Catalog 158, J-K
97. JOHNSON, Charles and ADELMAN, Bob. KING: The Photobiography of Martin Luther King, Jr. (New York): Viking (2000). King's story told in the words of National Book Award-winning author Charles Johnson, and illustrated with photographs compiled by Adelman, many of them his own images. This copy is inscribed by Johnson to another writer, "with deepest admiration for one of America's finest literary treasures," dated in January 2001, and signed "Chuck." A nice association copy of a powerful and impressive book. Quarto; fine in a fine dust jacket.
98. JOHNSON, Denis. Collection of American and British First Editions and Proofs and Letters. (Various places and publishers): (1969-2012). A collection of Denis Johnson's primary publications: 56 volumes of American and British firsts, all of them signed or inscribed by the author, and representing every title he has published and virtually every issue of the American and British first printings. The hardcover issue of the American edition of The Incognito Lounge is apparently the only "A" item missing. Johnson's first book, the poetry collection A Man Among the Seals, was published by the Stone Wall Press in Iowa City in 1969 in an edition of 260 copies. His first novel, Angels, was published in 1983, and immediately garnered reviews comparing it to Robert Stone's works. Stone provided a blurb for Johnson's second book, and the collection includes Stone's copy of the proof of Angels. In 1992, Johnson published Jesus' Son, a collection of autobiographical short stories that received critical acclaim and was later made into a well-received film that made a number of "top ten" lists the year it came out and won a number of awards. His 2007 novel Tree of Smoke won the National Book Award and was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize. The inscribed books are all to the person who assembled the collection, and there are approximately twenty-five signed notes and letters to him as well. Most are brief and chatty, agreeing to sign books or providing a forwarding address, but some have noteworthy content: In the first, Johnson thanks the collector for writing, saying "a letter like that makes me feel like it's all worthwhile. I can't thank you enough. Sometimes I feel like I'm just putting messages in bottles - what a thrill to hear one washed up on another shore and got opened and meant something." He goes on to write "Now I think I should write to the authors of books I've gotten something special from..." Other letters have comparable nuggets: Johnson sent the collector two later editions of The Incognito Lounge, each with a cover painting by a friend of the "actual incognito lounge" in Phoenix, Arizona. He mentions having taught a course on Malcolm Lowry's Under the Volcano at the University of Iowa, and in one instance notes a correction to one of his plays, clarifying a speech that is attributed to one character but should have been by another. The collection also includes three literary magazines with contributions by Johnson and several ephemeral pieces relating to productions of two of his plays in Chicago in the 1990s, all also signed. A substantial and significant collection of this important American author, with some illuminating correspondence. Assembling this collection today from scratch would be very difficult; in particular, many of the proofs, both American and British, would be hard to come by today. An inventory is available.
99. (JOHNSON, Denis). Jesus' Son. NY: Evenstar Films, 1997. The screenplay for the 1999 film based on Johnson's 1992 story collection of the same name. Written by Elizabeth Cuttrell, David Urrutia and Oren Moverman. Reportedly printed for distribution to members of the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts & Sciences in consideration for nomination of Best Screenplay, which didn't happen, although the film was named one of the top ten of the year by the Los Angeles Times and the New York Times. Claspbound pages; fine. Johnson had a small part in the film, playing Terrance Weber, who was stabbed in the eye by his wife.
100. (KAEL, Pauline). PERL, Jed. Eyewitness. Reports from an Art World in Crisis. (NY): Basic Books (2000). Inscribed by Perl to Pauline Kael, "with thanks and love." Kael's praise for Perl appears on the jacket: in what could have served as an autobiographical comment, she begins "Maybe all good critics are inspired cranks"; she concludes her blurb about Perl by stating, simply, "He's necessary." Fine in a fine dust jacket, with a letter from the editor to Kael laid in.
101. KEROUAC, Jack. Visions of Gerard. NY: Farrar Straus (1963). A volume in Kerouac's fictionalized autobiography -- the Legend of Duluoz Series. Inscribed by the author: "To Jamie/ the Angel/ from Jack Kerouac." With a "compliments of the Author" bookplate pasted above the inscription on which someone -- presumably Kerouac -- has typed "who says Hullo Jamie" below the word "Author." Jamie was, in 1963, the 4 year old son of Kerouac's former college buddy Ed White, who was fictionalized as Tim Gray in On the Road. Ed and Kerouac were introduced by White's roommate, Hal Chase, who also introduced Kerouac to Neal Cassady. Kerouac and Ed kept up a correspondence from 1947, the year after they met, to 1969, the year Kerouac died, exchanging nearly 90 letters and postcards over the course of their friendship. White was apparently the first person Kerouac wrote to in 1949 when his first novel, The Town and the City, was accepted for publication. A wonderful inscription, reflecting not only a longtime friendship -- and a multigenerational one at this point -- but also Kerouac's innate sweetness. Books inscribed by Kerouac are increasingly scarce in the market these days. Glue bleeding through bookplate, not affecting the inscription on the flyleaf; a fine copy in a near fine dust jacket with several short edge tears, reinforced on the verso at the spine heel.
102. (KEROUAC, Jack). Jack Kerouac - The Legacy. Larkspur: Jan Kerouac Benefit Fund, 1995. An attractive poster, designed and printed by noted poster artist Alton Kelley -- who designed many of the famous psychedelic posters of the 1960s in San Francisco. This poster was prepared to promote a series of benefits for Kerouac's daughter Jan, who, besides being quite ill and without health care benefits, was contesting the disposition of Kerouac's literary estate. A series of fundraising events were organized in San Francisco, which included appearances and performances by a number of people who had been closely connected to Kerouac and the poets and artists of the Beat generation and later the Sixties counterculture. Of a total edition of 1135, this is one of 135 numbered copies signed by Alton Kelley and Jan Kerouac. Approximately 18" x 26". Fine.
103. KESEY, Ken. Sometimes a Great Notion. NY: Viking (1964). His second and most ambitious novel, about a logging family in Oregon, and embodying the individualistic values that helped Kesey to become a counterculture leader and icon. Signed by Kesey in three colors, beneath a 1966 gift inscription. This is the state with the Viking ship on the first half-title, and in the first issue dust jacket, with the author photo credited to "Hank Krangler" and only two lines of biographical information about the author on the rear flap. Slight spine lean, thus near fine in a very good, mildly rubbed, price-clipped dust jacket with modest edge wear. Like his first book, One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, uncommon signed or inscribed.
104. KESEY, Ken. One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest. Norwalk: Easton Press (1999). A limited edition reissue of Kesey's landmark first book, which, when first published in 1962, helped to shape a generation's attitudes on issues of authority, power, madness and, finally, individuality. Signed by the author, with Easton Press's certificate of authenticity, also signed by Kesey laid in. Leatherbound, all edges gilt, with a silk ribbon marker bound in. Also includes the publisher's note about the book and its author. Uncommon: Easton Press did two editions of Cuckoo's Nest, only one of which was signed. Kesey signed each copy slightly differently: in this copy, his signature is in black with purple "shadows."
105. KING, Stephen. Carrie. (London): New English Library (1974). The first British edition of his first novel, basis for one of the defining movies of the '70s and the beginning of one of the most remarkable writing careers in the history of American letters. Signed by the author. A strip of glue residue to each pastedown where a previous jacket protector was attached; thus near fine, in a near fine dust jacket with very small corner chips. The British edition of Carrie is considerably scarcer than the American edition, if only because of the relative size of the two countries, the U.S.A. and Great Britain -- the U.S. being approximately five times as populous as the U.K. -- and the resultant size of their publishing industries. As an indicator of that, one online listing site currently shows over 100 copies of the American first edition of Carrie available for sale, and only six copies of the U.K. first. Scarce, especially signed.
106. KING, Stephen. The Dead Zone. NY: Viking (1979). King's fifth novel, sixth book, the basis for the well-received David Cronenberg movie, which features a remarkable performance by Christopher Walken as the main character -- a disabled school teacher who discovers that the accident that crippled him also gave him the power of "second sight." Inscribed by the author in the month after publication: "For Phil -- A new book. Same old world. Hope you like it. Stay well -- / Steve King/ 9/28/27." Phil Thompson was King's close friend and college roommate and the person who, in 1972, bet King $10 that he couldn't write a story from a female's perspective, a bet King won by writing Carrie. Handling apparent to boards, with wear at the corners; coffee splatters to outer text block; a sound copy but visually only good, in a very good dust jacket with a spine crease and several edge tears, one externally mended with clear tape. Included is a photocopy of a letter from a Maine bookseller who purchased this book, with others, from Thompson's second wife. An early inscription by King to a good friend and an important figure in his career as a writer.
107. KING, Stephen. Salem's Lot. (Wheat Ridge): Centipede Press (2004). A huge and elaborate limited edition of his second novel, first published in 1975 and here issued in a deluxe edition that includes the text of the original novel, two short stories related to it that were originally published in King's collection Night Shift, over 50 pages of material deleted from the original version, and a short introduction and a 1999 afterword by the author. Illustrated with seven full-page photographs by Jerry Uelsmann, an avant garde photographer renowned for his photomontage, whose work is in the permanent collections of the Museum of Modern Art in New York, the Metropolitan Museum of Art and many other institutions. Published in an edition of 405 copies, this is one of one of only 25 Roman-numeraled copies printed on mouldmade Saunders Waterford paper and bound in Chieftain Goatskin and enclosed in a traycase of Japanese cotton. Only 15 of the Roman-numeraled copies were available for sale, the remainder being reserved for the author, photographer and the Press. This is number XIII. Signed by King and Uelsmann. The book is approximately 10" x 13" and more than 4" deep, and weighs over 13 pounds. Probably the most elaborate limited edition of King's work ever published, and the smallest limitation of any of his books that have been offered for sale, as far as we are aware. A virtually impossible King title to locate or obtain; even the 300-copy numbered edition is seldom available in the marketplace; the 600-copy "gift" edition, which is unsigned and without the Uelsmann illustrations, is itself rare and the only copy currently listed for sale online has an asking price in four figures. This issue is 40 times scarcer than that. A King "stopper." A fine copy, in fine traycase.
108. KITTREDGE, William. Hole in the Sky. NY: Knopf, 1992. His highly praised memoir. Inscribed by Kittredge to Steve Krauzer, "with all possible respect & affection in memory of Cord. Bill Kittredge. 6/24/92." A great association copy: in the 1980s Kittredge and Krauzer collaborated on a series of novels of the Old West under the joint pseudonym "Owen Rountree" whose main character was the outlaw Cord. Fine in a fine dust jacket. A nice literary association copy.