Catalog 99, S-U
300. SALTER, James. Burning the Days. NY: Random House (1997). The uncorrected proof copy of Salter's memoir, published last year to extraordinary critical praise. Salter has been praised as a "writer's writer"; various authors have credited him with being the single most accomplished prose stylist in contemporary American literature. His collection of stories, Dusk, won the PEN/Faulkner Award. Fine in wrappers.
301. SANCHEZ, Sonia. It's a New Day. Detroit: Broadside Press (1971). An early publication by this African-American poet. Fine in stapled wrappers.
302. SCHWARTZ, John Burnham. Reservation Road. NY: Knopf, 1998. The uncorrected proof copy of the author's highly praised second novel. Fine in plain printed wrappers. Considerably scarcer than the advance reading copy in pictorial wrappers.
303. -. Same title, the advance reading copy. Fine in wrappers.
304. SCHWARTZ, Lynne Sharon. Typed Letter Signed. February 19, 1986. A lengthy letter to another writer, commenting favorably on his latest novel, which she had just read. Folded in sixths for mailing; near fine. A nice letter, with good literary content.
305. SCHWARTZ, Lynne Sharon. Typed Letter Signed. October 31, 1987. A short letter to another writer, thanking him for his comments on her book, declining to submit anything to a literary magazine, and recommending a friend and fellow writer as a possible contributor. Folded in sixths for mailing; otherwise fine.
306. (SENDAK, Maurice). TOLSTOY, Leo. Nikolenka's Childhood. NY: Pantheon (1963). A story by Tolstoy, illustrated by Sendak and inscribed by Sendak with an original drawing in 1971. Fine in pictorial boards, without dust jacket, presumably as issued (the reinforced binding appears to be the kind designated for libraries in that era, which were typically issued without dust jackets).
307. (SENDAK, Maurice). MELVILLE, Herman. Pierre. (n.p.): HarperCollins (1995). The "Kraken Edition" of Melville's work, edited by Hershel Parker, with pictures by Maurice Sendak, and signed by both Sendak and Parker. The text is a reconstruction by Parker, a noted Melville scholar, of Melville's original version, before he inserted the section of the book that deals with "Pierre as Author" and comprises an attack on American literary life and the publishing business, in the wake of the negative reviews that Moby Dick was receiving at the time. Fine in a fine dust jacket.
308. SETTLE, Mary Lee. Blood Tie. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1977. Her National Book Award winner which, unlike her many historical novels, is a contemporary story set on a remote Turkish island. Two pages apparently cancels; fine in a very near fine dust jacket. Inscribed by the author.
309. SHAW, Irwin. Typed Note Signed. January 20, 1981. Corresponding from Switzerland with another writer, Shaw reports that he hasn't received his correspondent's latest novel but "if you have it air-mailed to me at the above address I'll read it promptly." He goes on to say "I have a new novel coming out in August and am sweating it out. In the meantime, I'm collecting my thoughts for a new one--which will be my twelfth novel. Good luck to both of us." A few diagonal wrinkles; near fine.
310. SONTAG, Susan. Typed Note Signed. February 17, 1986. A short, but interesting, note to another writer. In part: "Thanks for sending your piece on the PEN circus. It's almost the only thing I've read on the subject with which I agree." She goes on to comment: "The Mailer story, all of it, is even worse than you intimate. Crazier, more squalid. I'm trying hard to get it out of my head." Signed in full, after which the last name has been whited out. Folded in thirds for mailing; else fine.
311. STAFFORD, Jean. The Collected Stories of Jean Stafford. NY: FSG (1969). A review copy of her Pulitzer Prize-winning collection. Inscribed by the author as "A Grateful Frie(n*)d" with the "n" inserted afterward into the word "Fried" and an asterisk pointing to her comment "She was [fried] at the time." Stafford had a reputation as a heavy drinker over the years. A fine copy in a very near fine dust jacket with two slight edge nicks. An important collection and very scarce inscribed or as a review copy, let alone both.
312. STEINBECK, John. The Pearl. NY: Viking, 1947. The first issue of this short novel, with the photograph of Steinbeck looking to the left. Mild, blended dampstaining to rear board, which is barely visible on the verso of the jacket as well; near fine in a near fine dust jacket. An attractive copy.
313. STEINBECK, John. Burning Bright. NY: Viking, 1950. One of the scarcer books from the latter period of Steinbeck's career. This book had a 15,000 copy first printing. Fine in a near fine dust jacket with some fading to the orange on the spine.
314. STEINBECK, John. The Log from The Sea of Cortez. NY: Viking (1951). The narrative portion of Steinbeck's earlier volume, The Sea of Cortez, together with a previously unpublished prefatory section, "About Ed Ricketts" Ricketts having been the scientist with whom Steinbeck took his trip, and who wrote the scientific portion of the earlier book. Small smudge to bottom page edges and a tiny bump to the top board edge; very near fine in a very good, spine-faded dust jacket with a few closed tears that are internally tape-repaired and one shallow, razored chip at the lower front panel.
315. STEINBECK, John. Travels with Charley. NY: Viking, 1962. One of Steinbeck's last books, published the year he won the Nobel Prize, a touching memoir of his travels with his dog, "in search of America." One tiny spot to the cloth; very near fine in a very good dust jacket: spine-tanned and mildly spotted but without chips or edge tears.
316. STONE, Robert. Damascus Gate. Franklin Center: Franklin Library, 1998. The limited edition of the latest novel by the author of the National Book Award-winning Dog Soldiers, among others. A densely plotted political and metaphysical thriller set in contemporary Jerusalem, and a finalist for this year's National Book Award. Signed by the author. With a special introduction by Stone for this edition. Leatherbound, all edges gilt, with a silk ribbon marker bound in. Fine.
317. -. Same title, the trade edition (Boston/NY: Houghton Mifflin, 1998). Fine in a fine dust jacket and signed by the author.
318. STYRON, William. A Tidewater Morning. NY: Random House (1993). The uncorrected proof copy of this book by the author of Lie Down in Darkness, the National Book Award-winning Sophie's Choice, and the Pulitzer Prize-winning The Confessions of Nat Turner. Three tales derived from his youth, and his first published fiction in a decade. Fine in wrappers, and signed by the author.
319. TAYLOR, Peter. The Old Forest and Other Stories. Garden City: Doubleday/Dial, 1985. Winner of the PEN/Faulkner Award. Very near fine in like dust jacket, with an invitation to a screening of the film made from the title story laid in.
320. THEROUX, Alexander. An Adultery. NY: Simon & Schuster (1987). The uncorrected proof copy of his third novel. Reportedly there are a number of differences in the text between this and the final published book. Fine in wrappers.
321. THEROUX, Paul. O-Zone. Franklin Center: Franklin Library, 1986. The first edition, a limited edition in full leather, all edges gilt, with a special introduction by Theroux. Signed by the author. Corners bumped; thus near fine.
322. THEROUX, Paul. Kowloon Tong. Franklin Center: Franklin Library, 1988. The limited edition of his most recent novel, set in Hong Kong at the time of its reunification with China. A book whose publication created controversy when some asserted that the Chinese protagonist of the novel was portrayed unsympathetically and in racist stereotypes. Signed by the author, with a special introduction by him for this edition. Leatherbound, all edges gilt, with a silk ribbon marker bound in. Fine.
323. THOMPSON, Hunter S. The Proud Highway. NY: Villard (1997). The advance reading copy of Volume One of "The Fear and Loathing Letters," printing Thompson's letters from 1955-1967. One of a reported 150 copies signed (initialed) by the author, who added an individual flourish to each one in this case, the flourish being simply elaborated "tails" at the end of his signature and the underlining. Fine in wrappers.
324. -. Another copy, also initialed by the author, but with the "H" becoming a snake and the "S" becoming "sssssssssss," the hiss of the snake. Spine crown bumped; else fine in wrappers.
325. THOMPSON, Hunter S. The Rum Diary. (NY): Simon & Schuster (1998). His latest book, subtitled "The Long Lost Novel," apparently written in Puerto Rico in 1959. Fine in a fine dust jacket. One of an unspecified number of copies signed by the author on a tipped-in bookplate.
326. THORNTON, Lawrence. Imagining Argentina. NY: Doubleday, 1987. His first book, a magical realist novel about the "dirty war" in Argentina, in which thousands of people "disappeared" and turned that word into a transitive verb. Winner of the PEN/Hemingway Award. Fine in a fine dust jacket.
327. TILGHMAN, Christopher. Mason's Retreat. NY: Random House (1996). The hardcover advance edition of his well-received second book. Fine in a fine dust jacket, which differs from that of the trade edition jacket, and publisher's sealed wraparound tissue wrapper (a few creases and nicks).
328. TRILLING, Lionel. Typed Note Signed. November 3, 1973. 5 1/2" x 8 1/2". A short note to another writer, thanking him for sending a copy of his latest book. Fine.
329. TYLER, Anne. Searching for Caleb. NY: Knopf, 1976. Sixth novel by the author of The Accidental Tourist and the Pulitzer Prize-winning Breathing Lessons. Remainder mark and minor foredge foxing; near fine in a near fine, spine-tanned dust jacket with the price lowered in ink on the front flap and tiny holes on both flap folds. Still, an attractive copy of a now-scarce novel, published before the days when Tyler's books automatically commanded six-figure first printings.
330. UPDIKE, John. Bech is Back. NY: Knopf, 1982. The limited edition of the second of his humorous books featuring writer Henry Bech, an Updike alter-ego. The first Bech book, published in 1970, was a National Book Award nominee. One of 500 copies signed by the author. Fine in a fine dust jacket and slipcase.
331. (UPDIKE, John). The Best American Short Stories 1984. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1984. The uncorrected proof copy of this annual collection, this volume selected and with an introduction by John Updike. With stories by Andre Dubus, Paul Bowles, Madison Smartt Bell, Mavis Gallant, Joyce Carol Oates, Cynthia Ozick, Norman Rush and James Salter, among others. Spine-sunned, crown bumped; about near fine in wrappers.