Uncorrected Proofs/Advance Copies, W-Z
652. WALCOTT, Derek. The Joker of Seville & O Babylon! NY: Farrar, Straus & Giroux (1978). Uncorrected proof copy of these two plays. Signed by the author in 1979. Near fine in tall wrappers.
653. WALCOTT, Derek. Remembrance & Pantomime. NY: Farrar, Straus & Giroux (1980). Uncorrected proof copy of these two plays. Fine in wrappers.
654. WALCOTT, Derek. The Fortunate Traveller. NY: Farrar, Straus & Giroux (1981). Uncorrected proof copy; a well- received collection of poems. Fine in wrappers.
655. WALKER, Alice. Meridian. NY: HBJ (1976). Uncorrected proof copy of her second novel. A crude, very scarce format: proof sheets bound in card-stock covers with a black tape spine. It is likely that very few copies were prepared thus. Several pieces of text tipped in, including a revision to the table of contents. Fine in wrappers and signed by the author. Rare.
656. WALKER, Alice. Good Night Willie Lee, I'll See You in the Morning. NY: Dial (1978). Uncorrected proof copy of this collection of poems, preceding her Pulitzer Prize-winning novel The Color Purple, and printed in small quantities. The proof is bound with a black tape spine, like the above, a format that suggests few were created and distributed. Fine.
657. WALKER, Alice. Living by the Word. NY: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich (1988). Uncorrected proof copy of this collection of short prose pieces. Two states of this proof, both in blue wrappers, which differ only in a slightly different typeface used on the spine of the book, for author and title, and by virtue of a publisher's label affixed to the front cover of what one would conclude is the later state (with clearer, crisper type on the spine). Both copies near fine. For the two:
658. -. Another copy of the presumed first state, this one with publisher's annotations ("Press Copy," etc.) on the front cover and first blank. Fine.
659. WALLER, Robert James. The Bridges of Madison County. (NY): Warner Books (1992). Advance reading copy, and the early stages of a publishing phenomenon--a first novel by an unknown writer that, despite a modest first printing, gained a word- of-mouth following until it became a runaway bestseller, stayin!g on the bestseller lists for several years and becoming the basis for a well-received movie. Fine in wrappers.
660. WARREN, Robert Penn. Chief Joseph of the Nez Perce. NY: Random House (1983). Uncorrected proof copy of this long poem. Warren was one of the first poet laureates to be named in this country, and his poem on an especially memorable and heroic Native American figure is a noteworthy piece of literary Americana. Fine in wrappers.
661. WEST, Paul. A Stroke of Genius. (n.p.): Viking (1995). Advance reading copy of this book of nonfiction, a reflection on his various illnesses and, by extension, the mystery of health and life. Fine in wrappers.
662. WHARTON, William. Ever After. (NY): Newmarket (1995). Uncorrected proof copy of the first American edition, originally published in Great Britain under the title Wrongful Deaths. The first book of nonfiction by the author of the award- winning Birdy and Dad, among others. Fine in wrappers, with photocopies of articles from the UK laid in.
663. WHITE, Patrick. Riders in the Chariot. London: Eyre & Spottiswoode, 1961. Uncorrected proof copy of the first English edition of this novel by the Australian Nobel prize winner. Light foxing; very good in printed wrappers. Scarce.
664. WILLIAMS, Philip Lee. Final Heat. NY: Turtle Bay, 1992. Proof copy. A novel by this writer who was Georgia Author of the Year in 1990. Fine.
665. WIDEMAN, John Edgar. Fatheralong. NY: Pantheon (1994). Uncorrected proof copy of his highly praised new book. Among his many awards and notable accomplishments: Wideman is the first writer to win the prestigious PEN Faulkner Award twice. Fine in wrappers.
666. WIESEL, Elie. All Rivers Run to the Sea. NY: Knopf, 1995. Uncorrected proof copy of this book of memoirs by the Nobel Prize winner. Fine in wrappers.
667. WILCOX, James. Guest of a Sinner. (NY): HarperCollins (1993). Uncorrected proof copy of his sixth novel, which was featured extensively in a New Yorker profile of a "starving writer"--Wilcox. This is a fine copy in wrappers.
668. WILKINSON, Alec. A Violent Act. NY: Knopf, 1992. Advance reading copy of this nonfiction portrait of a psychopathic killer. Fine in wrappers.
669. WILKINSON, Sylvia. On the 7th Day, God Created the Chevrolet. Algonquin: Chapel Hill, 1993. Advance reading copy of this novel by a North Carolina writer who is both a highly regarded literary novelist (Moss on the North Side, among others) and has also written nonfiction on the world of stock car racing. She has worked forr Paul Newman's racing team, among others. Diagonal crease to rear cover; else fine. Paul Newman blurb.
670. WILLIAMS, Thomas. The Moon Pinnace. Garden City: Doubleday, 1986. Uncorrected proof copy. Covers sunned and soiled; very good. Blurbs by John Irving (a longtime friend), Carolyn Chute and others on rear cover.
671. WILSON, Edmund. Memoirs of Hecate County. Garden City: Doubleday Doran, 1945. Uncorrected proof copy of this novel. A very fragile production: tall sheets from galleys, bound in plain brown wrappers. Spine cocked and wrappers edgeworn; overall, good. An exceptionally scarce state of this book, the only copy we have ever seen or heard of.
672. WINTERSON, Jeanette. Written on the Body. NY: Knopf, 1993. Uncorrected proof copy of the first American edition. A departure from the magical realism of Sexing the Cherry and The Passion; a love story that asks whether one should betray love in the name of love. Fine in wrappers.
Corrected Galleys of an Influential Critique
673. WOLFE, Tom. The Painted Word. (n.p.): Harper's (n.d.)(c. 1970). Long galley sheets for the first appearance of this important essay on modern art by Wolfe, which essentially argued that modern art and modern art criticism had become a self-referential closed system, devoid of any value or meaning outside of its own self- contained context. The essay first appeared in Harper's magazine, and these are the galleys for that appearance: 19 long galley sheets, approximately 6«" x 23" on proofing paper, heavily corrected and annotated in Wolfe's hand and that of an editor. Every page contains numerous changes, including deletions of entire sections and substantial reworking, as well as corrections to fact and other small changes. Probably the earliest state extant of this piece, after the manuscript. A unique copy of an important work, which shook the art world and re-opened the debate on the purposes and value of art. In a custom clamshell box.
674. WOLFF, Geoffrey. The Age of Consent. NY: Knopf, 1995. Uncorrected proof copy of his most recent novel. Fine in wrappers.
Proof Copy of a "Suppressed" Novel
675. WOLFF, Tobias. Ugly Rumours. London: Allen & Unwin (1975). The uncorrected proof copy of the author's first novel, set in Vietnam, about a Special Forces lieutenant and a sergeant serving as advisor to a Vietnamese Infantry Division. Not published in this country, and the author has pointedly refused to list it among his "previous publications" on his later books or allowed it to be reprinted. His recent memoir, In Pharaoh's Army, alludes somewhat disparagingly to the novel he was writing while he was serving in Vietnam, presumably Ugly Rumours. Wolff is one of the most highly regarded short story writers in America and a novel by him on the war, regardless of the author's opinion of its quality, is still a notable contribution to the literature. Exceedingly scarce even in the trade edition: the first printing was reported to be only 1000 copies, most of which will have gone to libraries; the proof is presumably considerably scarcer still. Some very mild shelf wear and some light creasing; near fine in wrappers.
676. WOLFF, Tobias. In Pharoah's Army. NY: Knopf, 1994. Advance reading copy of the second volume of the author's memoirs, picking up where This Boy's Life left off and following the author to Vietnam, and chronicling his experiences there. Signed by the author. Issued as a promotional piece, given away prior to publication of the hardcover book. Fine in wrappers in publisher's card-stock slipcase.
677. -. Same title, uncorrected proof copy. Presumably earlier than the above issue and done in smaller quantities. Fine copy.
678. (WRIGHT, James). Poems by Hermann Hesse. NY: FSG (1970). Uncorrected proof copy of this collection of poems selected and translated by Wright. Near fine in spiralbound card stock covers. Signed by Wright. A scarce format, and uncommon signed.
679. WRIGHT, Stephen. Meditations in Green. NY: Scribner (1983). Uncorrected proof copy of the author's first book, a highly praised novel of Vietnam that won the publisher's "Maxwell Perkins Award" for an outstanding first novel. The author's later novels have received high praise, fulfilling the promise of this first novel. Very light staining to bottom page edges otherwise fine in wrappers.
680. WRIGHT, Stephen. Going Native. NY: FSG (1993). Advance reading copy of his third book. Toni Morrison blurb taped to front cover. Fine in wrappers.
681. YATES, Richard. The Easter Parade. (NY): Delacorte/Lawrence (1977). Uncorrected proof copy of this novel. Near fine in tall wrappers.
682. YATES, Richard. Liars in Love. (NY): Delacorte (1981). Uncorrected proof copy. Near fine in wrappers.
683. ZENCEY, Eric. Panama. NY: FSG (1995). Advance reading copy of this well-received first novel, one of the most talked-about books of the publishing season. Fine in wrappers.