Holiday List, G-J
81. GADDIS, William. JR. NY: Knopf, 1975. Uncorrected proof copy of his second novel, published twenty years after his first and winner of the National Book Award. This copy is inscribed by the author "with best regards." A scarce proof, especially signed.
82. GARCÍA MÁRQUEZ, Gabriel. La Hojarasca. BogotÁ: Ediciones S.L.B., 1955. First edition of the Nobel Prize winner's first book, a short novel published in the U.S. as Leaf Storm. Set in the fictional town of Macondo, where much of his later fiction takes place, the book covers three boom-and-bust decades in the town's history. The "leaf storm" of the title refers to the human "trash" which is blown into town in prosperity and out at decline. An extraordinarily scarce and important title in the modern history of Latin American literature. Although the colophon indicates 4000 copies were printed, they were retrieved from the printer only as they were paid for and this was irregularly at best over the course of several years. It is assumed that eventually unpaid-for copies were either pulped or otherwise lost. The rarity of the book and García's own statements--he has been quoted as saying that prior to the success of One Hundred Years of Solitude none of his books had sold more than 700 copies--support such a scenario. The endpapers and page edges have some light foxing, the covers have some minor rubbing and creasing; very good in self-wraps.
83. GARCÍA MÁRQUEZ, Gabriel. MANUSCRIPT of "Rosas Artificiales." Original manuscripts, two drafts: seven typewritten pages of an early draft, ribbon copy on legal size paper, and six typewritten pages, ribbon copy, on letter-size sheets. Substantive differences between the two versions, with different opening sentences and a name change for the major character. The different drafts give explicit access to the author's work as it developed and changed, and provide excellent raw material for a scholarly study and analysis of the author's writing. An early García MÁrquez manuscript, dating from the late Fifties, when he was still working as a newspaper reporter. Pages browning with age, and with paper clip rust marks but still very good. We are only aware of four García MÁrquez manuscripts ever coming on the market, only two of which were present in multiple drafts; this is one of the two. Unique.
84. GARCÍA MÁRQUEZ, Gabriel. El Coronel No Tiene Quien Le Escriba. Medellin: Aguirre (1961). His rare second book, a novella about a retired colonel who waits in vain for his pension, published in the U.S. as No One Writes to the Colonel and, as such, his first book published outside of Latin America. Rubbing and light chipping to spine folds, otherwise a near fine copy in wrappers.
85. GARCÍA MÁRQUEZ, Gabriel. La Mala Hora. Madrid: Premio Literario Esso, 1962. His fourth book, winner of the "Esso Literary Prize" and thus published by Esso Colombiana, S.A.--i.e., Standard Oil Company of Colombia. One of 5000 copies printed but far fewer sold; reportedly fewer than 700 copies. Wrappers rubbed, with vertical creasing near the spine fold; some restoration to the spine; otherwise very good. Inscribed by the author in 1993. One of the nicer copies we have seen of this title.
86. GARCÍA MÁRQUEZ, Gabriel. Cien Años de Soledad. Buenos Aires: Sudamericana, 1967. First edition of his masterwork, one of the most important novels of the century, which introduced "magical realism" to a wide audience and helped bring the "boom" in Latin American literature to this country when it was published in the U.S. in 1970. At the end of the 1970's this book was voted by the editors of The New York Times Book Review to be not only the best book published in the last ten years but the one most likely to still be read and to still be important one hundred years hence. García Márquez has since been awarded the Nobel Prize, among countless other literary awards. Near fine in wrappers and inscribed by the author. A true high spot of Twentieth Century world literature and exceedingly uncommon signed.
87. -. Same title, the uncorrected proof copy of the first American edition (NY: Harper & Row, 1970). An extremely fragile pad-bound proof, and thus exceedingly scarce: we have only seen two other copies in the last dozen years or more. Yellow covers slightly soiled but a near fine copy still.
88. -. Same title, an advance review copy of the trade edition. Fine in a fine dust jacket, with review slip, photo and promotional material laid in. The dust jacket is in the second state, with a period at the end of the first paragraph. This copy was bought from a reviewer at the time of publication and is, withal, the finest copy we've ever seen of this title. A beautiful copy of a landmark book.
89. -. Same title, the first British edition (London: Cape, 1970). One foredge stain; else fine in a fine dust jacket and inscribed by the author in 1992. Books signed by García MÁrquez--who enjoys Michael Jordan-like celebrity in Latin America, and who declined for many years to travel to the U.S. because of the limits imposed on his travel by the U.S. State Department as a result of his close friendship with Cuba's Fidel Castro--are very scarce.
90. GARCÍA MÁRQUEZ, Gabriel. No One Writes to the Colonel. London: Cape (1971). The first British edition of this collection of stories that combines the contents of his second and fourth books. Fine in a fine dust jacket and inscribed by the author in 1992.
91. GARCÍA MÁRQUEZ, Gabriel. El Amor en los Tiempos del Cólera. (BogotÁ): Editorial La Oveja Negra (1985). Special limited edition of this title, done as a charitable effort to benefit the victims of Colombian mudslides. Apparently bound from the sheets of the deluxe trade edition. One of 1000 copies unnumbered copies with a tipped-in leaf signed by the author and notarized. One microdot to foredge; else fine in a fine dust jacket.
92. GARDNER, John. Dragon, Dragon and Other Tales. (n.p.): (self-published) (n.d.) [c.1965]. The actual first edition of his first children's book, which was eventually brought out by Knopf in 1975. This version was "self-published" by Gardner--he reportedly printed and bound it in an edition of approximately 15 copies. The Knopf book, when it was published, was selected as the New York Times Outstanding Children's Book of the Year. A fragile, unpolished production consisting of stapled 8½" x 11" sheets, printed on rectos only, partly tape-bound into boards, and illustrated by the author. Minor surface soiling, otherwise a very good copy of one of Gardner's scarcest and earliest pieces.
93. GARDNER, John. Grendel. NY: Knopf (1971). Uncorrected proof copy of Gardner's third novel, which many think his best. A retelling of the Beowulf legend from the perspective of the monster, this novel allowed Gardner to incorporate his knowledge as a scholar of old English literature into his contemporary fiction in a way no other of his books did. This proof is in tall wrappers, reproducing page numbers in holograph, amd with the title page and cover reproduced from typescript. This is the only copy of this proof we have ever seen offered on the market. Fine in custom slipcase.
94. GOLDMAN, William. The Princess Bride. NY: HBJ (1973). The novel that formed the basis for the much-loved and successful Rob Reiner movie, and a very scarce book in the hardcover edition. One suspects that this book was difficult for its publisher to "position"--i.e., envision the market for such a tale--resulting in a smaller-than-usual first printing for a Goldman book. Fine in a fine dust jacket and inscribed by the author.
95. GREENE, Graham. England Made Me. London: Heinemann (1951). Reprint, this being the third printing of the Uniform Edition of Greene. Inscribed by the author in 1954: "For _____/ in memory of her first opium/ den, in Bangkok,/ with love/ from Graham" and dated March 5, 1954, in Singapore. Slight rubbing to spine cloth; near fine, lacking the dust jacket. Greene's autobiography, Ways of Escape, recounts his first experiences with opium, which he dates to October, 1951. A rather lengthy section is devoted to his time in Southeast Asia in January and February of 1954, smoking opium in Haiphong, Saigon, Vientiane and elsewhere. An exceptional inscription, suggestive of both Greene's travels and worldliness, and also of the closeness of his relationship with the recipient.
96. GREENE, Graham. The Virtue of Disloyalty. London: Bodley Head (1972). Privately printed in an edition of 300 copies for the author and the publisher, as a Christmas greeting according to Greene's bibliographer, who had not seen a copy. A scarce item under any circumstances, this copy has been inscribed by the author "with love from Graham" at Christmas in the year of publication. Fine.
97. GREENE, Graham. The Return of A.J. Raffles. London: Bodley Head (1975). First edition of this play, based on a character created by E.W. Hornung, brother-in-law to Arthur Conan Doyle. Only issued in wrappers. Inscribed by the author. A fine copy.
98. GRUMBACH, Doris. The Spoil of the Flowers. Garden City: Doubleday, 1962. Her first book, a very scarce title by a writer who has gone on to become one of the most respected authors of her generation. Grumbach has said that her first two books only sold a few hundred copies each, with the remainder of the editions having been destroyed. Near fine in a very good dust jacket rubbed along the folds, and at the spine crown. Inscribed by the author in the year of publication. An uncommon and important first book.
99. HANNAH, Barry. Geronimo Rex. NY: Viking (1972). His first book, which was nominated for the National Book Award and won the William Faulkner Prize. Inscribed by the author to Seymour Lawrence in 1987: "For Sam Lawrence,/ My great publisher/ and friend. Long may/ you reign -- Barry Hannah." An excellent association: Lawrence became Hannah's publisher in the mid-1980's, and Hannah stayed with him until Lawrence died. One of his later books, Never Die, was dedicated to Lawrence. Top edges faded, shadow front pastedown; else near fine in a near fine dust jacket tanned at the top edge.
100. HARDY, Thomas. Song of the Soldiers. (n.p.): Hove, 1914. The first separate appearance of this poem, first published in The Times on September 9th and reprinted by Hove the following week. Folio; fine. Scarce.
101. HARRISON, Jim. AUTOGRAPH LETTER SIGNED written on the back of Sergei Yesenin 1895-1925. (n.p.): Sumac Press (n.d.) [c.1971]. Cardstock broadside poem, 6" x 9", memorializing Yesenin. This is the first poem in Harrison's collection Letters to Yesenin. This copy bears the handwritten notation "1 of 33 handset," making it one of the rarest of Harrison's "A" items. It is signed by the author and additionally inscribed by him to one of his publishers: "to Jim [Randall]/ with affection." On the verso of the poem, Harrison has written a short, chatty letter to Randall which touches on several personal and literary issues: ...I finally got over that colitis with a 6 week bland no booze diet. What suffering! ... Berryman on ice. Also Patchen. That generation (D. Schwartz, Roethke, Jarrell) is moving away much too fast & sadly." He goes on to ask Randall for publishing advice: "Would you have time to send me a minimal paragraph on how you put together those pamphlets? We have one or two we want to put out..." Signed, "Yrs/ Jim." Randall was the owner of the Pym-Randall Press, in Cambridge, Massachusetts, which published Harrison's second book, Walking, in a limited edition of 126 copies in 1967. Together with the original Sumac Press mailing envelope, addressed in Harrison's hand and postmarked in January, 1972. A rare Harrison "A" item, and an excellent association.
102. HARRISON, Jim. Letters to Yesenin. Fremont: Sumac (1973). One of 1000 copies in wrappers of this poetry collection, of 1126 copies total. One of the most difficult of Harrison's titles to find in any edition. This copy is inscribed by Harrison to poet Gary Snyder, "with love and my deepest respects." Very light rubbing to wrappers but still a near fine copy. An excellent literary association.
103. HARRISON, Jim. The Woman Lit By Fireflies. Boston: Houghton Mifflin/Seymour Lawrence, 1990. The publisher's copy of this novel, in a custom binding: leatherbound with raised bands, gilt stamping, top edge gilt and marbled endpapers. In all likelihood, one of two such copies prepared--the other would have gone to Harrison. We have never seen or heard of another copy coming on the market. Fine.
104. HEINLEIN, Robert. Waldo and Magic, Inc. Garden City: Doubleday, 1950. Two novellas by Heinlein, an early and important title by the author of Stranger in a Strange Land and Starship Troopers, among many others. Very near fine in a near fine, spine-tanned dust jacket with light wear at the crown--a very nice copy of this book: Doubleday books from this era are notorious for being poorly made and usually turn up in poor condition.
105. HEMINGWAY, Ernest. The Spanish Earth. Cleveland: Savage, 1938. One of 1000 numbered copies of the first edition. Covers very slightly bowed, otherwise this is a fine copy of the second issue, with plain endpapers and a note from Hemingway that does not appear in the first issue. The first issue is exceptionally scarce, having been estimated at between 50 and 100 copies. It seldom shows up on the market now.
106. (HEMINGWAY, Ernest). McNEIL, Morris and apparently Ernest HEMINGWAY. Hokum. Wellesley Hills: Sans Souci Press (1978). One of 73 hors commerce copies, bound in off-white buckram in a green dust jacket, but apparently lacking the green slipcase (according to the colophon). This was printed from a manuscript found long after Hemingway died, and constitutes his first known book, written in 1920-21, two years before the publication of Three Stories and Ten Poems. Fine.
107. HILLERMAN, Tony. The Ghostway. (San Diego): Dennis McMillan, 1984. Of 300 numbered copies of the true first edition (preceding the trade edition by several months), this is an unnumbered copy signed and additionally inscribed by Hillerman to the publisher, Dennis McMillan: "For Dennis,/ who is responsible/ for all this./ Tony Hillerman." An excellent association copy, perhaps the best one possible for this title. Fine in a fine dust jacket. Unique.
108. HILLERMAN, Tony. The Dark Wind. NY: Harper & Row (1982). The second mystery featuring Jim Chee of the Navajo Tribal Police, and part of a series that has been highly praised for its authentic depiction of Navajo culture and has helped instigate a host of other mystery series that explore far flung places and cultures that would normally not be the settings for popular fiction. Fine in a fine dust jacket and inscribed by the author.
109. HIMES, Chester. The Quality of Hurt. Garden City: Doubleday, 1972. Review copy of the autobiography of this important African American expatriate writer, whose series of hard-boiled crime novels set in Harlem used the genre to explore and reveal the little-known aspects of the black culture of postwar Harlem in much the same way that Walter Mosley's recent novels have done for the black subculture of postwar Los Angeles. Fine in a near fine dust jacket and signed by the author. Because Himes lived most of his adult life in France, books signed by him are relatively uncommon.
110. HOAGLAND, Edward. The Courage of Turtles. NY: Random House (1970). The first collection of essays by the writer whom John Updike called the finest essayist of his generation. This is an advance review copy; inscribed by the author. Fine in a fine dust jacket with a small degree of spine-fading. Review slip laid in with a January 1971 publication date. In our experience, the most elusive of his essay collections.
111. HUXLEY, Aldous. Brave New World. London: Chatto & Windus, 1932. The limited edition of Huxley's most famous novel, a classic dystopia whose very title has entered the language as a synonym for technological horror--in particular the unanticipated negative side effects of technological advancement. Huxley satirizes trends in modern society, extrapolating and exaggerating them to an absurd and horrifying extreme. One of 324 copies in yellow buckram with a blue morocco spine label. Spine mildly tanned; else fine with a replacement acetate dust jacket. One of the most important works of mainstream speculative fiction.
112. IRVING, John. The Water-Method Man. NY: Random House (1972). The uncorrected proof copy of Irving's second book. Publication information written on the front cover and a label removal shadow at the lower edges; light spine crease; near fine in wrappers. A very uncommon proof, preceding his breakthrough novel, The World According to Garp, by six years..
113. JOYCE, James. Anna Livia Plurabelle. NY: Crosby Gaige, 1928. One of 800 copies of this limited edition excerpt from Joyce's massive "Work in Progress," signed by Joyce. Corners a bit bumped, and a touch of fraying to the cloth at the spine extremities; near fine.
114. JOYCE, James. Epiphanies. (n.p.): University of Buffalo, 1956. A small, attractively printed volume, published posthumously. Of a total edition of 550 numbered copies, this is copy #1. Foxing to top edge; else fine without dust jacket.