Catalog 170

NY, Norton, (2018). The advance reading copy of his latest novel, in which a group of related human stories are cast in a context defined by trees, which have a longer timeline for their lives, and a different scale of concerns. Powers takes a number of characters, some based on recognizable individuals -- one is derived in part from Julia Butterfly Hill, the tree-sitting eco-activist, another from a quadriplegic PLATO programmer who designed that early computer network's most popular interactive multi-user game -- and records their stories in the context of the trees they encounter and are involved with. The trees, on their part, have characteristics taken from the latest scientific understanding of trees and forests, much of which can be found in Peter Wollheben's The Hidden Life of Trees. The sections of the book are named after the parts of trees -- Roots, Trunk, Crown, and Seeds -- and, taking his cue from the understory of forests, where much of what happens is at a human scale, Powers coins a word for his title to describe the place where what happens is on an entirely different scale from that of humans. Bill McKibben, the environmental activist, wrote: "Richard Powers manages to turn trees into vivid and engaging characters, something that indigenous people have done for eons but that modern literature has rarely if ever even attempted." Very near fine in wrappers. Uncommon in the advance issue. [#033354] SOLD

NY/London, Farrar Straus Giroux/Virago, (2015). Two advance copies of this collection of essays: the American advance reading copy, signed by Robinson, and a hybrid advance copy that uses American sheets bound into Virago wrappers as a British proof copy. This was Robinson's ninth book after four books of fiction and four books of nonfiction, which together brought her a Pulitzer Prize, two National Book Critic Circle Awards, and an Orange Prize. Robinson, who was interviewed by President Obama in 2015, also received a 2012 National Humanities Medal from the President. The U.S. arc is fine in wrappers; the U.K. hybrid is fine, but fragile: the perfect binding is not of the highest caliber. A Virago press release is laid in. [#033487] SOLD

(Colorado Springs), Gauntlet, 2007. The fourth volume (of ten total) of The Complete Twilight Zone Scripts of Rod Serling, edited by Tony Albarella. This is Copy No. 291 of 750 copies and is signed by Carol Sterling. A monumental tribute to a ground-breaking television writer, who won six Emmy Awards and consistently challenged his industry to pursue higher standards. In today's "golden age" of quality television productions, The Twilight Zone looms larger than ever as a seminal influence, and an example of TV that could educate and inspire as well as entertain. Light corner tap; near fine in a very near fine dust jacket with only mild foxing on the verso. [#033488] SOLD

(Willimantic), (Mark V. Ziesing), (1988). A presentation copy of the limited edition. According to a colophon stamped on the front flyleaf, the first 300 copies were specially bound and signed and numbered. This copy is unnumbered ("PC") but is additionally stamped "Presentation Copy." Signed by Shepard and by J.K. Potter, who did the jacket illustration. Stanley Wiater's Gahan Wilson-designed bookplate on the front pastedown; near fine in a very good dust jacket. A nice association copy; Wiater worked on a book of J. K. Potter's photographs that was ultimately never published. [#033209] SOLD

(n.p.), (n.p.), 2006. An "artist's proof" for a limited edition print of the iconic artwork used on the dust jacket of Hunter Thompson's Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas. Inscribed by Steadman in 2006. Note that Steadman drew this scene with the driver on the British side: Random House had to reverse the art for publication. Approximately 28" x 20". A handful of Steadman-esque stains, thus near fine; attractively matted and framed. We believe the edition was intended to be 100, although it appears to be more scarce than that figure would suggest. [#033230] SOLD

NY, Holt Rinehart Winston, (1983). A collection of previously published articles, with two new pieces. Warmly inscribed by the author to her friend and upstairs neighbor, Mary Ann Madden, known for editing the wordplay competitions in New York Magazine from the late 1960s forward, overlapping with Steinem's start at contributing articles there, about Jackie Kennedy, women's liberation, and Nixon. The inscription reads: "For Mary Ann -- who has lived through most of this, including typewriter sounds -- and is the best kind of family./ With love & gratitude, Gloria." Laid in is an autograph note signed: "Dearest Mary Ann - Thank you for your vigilance and help. Call when you're up. (I'll be in & out - but in between 6 & 8 definitely.)/ love, love/ Gloria." A few spots to foredge and endpages, light spine crease; near fine in a fine dust jacket. [#033398] SOLD

[Boston], [Houghton Mifflin], [1974]. The photocopied typescript of Stone's second novel, winner of the National Book Award and one of the best novels to link the impact of the Vietnam war on American society in the Sixties to the dark side of that era -- the official corruption and the underside of the drug experiences of a generation. Bearing the [now crossed out] working title: Skydiver Devoured By Starving Birds. The title appears in a scene in the novel; it also appears in Stone's memoir, in an account of his time working for a tabloid newspaper where the writers were given headlines made up by other writers and had to create stories around them. The one time it appeared in print was in the excerpt from Dog Soldiers that appeared in the newsprint literary magazine, Fiction, in 1973. Stone's piece was called "Starving Birds" and at the end was identified as being from "Skydiver Devoured by Starving Birds." According to a 1987 letter of provenance, this copy was generated by the publisher and sent to the Book of the Month Club for early consideration for possible book club adoption. The pages bear, at the bottom, a torn Book of the Month Club filing sticker. 318 pages, plus cover sheet. The cover sheet and the letter of provenance are each signed by Robert Stone. The quality of the paper varies: several sheets have the blue tone of a mimeo. Near fine or better, in the bottom half of a manuscript box and the folding cardstock case of the Book of the Month Club, at this point more artifactual than protective. As far as we can tell, a unique copy of this award-winning novel, the basis for the highly regarded film Who'll Stop the Rain? [#033357] $1,500

(NY), Riverhead, 2017. The uncommon advance reading copy of this highly praised and controversial first novel. Fine in wrappers. [#033399] SOLD

(n.p.), Palaemon Press, (1982). "A sort of story, a sort of play, a sort of dream." Copy No. 30 of 100 copies offered for sale (of a total edition of 140), signed by the author. Fine in saddle-stitched wrappers and fine dust jacket. [#033489] SOLD

Garden City, Doubleday/Dial, 1985. Signed by the author. A collection of stories, published with a first printing of 6000 copies and winner of the PEN/Faulkner Award, the first major national award Taylor's fiction had earned in nearly four decades of writing, during which time his reputation among writers was exalted but his popular recognition was largely limited to the South. Taylor's next book, the novel A Summons to Memphis, won the 1987 Pulitzer Prize for fiction. Trace spotting to top edge; else fine in a fine dust jacket. [#033490] SOLD

NY, Frederic C. Bell, (1986). A play, a version of which first appeared in The Kenyon Review. Published here with a preface by the author, and signed by Taylor. Fine in cardboard slipcase, as issued. [#033491] SOLD

Boston, Houghton Mifflin, 2005. The advance reading copy. Inscribed by Theroux to Edward Hoagland in 2006. Slight splaying to covers; near fine in wrappers. [#033492] SOLD

NY, Simon & Schuster, (2004). The uncorrected proof copy of this collection of Thompson's ESPN website columns, including some previously unpublished ones, making this proof their first appearance in print. Dating from a point in time when publishers were migrating their advance and promotional materials into digital formats, this proof appears scarcer than the proofs of Thompson's earlier books over the last couple of decades. A couple of faint, stray marks to the upper front cover; very near fine in wrappers. [#033358] SOLD

NY, Knopf, 1985. A collection of poetry. Inscribed by the author: "For Ted Hoagland/ with high regard and warm regards/ John." Hoagland and Updike were classmates at Harvard, in the class of 1954, and Hoagland had more early success publishing than Updike did: Hoagland's first novel was published in 1956 and won the prestigious Houghton Mifflin Literary Fellowship Award. Updike's first book came out two years later, a collection of poems, and it wasn't until his novel Rabbit, Run, in 1960, that he began to have the kind of critical and commercial success that he then enjoyed for the rest of his life. Laid into this book is a one-page program for a 2009 American Academy of Arts and Letters members meeting, which lists a tribute to John Updike, who died in January of 2009. The program is folded in fourths; the book has previously dampened boards and is very good in a fine dust jacket. [#033493] SOLD

NY, Knopf, 1994. Inscribed by the author to Edward Hoagland: "For Ted/ a new trip for you/ warm regards as always, John." A nice association. Fine in a near fine, spine-faded dust jacket. [#033494] SOLD

NY, Knopf, 1994. A collection of short stories, many of them related in some way to the death of the author's mother. Inscribed by the author to Edward Hoagland: "For Ted/ fellow '54er and traveller on the road of prose/ warm regards, John." Both Updike and Hoagland graduated from Harvard in 1954. Updike famously called Hoagland "the best essayist of my generation." A nice association copy. One spot to the top stain, else fine in a very near fine, spine-sunned dust jacket. [#033495] SOLD

Greenwich, Fawcett, (1961). The author's third book, a paperback original with stories that, with one exception, were later collected in Welcome to the Monkey House, in 1968. The inside cover has both a bookstore stamp and the stamp of another author. Age toning to pages; light spotting and creasing; price inked out on front cover. Very good in wrappers. [#033496] SOLD

[Boston], Little Brown, [1996]. A two-sided broadside issued by Little Brown as an "Author Showcase," apparently to coincide with the publication of Infinite Jest. One side is an excerpt from Infinite Jest, with two small grammatical changes from the published version. The second side has reviews of the book (by Jeffrey Eugenides, Rick Moody, Mark Childress, and others), a brief author bio, and the first printed appearance of an essay that appeared on the publisher's website, was later published in Fiction Writer in 1998, and collected in book form as part of the essay "The Nature of the Fun," in Both Flesh and Not in 2012. Eight words from this broadside were dropped in the published version. 8 1/2' x 14". Folded in fourths, by design, such that only the side with the Jest excerpt flows from top to bottom when opened. Uncommon ephemeral promotional item, and bibliographically significant in a way that most such items usually are not. Fine. [#033497] SOLD

NY, Atheneum, 1968. An advance copy, in the form of bound signatures, of Watson's somewhat controversial account of his discovering the double helix structure of DNA in 1953, with Francis Crick. Both lauded and criticized for its personal, and thus subjective, viewpoint, The Double Helix was slated to be published by Harvard until some of the principals objected; it was then brought out by Atheneum. It contains both a prologue and an epilogue in which the author attempts to distance himself from some of the immediate impressions conveyed in the narrative. The book was a bestseller and in 1998, it was listed at number 7 of the Modern Library's nonfiction books of the century. Signed by Watson. Sewn signatures, bound into the red endpapers; modest creasing to the covers; near fine. Cameo appearance by John Steinbeck in the photograph of Nobel Prize winners in Stockholm in 1962: Watson and Crick for Physiology/Medicine; Steinbeck for Literature. Extremely uncommon in any sort of advance issue, probably because of the publication history cited above. [#033498] SOLD

NY, Norton, (1990). A novel by the Native American poet and novelist. Inscribed by Welch to James Tate: "For Jim/ a little read for those quiet evening hours. Here's to all the good times those many times and the good times to come. Waylon Jennings couldn't have said it better. Love, Jim." From the library of James Tate. Minor foxing to the edges of the text block; near fine in a near fine dust jacket. A nice literary association. [#033312] SOLD

[NY], [The New Yorker], [1925]. White's first book, a collection of humorous advertisements he wrote anonymously for The New Yorker, showing how subscribing to the magazine could offset one's social shortcomings and enhance one's prestige. Short vignettes, each illustrated with photographs White took of a couple, "Sterling and Flora Finny," embodied by mannequins from Wanamaker's department store. Inscribed by White (as "Sterling Finny") to himself: "To E.B. White/ without whose skill with a camera, untiring desire to make money, and patience, I and Flora would still be in Wanamaker's where we belong. - Sterling Finny." Taped to the verso of the title page is a typed note signed "EBW" and dated August 27, 1967, giving the background on the Finny advertisements and on the book, which was put together by the advertising department as a good-will offering to agents and customers, without Harold Ross's knowledge, and with a prologue and epilogue by John Hanrahan (credited in the book only in pencil, by White). A very scarce publication: OCLC locates only seven copies, none of them signed by the author let alone with a humorous inscription/commentary by him, and an explanation of the book's history. We can find only one appearance at auction listed in the online records we reviewed. A thin, hardbound volume: text block separated from the front board, thus a good copy, now housed in a custom clamshell case. The best possible copy of the scarce first book by the great New Yorker essayist and the author of the classic, Charlotte's Web, among many other books. [#033503] $15,000

NY, Harper & Brothers, 1929. White's third book, co-authored with James Thurber, who also provided the illustrations, and for whom it was his first book published. Signed by White on the front flyleaf. White and Thurber had both been hired by The New Yorker in 1927, and their humor helped set the tone for that magazine in its early years. Both authors had long and distinguished literary careers in the decades that followed, with dozens of books published. This title was printed in an edition of only 2500 copies, with this being the (likely) first issue, bound in light green boards. Some handling apparent to boards; minor foxing to page edges and endpages; a very good copy, without dust jacket. Very scarce signed; no signed copies sold at auction in the online records we reviewed. From the library of the White family. Letter of provenance available. [#033505] SOLD

London, Gollancz, 1943. The first British edition of this collection of White's short, inimitable essays -- most from his column in Harper's and a few from The New Yorker. With the ownership signature of Katharine S. White on the front flyleaf. Stained, sunned, and with the spine cloth detaching; a fair copy. Britain had been at war for several years at that point, and the restrictions on wartime publishing dictated that books be produced as cheaply as possible. That this was published at all during the war is a remarkable testament to the British people, and that this copy survived and made it to the U.S. is also remarkable. A unique family association copy -- E. B. White's wife's copy of his book -- from the library of their heirs. A letter of provenance is available. [#033504] $500

[Tokyo], [Kosei Daigaku Shuppankyoku], (1954). The first English-language edition printed in Japan, in June, 1954. Laid in is a note from C.P. Scott to Miss Nordstrom conveying four copies, of the 2000 copies printed, noting that royalty terms are 3% of the retail price. An additional note says three copies were sent to Mr. White, August 3, 1954. Modest sunning, small tears at front hinge; very good in wrappers. From the author's library, via his descendants. [#033507] SOLD

NY, Harper & Brothers, (1962). First thus, the Harper's Modern Classics edition, inscribed by White to his wife: "With love to my modern classical wife/ KSW from EBW." E.B. White and Katharine White were both highly literary authors: Katharine White was both a writer and, for 35 years, the fiction editor of The New Yorker, beginning a few months after the magazine's founding. E.B. White was hired in 1927 and for years wrote "The Talk of the Town" columns, which were published anonymously, as well as contributing his own credited essays. As such, the two represent one of the great American literary couples of the 20th century, and one of the most influential, by virtue of the impact each of them had on The New Yorker, which became the preeminent standard of literary taste and sophistication. This is a collection of White's essays, stories and poems, originally published in 1954, two years after the enormous success of Charlotte's Web. Near fine, without dust jacket. The best possible association copy of this book. [#033506] SOLD

Moscow, [Russian publisher], 1964. An English-language Russian school edition of White's first children's classic. Inscribed to White on behalf of students in School No. 1, Leningrad, Russia: "To Mr E B White from the pupils of School No. 1, Leningrad, who read your book with great interest and pleasure!" Dated January 21, 1975, and with the calling card of the Director of the school laid in, who is also identified as a Member of the Leningrad Peace Committee. On a separate sheet laid into the book is a note in White's hand: "This was brought back from Russia by Scott Nearing and Helen Nearing. They gave it to me. Discovered that it was being used in schools in Leningrad, to teach English." The Nearings, authors of the 1954 back-to-the-land book Living the Good Life, lived about ten miles from White; they had been on a tour of schools, factories, and farms of the USSR and China. Russian stamp on title page; pages acidifying; very good in wrappers. An unusual edition, with highly interesting provenance. From the author's library, via his descendants. [#033508] SOLD

Garden City, Doubleday Page, 1914. E.B. White's copy, signed by White using his full name, "Elwyn B. White." Highly unusual thus. White seldom signed his full name after he reached his 20s, preferring to use "E.B. White," "EBW," or his nickname, "Andy." White was 15 when this book was published, although there is no indication that the signature is from that year. First edition, third state; hinges cracked; staining to boards; a fair copy, lacking the dust jacket. A forgettable copy of the book were it not for White's ownership and his rare signature. [#033510] SOLD

(n.p.), Dutton, 1936. A family association copy, inscribed by E.B. White to his wife: "To my wife Katharine - who flowered right in it./ August 1936." No signature, presumably because none would be needed between the two. Offsetting to endpages, faint edge stain, light general wear; very good, lacking the dust jacket. [#033509] $1,750

NY, (n.p.), 1946. E.B. White's copy of the UN Charter, signed by White on both the front cover and the title page, and with a couple of notations in the first pages of text. White covered the creation of the UN in a number of essays for The New Yorker, from 1943 to 1946. In one history of the UN, White was characterized as "the most droll and brilliant of journalists in favor of world government." White's essays on the subject were collected in his book, The Wild Flag, the only overtly political book he wrote in his career. Wear and loss to the spine ends; very good in wrappers. From the author's own library, via his descendants. [#033511] SOLD

NY, Belmont, (1963). Paperback original: "The weirdest tale that has been published in America since Edgar Allan Poe." Willeford's only short story collection. All of his books were paperback originals until the 1970s; eventually he came to be respected as one of the leading hard-boiled mystery novelists of his time, and an influence on Elmore Leonard and Daniel Woodrell, among others. Stamp of another author inside the front cover; age-toned pages; corner crease front cover. Unread; very good in wrappers. [#033499] SOLD