered the highest casualty rate of any group in the war. After the victories of the North Vietnamese and the Pathet Lao in 1975, the communist governments retaliated against the "traitors." Many Hmong were killed and others fled across the Mekong River into Thailand, seeking freedom, or at least refuge. For a period of time, the largest population of Hmong in the world, outside of Laos, existed in a Thailand refugee camp. A number resettled in the West, including tens of thousands in the U.S. Pa ndau is a traditional Hmong textile folk art -- "pa" is Hmong for flower, "ndau" for cloth. Decorated cloths can be as small as postage stamps or as large as quilts and can incorporate various kinds of stitcheries, as well a various images or patterns. The central image of a pa ndau generally tells a story. One thematic development in traditional Hmong pa ndau since the end of the Vietnam war was the "river-crossing" pa ndau, representing the flight from Laos across the Mekong River and into Thailand. Approximately 34" x 34", this embroidered pa ndau shows a traditional scene of village life in the highlands of Laos, with planting, cooking, and other traditional activities taking place, followed by -- as one approaches the foreground -- the arrival of armed Pathet Lao soldiers herding villagers at gunpoint. Still closer to the foreground, a number of villagers have escaped into the river, some on rafts, some in boats, some floating singly. On the other side of the river, they are greeted by Thai troops, and escorted to safety in Thai vehicles. The unnamed artist who created this pa ndau escaped from a Pathet Lao prison camp with her children, hiding out in the forest for several weeks until she was eventually recaptured; her captors knocked her teeth out with rifle butts after her recapture. She eventually escaped again and made it across the river, finally emigrating to the U.S. River-crossing pa ndau -- a modern expression of a traditional Hmong art-are extremely scarce, and this is a particularly dramatic example. Fine.
211. (Vietnam). LEDERER, William J. Our Own Worst Enemy. NY: Norton (1968). An exposé of America's "self-inflicted defeats," particularly in Vietnam, by the co-author of The Ugly American. Inscribed by Lederer: "For ___ and his Roxanne* -- who saw me through a rough two weeks at Bread Loaf -- and therefore are 'our own best friends'. Affectionately, Bill Lederer/ Bread Loaf, Vt/ 27 August, 1968. *[Roxanne's real name footnoted]." Fine in a near fine, rubbed and mildly spine-faded dust jacket.
212. (Vietnam). MAYER, Tom. The Weary Falcon and Typed Letters Signed. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1971. A collection of potent short stories by a writer who went to Vietnam twice, in 1966-67 and again in 1969, both times as a reporter. Mayer had published a well-received collection of stories seven years earlier, and he had been a Wallace Stegner Fellow at Stanford's writing program, along with such writers as Ken Kesey, Larry McMurtry, Robert Stone, Tillie Olsen, Wendell Berry and others. This collection is one of the most accomplished of the literary offerings on Vietnam, but was published at the height of public antipathy toward the war and has never, in our view, received the recognition and acclaim it should have. One of our 25 best books on Vietnam. This copy was sent, prior to publication, to Judy Osgood by Richard Salant, President of CBS News, who had received the copy from Houghton Mifflin. In 1966-67, Osgood was working for CBS in Saigon; Mayer was a freelance reporter in Vietnam. Laid into this copy are two typed letters signed [April, no year stated, but 1967] from Mayer to Osgood, sent from California. The first, on two pages of Playboy stationery, thanks Osgood for forwarding his mail and discusses money problems; working for Playboy vs. The Atlantic; new ideas for articles; his job at Stanford working for John Hawkes; and, lastly, his views on the war: in part, "...because war is war and all of them are nasty and we're not much nastier than anybody else, given the situation, but the flotsam on top, the leadership. What we need is a president with morals and courage, not a paratroop revolt. But then maybe a country gets the leaders it deserves..." The second letter is typed on two sides of thin typing paper and Mayer's text mostly concerns dismissing the rumor that had been spread in California by "a fifteenth rate writer I knew when I was here before, an acid-head, a man who is in and out of institutions" that Mayer had been injured. He also talks a bit more about his relationship with Playboy and writing: "I wish I was rich or that magazines would recognize my pure genius and just give me $$ with no strings." Both letters are folded in thirds for mailing and have some edge-creasing; the second one has a short edge tear at one fold; about near fine. Both are signed "T." Also included are Osgood's October 1967 reply, sent to California and returned to her as Mayer had departed for Mexico, and Salant's letter recommending the book to Osgood. The book has sunned board edges and is near fine in a very good, mildly spine-faded dust jacket worn at the spine extremities and with two edge tears on the front panel. The letters are folded for mailing; near fine. A good copy of an important book, with an interesting backstory. For all:
213. (Vietnam). NHAT HANH, Thich. The Path of Return Continues the Journey. (Paris): (Vietnamese Buddhist Peace Delegation)(1972). A short play by Nhat Hanh, who headed the Buddhist delegation to the Paris peace talks. Translated by Vo Dinh. Inscribed by Nhat Hanh to Teo Savory and Alan Brilliant of the Unicorn Press, which published Nhat Hanh in translation in the U.S. in the 1960s. This volume was later published by Hoa Binh Press with a preface by Daniel Berrigan that is not in this edition. 28 photocopied pages, on yellow paper, stapled into pink covers. Color illustration bound in. The whole folded once vertically; front cover detached at staples but present; very good. Nhat Hanh was one of the most eloquent and outspoken Buddhist peace activists, and he came to be an important figure in the development of Western Buddhism in the years since the Vietnam War. A scarce edition of a work by an important writer and historical figure, and an excellent association copy.
214. (Vietnam). PAGE, Tim. Tim Page's Nam. NY: Knopf, 1983. The uncommon hardcover issue of the first book-length collection of Page's legendary photographs from Vietnam, many of them in color. A fine copy in a very near fine dust jacket with a small label over the flap price and a hint of rubbing at the crown.
215. -. Another copy. Small bumps to spine base and one upper corner; tiny spot to upper front flyleaf; near fine in a very good dust jacket with slight wear at the spine extremities and some dampstaining visible on verso.
216. (Vietnam). WASHBURN, Deric. The Deer Hunter. (n.p.): (n.p.)(1977). Early screenplay by Washburn (hand-dated "16 Jan 77" on title page) of the 1979 film for which Washburn shared writing credits with director Michael Cimino; precedes the film's release by more than two years. The Deer Hunter won five Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Director, and the screenplay was nominated for an Oscar. One of the most important and most powerful films to come out of the Vietnam War. 8 1/2" x 11"; bradbound in plain brown covers with typed label affixed. Near fine. Uncommon.
217. VOLLMANN, William and MILLER, Ken. Ranong Thailand During Kidnapping Trip. 1993. Photograph of Vollmann by Miller, who has provided author photos for several of Vollmann's books. Miller is known for his photographs of society's outcasts, and his collaborations with Vollmann are a natural match for both; Vollmann wrote the text for Miller's first book of photographs, Open All Night. This photo shows Vollmann sitting up in bed, shirtless, with a bottle of perhaps mouthwash on the night stand. Vollmann was in Ranong during his rescuing of a Burmese girl out of prostitution. One of 40 numbered images, titled and signed by Miller. Image is approximately 16" square. Matted. Fine.
218. VONNEGUT, Kurt. Cat's Cradle. (NY): Delta, 1964. Second printing of the Delta paperback edition, inscribed by Vonnegut to Chris [Scholes], "with respect and affection," on March 11, 1966. Chris was the daughter of famed literary critic, theorist, and semiotician Robert Scholes, who in the 1960s was a professor of English at the University of Iowa, where Vonnegut taught at the Iowa Writer's Workshop. The Scholes and the Vonneguts were family friends; Chris especially with Vonnegut's daughters, Edie and Nanny. In 1966, Scholes conducted an interview with Vonnegut for Iowa Public Radio. In April of 1969, he wrote a laudatory review of Slaughterhouse-Five that appeared on the front page of the New York Times Book Review and was arguably the single most important factor in bringing that book the wide attention it received. Cocked, with rubbing to the joints and some edge staining and rear cover abrasions; hinge professionally reinforced. A good copy but a great association, and a notable literary footnote.
219. VONNEGUT, Kurt. Slaughterhouse-Five. (NY): Delacorte (1969). His masterwork, a powerful fictional memoir of his experiences during the Allied fire-bombing of Dresden, Germany. Vonnegut's philosophical reflections on the tragic absurdity of humankind are embedded in an impressionistic, pessimistic yet comic science fiction tale that is a high spot of the literature of the 1960s and since. The first printing was 10,000 copies and the book eventually sold more than 60,000 copies in hardcover and innumerable in paperback, becoming a classic of its era and a standard on college campuses -- at first by word-of-mouth and later as part of the canon. On all three major lists of the top books of the 20th century. Signed by the author with a self-caricature. Minor foxing to top edge of the text block and slight sunning to board edges, as is almost always the case with this title; very near fine in a very mildly spine-sunned dust jacket. In a custom clamshell case. A very nice copy.
220. VONNEGUT, Kurt. Typescript of Speech at the Athenaeum, Indianapolis, October 10, 1996. Original typescript of the speech Vonnegut gave at the renovated Athenaeum in Indianapolis, which was designed by Vonnegut's grandfather. Signed by the author. Six pages, with Vonnegut's holograph corrections and page numbering. With a printout of the press clipping laid in, which is also signed by Vonnegut. A tribute to immigrants who built the city and those who made it their home, and an eloquent and humorous speech, as might be expected. Unpublished and uncollected, to the best of our knowledge. Fine, in custom folding chemise. Manuscript material by Vonnegut, whose papers are largely held in institutional collections, seldom comes on the market.
221. VONNEGUT, Kurt. Mark Twain House, Hartford, CT, April 30, 2003. The text of Vonnegut's speech, given at the Mark Twain House, in which he speaks well of Twain and Lincoln and American saints and less well of American Conservatives. Computer printout, 14 pages. Signed by Vonnegut and dated April 23, 2003 -- a week before he gave the speech. A version of this speech was published in In These Times in June, 2003 (see below) and by Spokeman Books in 2004. Fine.
222. VONNEGUT, Kurt. In These Times. (n.p.): In These Times, 2003. A compilation of Vonnegut's six contributions to In These Times, from February 17 to June 9, 3003, including his four "Dear Mr. Vonnegut" columns. Fourteen photocopied pages (including covers), assembled by Kurt Vonnegut, signed by him on the first page prior to photocopying and signed in full with self-caricature on the rear cover after assembly. According to the author, one of only 12 copies he made. Spiralbound with acetate cover; fine. With hand-addressed mailing envelope.
223. VONNEGUT, Kurt. Speech by Kurt Vonnegut at Eastern Washington U. Spokane April 17, 2004. The text of Vonnegut's speech, a humanist treatise for the 21st century. Computer printout, 12 pages. Signed by the author. Fine, in hand-addressed mailing envelope, postmarked within a month of the speech.
224. VONNEGUT, Kurt. Collected Poems 2005. (n.p.): (Self-published), 2005. Eight poems, photocopied and velobound. Self-published by Vonnegut and given to friends. Signed by the author and dated February 14, 2005. Vonnegut has also made a holograph correction to one of the poems. Fine, in hand-addressed mailing envelope. Vonnegut had another collection entitled Poems Written During the First Five Months of 2005, one copy of which appears in OCLC, whereas no copies of this title are listed. Doubtless one of the scarcest, if not the scarcest, of Vonnegut's "publications."
225. (VONNEGUT, Kurt). YARMOLINSKY, Jane Vonnegut. Angels Without Wings. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1987. Vonnegut's first wife's account of their marriage and their six children, three of whom they adopted when Vonnegut's sister and brother-in-law died within a day of each other. The names in this book have been changed: Kurt is "Carl" and is frequently cast as the sound of a typewriter. Filmed as the television movie "A Promise to Keep." The book was published posthumously: Yarmolinsky died of cancer in 1986. Fine in a near fine, spine-faded dust jacket.