Catalog 161, M-N
Included here are four typed letters signed by MacDonald leading up to that interview, and MacDonald's 5-page response to the 45 interview questions that Vassallo had sent to him.
In the first letter (March, 1981), MacDonald says he gets so many interview requests that he lets the people at Harper & Row decide which he should do ("It is a far cry from the days when I would have had to set fire to myself to get any attention at all.").
In the second letter (November 1981), he thanks Vassallo for the "elegant [Alexander] Calder," apologizes for his delayed acknowledgement caused by medical problems, and offers brief updates on Cinnamon Skin and Nothing Can Go Wrong.
In the third letter (December, 1982), MacDonald thanks Vassallo for a [Jonathan] Valin book (apparently The Lime Pit) and then reacts to Valin's passage "...those books about ageless beach bums who salvage their women's psyches along with the family fortunes aren't doing the world much good..." by saying, in part, "I always expect a cheap shot or two from the critics here and there, but I am a trifle pissed when I come upon one in a novel."
The fourth letter (April 1983) requests that the long-awaited interview take place in writing.
The final letter (May 1983) consists entirely of MacDonald's five pages of answers to Vassallo's 45 questions, fewer than half of which made it into print, the unpublished half touching on MacDonald's thoughts on his characters, the future of reading and publishing, the future of Florida and of U.S.-Mexican relations, among other topics.
Together with MMPI (Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory) assessments of MacDonald's characters McGee and Meyer (both are labeled "Draft"; the McGee is dated 1981): MacDonald says in his interview responses that he took the test as himself, as McGee, and as Meyer, and that a psychologist's interpretations are enclosed.
Also together with the 45 interview questions as submitted to MacDonald, and a photocopy of the USA Today article as published. All items fine but for mailing folds; envelopes included. MacDonald was named a Grandmaster by the Mystery Writers of America, and counted among his fans and admirers such writers as Kurt Vonnegut, Kingsley Amis, Stephen King and Dean Koontz -- not to mention all of the writers of Florida mysteries who have followed in his wake, such as Carl Hiaasen, Randy Wayne White, James Hall and others. His novel The Executioners was made into the film Cape Fear, twice. He gave relatively few interviews, and his papers are housed at the University of Florida. Few autograph items of his have come on the market, and a cache such as this, with considerable unpublished material and providing insight into the author's most well-known character, is virtually unknown.
94. MAILER, Norman. Advertisements for Myself. NY: Putnam (1959). Mailer's fourth major book, a collection of short pieces, some previously published, others not. Inscribed by the author: "To Tom Hayes/ who is the son of a man it is not too hard to work with/ Norman Mailer/ August 1963." With the ownership signature of Harold Hayes, Mailer's editor at Esquire. Spots to foredge and mottling to cloth; very good in a very good dust jacket with fading to the spine lettering, shallow edge wear and light staining to the rear panel. An excellent association copy.
95. MAILER, Norman. Tough Guys Don't Dance. NY: Random House (1984). The uncorrected proof copy of Mailer's foray into the hard-boiled mystery genre. Tears at mid and upper spine; very good in wrappers.
96. MANTEL, Hilary. Wolf Hall. London: Fourth Estate (2009). The advance reading copy of her Booker Prize-winning novel, whose sequel, Bring Up the Bodies, also won the Booker Prize. Wolf Hall also won the National Book Critics Circle Award. A massive advance copy, more than 650 pages; looks to have been read. Upper corner of rear wrapper has been re-attached; rear cover has specs for the Australian market. A very good copy in wrappers. A scarce novel in any sort of advance issue, and one of the most highly praised books of recent years. Mantel's winning of the Booker Prize twice was not unprecedented, but winning it for two consecutive books in a series had never been done before.
97. (MANTEL, Hilary). New Writing 5. (London): Vintage (1996). Includes the story "Ties That Bind" by Mantel, two-time winner of the Man Booker Prize. Also includes work by Murray Bail, A.S. Byatt, Louis de Bernières, Timothy Mo, Julia O'Faolain, William Trevor, Alasdair Gray and others. Trace edge wear, else fine in wrappers.
98. MARTEL, Yann. Life of Pi. (Toronto): Knopf Canada (2001). The uncorrected proof copy of the true first edition of his surprise Booker Prize winning novel, which was made into the 2012 film that won Ang Lee an Academy Award for Best Director. Inscribed by Martel in the year of publication to Greg Gatenby, director of an annual Toronto literary festival: "To Greg, Canadian pillar, Royal Bengal tiger, guardian of culture, with best wishes & gratitude, Yann Martel." Gatenby's ownership signature, light crease to front panel near spine; very near fine in wrappers. A rare proof of a Booker Prize winner, and an excellent inscription and association.
99. MARTEL, Yann. What is Stephen Harper Reading? (Toronto): Vintage Canada (2009). Every two weeks from 2007 to 2011, Yann Martel, author of the Booker Prize-winning Life of Pi, sent Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper a book to read, with an accompanying letter. The first 55 letters are collected in this volume, which is the first English language edition (there was also a French language edition). Martel provides an introduction describing the genesis of the idea and its importance to him. Each of Martel's letters amounts to a book review, often with a political lesson. Also included in the book are the two responses received from Harper's office, neither of which addressed the content of the books or the letters. Signed by Martel in 2009, with a line from his introduction, "If you want to lead, you must read." A later volume, with the full 101 letters, was published in 2012 with the title 101 Letters to a Prime Minister. Tiny spot to front cover; else fine in wrappers.
100. MAUGHAM, W. Somerset. The Moon and Sixpence. London: Heinemann (1919). One of Maugham's most successful and influential novels, loosely based on the life of the artist Paul Gauguin but with autobiographical elements as well: a respected professional leaves his conventional life, and his family, to pursue the life of an artist -- a path that Maugham himself took shortly after writing this book. It was the first novel he published after the success of Of Human Bondage, an autobiographical novel that is still considered one of the high spots of 20th century literature, which established Maugham as a major writer of his generation. This follow-up, also a 20th century high spot, confirmed that place. The Moon and Sixpence has been filmed several times, including a 1959 television movie with Laurence Olivier in the lead role, his first American television appearance, for which he won an Emmy Award. First issue, with four pages of ads at the rear integral, not inserted. Pages browned with age, as is usual with this title. Cloth a bit edge-darkened with trace rubbing to the extremities; near fine in a very good, spine-darkened dust jacket with a few slivers of loss to the spine fold and the front flap fold. A very nice copy of an early Maugham book, which almost never turns up in dust jacket.
101. MAUGHAM, W. Somerset. Cakes and Ale. London: Heinemann (1930). One of Maugham's major novels, a comedy about hypocrisy and literary fame, featuring a writer based on Thomas Hardy and his good-natured wife Rosie. In a 1958 interview, Maugham said it was his favorite of all his novels. A significant association copy, inscribed by the author to his longtime companion and later his adopted son: "For Alan Searle from his friend W. Somerset Maugham/ Oct 6. 1930." Maugham had met Searle in 1928, when Maugham was 54 and Searle was 26; Maugham's partner at the time was Gerald Haxton, and he reportedly alternated between Searle and Haxton until Haxton died in 1944, at which time he settled, at least partially, for Searle. Their relationship continued for the rest of Maugham's life. In 1962, Maugham disowned his biological daughter and adopted Searle and made him his heir. The change in his will was overturned by the courts, but after Maugham died Searle inherited a sum of money, the contents of Maugham's estate, his manuscripts, and the income from his copyrights for the next 30 years. Foxing to edges of text block, else near fine in a very good dust jacket with only modest rubbing to folds, spotting and shelf wear.
102. McCARRY, Charles. The Miernik Dossier. NY: Saturday Review Press (1973). His first novel, a spy thriller that was highly praised for its authenticity: the author worked for the CIA in the 1950s, and his novels set a standard for realism that few writers outside of John Le Carré have approached. This book introduced the character Paul Christopher, who would appear in many of McCarry's stories. Signed by the author. Light corner taps and slight sag to text block; near fine in a near fine dust jacket with fading to the yellow of the spine.
103. McCARTHY, Cormac. All the Pretty Horses. NY: Knopf, 1991. A 1991 advance copy of the first volume of the Border Trilogy, a landmark novel, published in 1992, that won both the National Book Award and the National Book Critics Circle Award and propelled its author to "instant" literary celebrity -- after a quarter century of writing well-received literary novels in relative obscurity. 8 1/2" x 11" bound galleys. The cover sheet is a printed letter from Sonny Mehta at Knopf dated November 20, 1991 and addressed "Dear Bookseller," calling All the Pretty Horses "Cormac's break-through" and "an extraordinary event in American fiction." Mehta continued to promote the novel, issuing regular proofs as well as a collectible boxed advance copy that McCarthy signed, and succeeded in bringing the book and its author the kind of attention that had previously eluded him: All the Pretty Horses sold several times more hardcover copies than all five of McCarthy's previous books combined, and then went on to win the awards mentioned earlier. Covers of cardstock and acetate; a bit of rubbing to the cardstock edges, else fine.
104. McCARTHY, Cormac. The Road. NY: Knopf, 2006. The uncorrected proof copy of his Pulitzer Prize-winning novel, basis for the 2009 film. Fairly uncommon: it appears that far fewer advance copies of this title were distributed than one would expect for a writer of McCarthy's stature. Reading crease to spine; small spots to foredge; near fine in wrappers.
105. McMURTRY, Larry. Desert Rose. NY: Simon & Schuster (1983). The uncorrected proof copy. "Fall 83" written on front cover; slight foxing to edges of cover; near fine in wrappers.
106. (MILLER, Henry). Plea for George Dibbern. 1959. George Dibbern was a German who, disavowing his citizenship, sailed to New Zealand during World War II as a "citizen of the world." He was put in an internment camp there nonetheless, but not before his book, Quest, was published in 1941, catching the attention of Henry Miller in 1945, who took up Dibbern as a cause, writing to him in the camp, urging people to buy the book and to send assistance to Dibbern's wife in Germany, and trying to get Quest re-published, as well as reviewing it himself in Circle magazine in 1946. This item is an offprint of a 1959 article in The New Zealand Herald that tells of Dibbern's ketch Te Rapunga capsizing in hurricane seas and being towed to shore by a Japanese ship. Stamped on one of the photos is "Henry Miller/ Big Sur, California" and "Emil White," beneath the hand-lettered (in red), "SOS." Folded to fit in a printed "The Story of George Dibbern's Quest/ From Henry Miller/ Big Sur, California" envelope, hand-addressed to Oscar Baradinsky (of Alicat Bookshop Press). Miller had the envelopes printed in 1958 for the second edition, twelve years after the first, of reprints of his Circle review of Dibbern's book [Shifreen & Jackson A54b]. Sending this mailing to Baradinsky, Miller was possibly still pushing for re-publication of Quest. Near fine. Scarce ephemeral piece.
107. MOODY, Rick. The Black Veil. Boston: Little Brown (2002). A memoir by the novelist, which won the PEN/Martha Albrand Award for the Art of the Memoir. Inscribed by Moody in 2003 to the author Nicholas Delbanco: "For Nick D/ All admiration and gratitude for your work and for having me to Ann Arbor." Thomas Pynchon provides a dust jacket blurb on the front flap. Upper corners tapped, else fine in a fine dust jacket.
108. MORRIS, Wright. The Deep Sleep. NY: Scribner, 1953. An early novel by Morris, who was a two-time winner of the National Book Award, among many other honors. Inscribed by the author: "This book is for Irene who caused a deep sleep to fall on Adam. Wright/ The Booth Place/ July 1955." The recipient was a college student who worked as an au pair for a couple who were friends of Morris. When Morris would visit, which he did regularly, he would bring a book for Irene, inscribed to her, often with a joke or some reference to the text in the inscription. Tiny tears to the lower margins of two inner pages, else fine in a very good dust jacket with small crown and corner chips and rubbing to the front panel and the folds.
109. MORRIS, Wright. The Huge Season. NY: Viking (1954). An early book by Morris, which was a finalist for the National Book Award. Inscribed by the author: "For Irene who knows her Morris/ Wright/ June 23, 1956." Mild spine bump and minor spotting to boards; near fine in a very good, spine-sunned dust jacket with moderate edge wear. Uncommon signed.
110. MORRIS, Wright. The Field of Vision. NY: Harcourt Brace (1956). A novel, his first National Book Award winner (of two). Inscribed by the author: "'Sounds like another touchdown, Irene,' he said, just the way McKee would have said it. [Signed as] yr. Uncle Dudley McKee." A play on words and characters: "My Uncle Dudley" was the title of Morris's first novel; McKee is the main character of this one. Irene's signature in pencil on the front flyleaf with the inscription and a few of her marginal comments in text. Near fine in a very good dust jacket with the National Book Award Prize Winner sticker on the front panel.
111. MORRIS, Wright. Love Among the Cannibals. NY: Harcourt Brace (1957). Inscribed by the author: "Baby, cannibelle, I fear it's true something called LOVE is eating you/ yr. favorite song writer/ Wright/ May 10, 1958." A finalist for the National Book Award -- an unprecedented accomplishment for an American novelist: three consecutive books, in the span of three years, that were finalists for the NBA, with one winning the award. His next book, in 1960, would also be nominated. Irene's signature in pencil on the front flyleaf with the inscription. Light offsetting to the pastedowns; near fine in a very good dust jacket with slight wear to the edges and folds. A Time magazine review of the book is laid in.
112. (MUHAMMAD ALI). HAUSER, Thomas. Muhammad Ali. His Life and Times. NY: Simon & Schuster (1991). The biography of the boxer, who became an iconic figure of social activism and African-American pride during the 1960s, when his controversial stance against the Vietnam War made him one of the most famous Americans to come out publicly against the war, and helped precipitate the growth of the antiwar movement in the next several years. Written by an award-winning journalist with the cooperation of Ali. Signed by Muhammad Ali ("Muhammad") on a publisher-supplied bookplate the front free endpaper. Fine in a fine dust jacket.
113. (Native American). Women of Sweetgrass, Cedar and Sage. NY: Gallery of the American Indian Community House (1985). The catalog of this exhibition of contemporary art by Native American women curated by Harmony Hammond and Jaune Quick-to-See Smith. A wide-ranging exhibition including artists in a variety of media, from photography and painting to basketmaking, quilting, clay and silver, to beads and mixed media. Covers rubbed; very good in wrappers.
114. (Native American). BURNS, Diane. Riding the One-Eyed Ford. NY: Contact II, 1984. Second printing of her first book: poetry by a writer of Chemehuevi/Anishinabe descent. First published in 1981. Ownership signature on endpaper. Slight spine sunning; else fine in stapled wrappers.
115. (Native American). DURHAM, Jimmie. Columbus Day. (Minneapolis): West End Press (1983). A collection by a Cherokee writer, subtitled "Poems, Drawing and Stories about American Indian Life and Death in the Nineteen-Seventies." Covers rubbed; near fine in wrappers.
116. (Native American). ERDRICH, Louise. Original Fire. (NY): HarperCollins (2003). The advance reading copy of this collection of selected and new poems. Signed by the author. Fine in wrappers. An uncommon advance issue, and a scarce title signed in any issue or format.
117. (Native American). ERDRICH, Louise. The Red Convertible. (NY): HarperCollins (2009). The uncorrected proof copy of her first collection of short stories, including six previously unpublished stories. Signed by the author. Cocked, with a bit of sticker residue to the lower rear cover; near fine in wrappers. An uncommon proof and an uncommon title signed.
118. (Native American). ERDRICH, Louise. Shadow Tag. (NY): Harper (2010). The advance reading copy of this novel. Signed by the author. Fine in self-wrappers, with a copy of the flyer from a book signing laid in.
119. (Native American). ERDRICH, Louise. The Round House. (NY): HarperCollins (2002). The advance reading copy of her most recent novel, which won the National Book Award. Fine in wrappers. An uncommon advance issue; publishers seem to be printing and distributing fewer of the giveaways than they did in the era of Erdrich's early books in the 1980s and early '90s.