E-list # 171

(NY), Scribner, (1998). The uncorrected proof copy of this collection edited by Philip Mahony. Unmarked, but from the library of Philip Caputo, author of the Vietnam classic A Rumor of War, among many other critically acclaimed books. White wrappers slightly soiled; very good. [#033947] SOLD

London, Granta Books, (1999). An advance copy, in the form of velobound typeset sheets, of this treatise on "face-to-face killing in twentieth century warfare," and its repercussions for the individual and society. Unmarked, but from the library of Philip Caputo, whose novel A Rumor of War appears in the bibliography. Fine. [#033930] $75

NY, Atlantic Monthly, (1999). The uncorrected proof copy of this surprise bestseller, a harrowing account of a U.S. military raid in Somalia that left 18 American soldiers dead and altered the parameters for American military action anywhere in the world since. Basis for a well-received 2001 film by Ridley Scott. Unmarked, but from the library of Philip Caputo. Near fine in wrappers. [#033931] SOLD

NY, Atlantic Monthly, (2006). The advance reading copy of Bowden's book on the Iranian hostage crisis. This copy was used for review by author Philip Caputo, for Publisher's Weekly, and bears his highlighting and turned page corners, as well as 1-1/2 pages of draft text written on the recto and verso of the first blank. Covers splayed; very good in wrappers. [#033932] $175

NY, Henry Holt, (1992). The uncorrected proof copy of Butler's Pulitzer Prize-winning collection of stories, many of them dealing with the Vietnam war and its aftermath. From the library of Philip Caputo, and with several passages highlighted by him: the published book featured a blurb by Caputo on the jacket's front flap. Scarce, even without the association. Some light soiling to covers; near fine in wrappers. [#033933] $500

(n.p.), Self-Published/(Main Sequence), (1990). In 1972, George Carlin, on his album Class Clown, introduced the classic comedy routine "The Seven Words You Can Never Say on Television." In 1973, his expanded "Filthy Words" drew an FCC complaint when broadcast on a Pacifica radio station. After appeals, the case reached the Supreme Court in 1978: Carlin (Pacifica) lost 5-4, and the FCC 's regulation of unwanted speech was upheld. Meanwhile (according to Carlin's preface to this item), helpful citizens were sending Carlin words to add to his list: 2,443 words arrived over two decades, which Carlin saved, organized by category, added a preface to, and published. This copy is signed by Carlin. From the archive of Reinhold Aman, editor of Maledicta: the International Journal of Verbal Aggression. 10 pages; near fine in stapled wrappers. Little known fallout from a cultural touchstone: no copies in OCLC. [#033919] ON HOLD
$750

Sonoita, Creative Source Press, (2008). A memoir of adventures in the wilderness and in relationships. Inscribed by the author in the year of publication: "Dear ____, May all your adventures make great stories! Thanks for your support, see you in Patagonia." Fine in wrappers, with the author's business card laid in. [#033934] $35

(London), Picador/Pan, (1985). Inscribed by Carver to Robert Stone: "For Bob - with admiration and good wishes always. With love and in friendship -- Ray. July 22. Port Angeles!" This was the first publication in Great Britain of Carver's collected fiction, this being a volume with no U.S. equivalent, and including all three of his major collections: Will You Please Be Quiet, Please?; What We Talk About When We Talk About Love; and Cathedral. Uncommon signed, and an excellent personal and literary association copy: Stone visited Carver in Port Angeles, Washington, and the two got on well, went fishing together, and generally found a quick and easy rapport. Stone won the National Book Award for his second novel, Dog Soldiers, in 1975; Carver's first collection -- Will You Please Be Quiet, Please? -- was a National Book Award finalist in 1977, and his influence on the American short story continued until his death in 1988. Only issued in wrappers. Age-toned, foxed, and spine-creased; about very good. [#033666] $1,500

NY, Random House, (1985). Inscribed by Carver to Robert Stone: "For Bob, with hopes you'll find some of these to your liking. With love, Ray. Port Angeles. July 22, 1985." A collection of poetry. Mild foxing; near fine in a very good, partially faded dust jacket with one short edge tear and a creased front flap. A good association copy. [#033665] $1,500

(Burton), Subterranean, 2008. The advance reading copy of these two intertwined stories, one that takes place on Earth, the other a children's story that takes place on another planet. Signed by the author. Crowley is one of our most highly regarded fantasy writers, having won the World Fantasy Award for a novel, Little, Big in 1982; a novella, "Great Work of Time," in 1990; and for Life Achievement, in 2006. Minor cover splaying; near fine in wrappers. Scarce in this advance issue, especially signed. [#033925] $175

(n.p.), [Lyons Press], [2015]. An advance copy, in the form of comb-bound typescript, of his "fishing memoir," with a foreword by Carl Hiaasen. In this advance state, the book is billed as "essays"; the published version calls it a memoir. In addition to being an author, Guy de la Valdene was the director of the 1973 fishing documentary Tarpon, with cameos by Jim Harrison, Richard Brautigan, and Tom McGuane, and music by Jimmy Buffett. Unmarked, but from the library of Philip Caputo, with a note from the author on a post-it on the front cover. Fine. [#033929] SOLD

NY, Random House, (1952). His first book, winner of the National Book Award in 1953. A high spot of 20th century American literature -- both a classic of African-American fiction and a book that transcends such a racial identification to stand as a literary landmark on its own terms. In a poll conducted in 1965, 200 critics, authors and editors judged Invisible Man to be "the most distinguished single work" published in the previous 20 years. A fine copy in a very good dust jacket with minor rubbing, small edge chips, and splitting to the rear flap fold. [#033914] $1,500

NY, Farrar Straus Giroux, (1998). A moving account of the 1994 Rwandan genocide. Winner of the National Book Critics Circle Award. This copy is inscribed by Gourevitch to the author Robert Stone: "For Bob Stone/ with warmest regards -- Philip Gourevitch." The rear jacket panel is entirely taken by a Stone blurb: "Young Philip Gourevitch brings us a report from the killing fields of Africa that marks him as a major successor to the handful of great correspondents who have risked life and safety to bring dark truths to a world reluctant to know of them. Like the greatest war reporters, he raises the human banner in hell's mouth, the insignia of common sense, of quiet moral authority, of blessed humor. He has the mind of a scholar along with the observative capacity of a good novelist, and he writes like an angel. This volume establishes him as the peer of Michael Herr, Ryszard Kapuscinski, and Tobias Wolff. I think there is no limit to what we may expect from him." Fine in a fine, if dusty, jacket. [#033675] $250

(NY), Grove/Atlantic, (2001). The uncorrected proof copy of the first trade edition of this title. Unmarked, but from the library of Harrison's friend, the author Philip Caputo. A collection of 40+ essays on food, from Harrison's Esquire columns as well as other publications, and including a 35-page section of Harrison's correspondence with French bookseller and scholar Gerard Oberle, who specialized in gastronomy and oenology, among other subjects. Tiny corner nick at spine base, else fine in wrappers. An uncommon proof, with notable provenance. [#033936] SOLD

NY, Grove Press, (2011). The advance reading copy of Harrison's take on the detective story. Inscribed by Harrison to Philip Caputo and his wife, Leslie: "To my friends, Phil & Leslie on their road trip to where? Jim." In the year this book was published, the Caputos took a 16,000 mile road trip with truck and trailer from Key West, Florida, to Deadhorse, Alaska, resulting in Caputo's book The Longest Road: Overland in Search of America. Near fine in pictorial wrappers (and marked as an "uncorrected proof" by the publisher). An uncommon issue, and with a fine association between these two men, who were colleagues, neighbors, and friends. [#033935] $500

NY, Dodd, Mead, (1932). The first English translation of one of Hesse's major novels, which chronicles the unlikely, but ultimately complementary, friendship between a monastic ascetic and a sensual existentialist who is determined to live life to the fullest. Owner name and address stamped on both flyleafs, the final page of text, and the top and bottom edges of the text block; text block pulling from binding; cup ring to rear board; a good copy, lacking the dust jacket. An uncommon edition of what was considered, at the time of its publication, the major work by this eventual Nobel Prize winner; a different translation of this novel was published in 1968 as Narcisssus and Goldmund. [#033917] $450

(NY), Open Road, (2015). The advance reading copy. With an autograph note signed by Hjortsberg (as "Gatz") to Phil [Caputo] laid in, politely requesting a comment for the book. Hjortsberg was the author of the classic horror-noir, Falling Angel, which was the basis for the film Angel Heart. He also wrote the definitive biography of Richard Brautigan. Fine in wrappers. [#033937] $75

NY, Farrar Straus, (1992). The uncorrected proof copy of Johnson's collection of linked stories exploring addiction; this copy was used by James McManus for his review in the New York Times and bears extensive markings and comments. Among other things, McManus wrote: "has the rhythm of a poem/ more than even a novel/ much more than that of a short story collection." Johnson won the National Book Award for his massive Vietnam novel, Tree of Smoke, but it is this title that is widely considered his most powerful and emblematic. Near fine in wrappers. [#033922] $1,500

NY, Twelve, (2010). The advance reading copy of Junger's account of 15 months with the troops in eastern Afghanistan. This copy belonged to Philip Caputo and bears his highlighting and his comments in the margins. Caputo reviewed the book for the Washington Post. Page corners turned by Caputo; very good in wrappers. [#033938] $450

NY, Twelve, (2016). The uncorrected proof copy of Junger's study of societal belonging, particularly as it pertains to veterans returning from war. This copy belonged to Philip Caputo and bears his underlining and his comments in the margins. Caputo reviewed the book for the Washington Post. Page corners turned by Caputo, else near fine in wrappers. [#033939] $250

Pleasant Hill, Intrepid Trips, (1974). The first issue of Kesey's homegrown magazine, edited by him and with contributions by Kesey himself, Ken Babbs, Wendell Berry, Paul Krassner and others, including Kesey's alter-ego "Grandma Whittier." This is the scarce first printing, with no writing on the spine. Inscribed by Kesey to Robert Stone: "Awright Stone/ you worthless sack of sociallistic [sic] psallipsisms [sic] !!! You were supposed to be in this issue -30 - Ken Kesey." (-30- being used to connote "end of story.") Hand-addressed (then corrected) mailing label for Stone on rear cover; about near fine in wrappers. Stone and Kesey had a longtime friendship, going back to their time at Stanford in the early 1960s, where both were in Wallace Stegner's writing workshop. Stone went to Mexico to visit Kesey and write about his circumstances when Kesey fled the U.S. after a drug bust, and they stayed friends until Kesey died in 2001. [#033739] ON HOLD
$750

NY, Random House, (2005). The uncorrected proof copy of the Pulitzer Prize-winning author's memoir of the Vietnam War. Philip Caputo's copy, used by him for a review in the Boston Globe. Page corners turned by Caputo; first few leaves detaching; good in wrappers. [#033940] SOLD

(Minneapolis), Milkweed, (2016). A memoir by Lanham, in which the naturalist examines, among other things, what it is like to be himself a "rare bird," i.e. a black man in an overwhelmingly white field. Inscribed by the author: "To ____ - Thank you for loving the wild." Fine in a fine dust jacket, with a cover blurb by Helen MacDonald. Uncommon signed. [#033949] $100

NY, Public Affairs, (2001). The advance reading copy of this massive (800+ pages) memoir by the CBS News correspondent during the Vietnam War, from 1965-1970. Laurence covered Hue, Tet, Khe Sanh, and much else, and lived with a squad of U.S. soldiers to produce the acclaimed documentary The World of Charlie Company, which won every major award for broadcast journalism as well as the George Polk memorial award for "best reporting in any medium requiring exceptional courage and enterprise abroad." Unmarked, but from the library of author Philip Caputo. Coffee stains to cover, otherwise near fine in wrappers. [#033941] SOLD

(London), Hodder & Stoughton, (2003). Signed by the author. Tiny stain on foredge; end of silk ribbon marker a bit frayed; thus near fine in a fine dust jacket. [#033926] $75

NY, Modern Library, (2008). The uncorrected proof copy of the single volume "rendering" of Matthiessen's "Watson Trilogy." The trilogy (Killing Mr. Watson, Lost Man's River, and Bone by Bone) had been a publishing idea that Matthiessen never quite made his peace with, causing him to rework the three books back into the single volume Shadow Country, a "director's cut" of sorts, which won the National Book Award for fiction and later the William Dean Howells Medal, an award that is given by the American Academy of Arts and Letters only once every five years "in recognition of the most distinguished American novel published during that period." It also led to Matthiessen's becoming the first writer to have won the National Book Award for both fiction and nonfiction (for The Snow Leopard). This edition includes an Author's Note about the process of rewriting the trilogy. More than 900 pages. Spine slanted; near fine in wrappers. Unmarked, but from the library of author Philip Caputo. An uncommon proof, in our experience. [#033927] SOLD

Paris, Obelisk Press, 1939. Miller's fourth book to be printed by Jack Kahane's Obelisk Press in Paris, which had also published Tropic of Cancer as well as work by such writers as Anais Nin, James Joyce, Cyril Connolly, Lawrence Durrell, and others. This is a variant unrecorded by Miller's bibliographers, with the sheets of the variant first edition (Shifreen & Jackson A21b) and the binding conforming to such on all points but for a "175 00" price stamped on the back wrapper and no price on the spine. Small edge and corner tears, crease on the rear cover; near fine in wrappers. Tropic of Capricorn, like Tropic of Cancer, could not be published in the U.S. until nearly three decades after this edition because of its frank depiction of sexual matters, but it wielded an enormous influence from afar, and helped usher in a new era of literature, in which traditional barriers to the artist's self-expression were abandoned. [#029263] $2,500

NY, Viking, 1929. The first American edition of this French Modernist's writings about African-American and African culture, based on his travels in the U.S., the Caribbean, and Africa. With illustrations by noted African-American artist Aaron Douglas, one of the key figures of the Harlem Renaissance, who also illustrated James Weldon Johnson's God's Trombones. Striking dust jacket and book design, exemplifying the Art Deco style of the period between the World Wars. A few roughly opened pages, but a very near fine copy in a very good dust jacket with some surface loss to the rear panel and shallow edge chipping. Scarce in jacket. [#033915] $450

NY, Norton, (1990). Inscribed by Mosley to Maya Angelou, prior to publication: "For Maya Angelou, I've only met you in words so far. Words that shocked me and astonished me and made me think, 'Yeah, that's what it was. Yeah.' But most of all words that let me laugh so hard that I wanted to breathe again./ Thank you for reading my book, for giving your words to it and for being./ Love, Walter Mosley/ 5-21-90." Angelou has provided a blurb for the rear panel: "I read Devil in a Blue Dress. The year was any time I wanted it to be. I was young and beautiful, with plenty of money, watching and listening as Bill Robinson tap-danced his way into my heart." This was the first book in Mosley's Easy Rawlins mystery series -- a ground-breaking detective series by an African-American writer and featuring an African-American detective. Nominated for an Edgar Award for Best First Mystery of the year. Fine in a fine, first issue dust jacket ($18.95 price). [#033921] SOLD

DeKalb, Cedar Creek, 1980. The uncorrected proof copy of the first book, a collection of poems, by this writer of Choctaw-English-Welsh descent. Printed on rectos only, apparently shot from paste up, with lines around text, faint copy-editing, and occasionally typos, evident. Bradbound plain blue covers, with typed label for title. Tape over rear brads. Name and address stamp on first blank. Near fine. The trade edition of this book is uncommon; the proof exceedingly so: we have never seen another copy. [#033918] $450

Macy, Nebraska Indian Press, 1973. Poetry by a Native American author, identified as Omaha-Iowa, and grandson of a tribal chief. Inscribed by the author: "To my good friend [sic]/ Mr. & Mrs. Walter Briggs/ who had faith when others turned away/ Good medicine for you/ Frank V. Love." Signature in different ink than the inscription. Walter Briggs is listed in the Acknowledgments to the book for sharing "both his home and lovely family with me." Nebraska Indian Press seems to have been a short-lived project intended to give Native American artists and authors an opportunity to publish their works. OCLC locates only 9 copies of this work in institutional collections. Covers lightly tanned with slight foxing; very good in wrappers. [#033916] $175

NY, Grove, (2015). The advance reading copy of his Pulitzer Prize winning debut novel. From the library of Philip Caputo, author of A Rumor of War, and used by him for his review in the New York Times Book Review, which appeared on the front page of the review under the title "Apocalypse Then." Frequent highlighting; a dozen page corners turned; and comments written by Caputo on perhaps two dozen pages. Still a fine copy in wrappers. [#033928] $500

Boston, Houghton, 1990. A collection of related stories that is a meditation on war and death, and on the place that storytelling has in bringing these ultimately unfathomable experiences within our grasp. Three decades after its first publication, this is by consensus one of the best, if not the best, work of fiction to come out of the Vietnam war. Signed by the author. Production flaw (shallow horizontal ridge) to front board, thus near fine in a fine, first issue dust jacket (which means the lettering is offcenter on the spine). [#033920] SOLD

(Hopewell), Ecco Press, (1992). The uncorrected proof copy of this collection of short stories. Unmarked, but from the library of Philip Caputo. Slight wear to covers; near fine in wrappers. [#033942] $35

London, Secker & Warburg, (1949). The first edition of his classic, disturbingly relevant dystopia, a chilling extrapolation of the political tendencies in postwar Great Britain, and one of the most influential works of the century -- whose very title became a synonym for an omnipresent surveillance state, and which introduced to the language such phrases (and ideas) as "thought police," "newspeak," "doublethink," and "Big Brother." Chosen as one of the novels of the century by the Modern Library, Radcliffe, Waterstones and the New York Public Library. This copy is from the library of Bosley Wilder, author of Murder at Black Dragon River and bears her briefly used name, "Brotman." Small Parisian bookstore label lower rear pastedown; Brotman lived in Paris for a time, and was friends with and, according to the Baldwin biography, perhaps the occasional lover of author James Baldwin. Stray pen mark to foredge; faint cup ring to front board; rich top stain; a near fine copy in a very good, red dust jacket with a few small corner chips and virtually none of the spine fading that typically afflicts this dust jacket. A nice copy, with interesting literary provenance. [#033923] SOLD

(NY), Little Brown, (2012). Two volumes: both the uncorrected proof copy and the advance reading copy of the first American edition of the author's highly praised first novel, a story of the Iraq war and its impact on two young American soldiers. Winner of the PEN/Hemingway Award, the Guardian Book Prize and a finalist for the National Book Award, and one of The New York Times ten best books of the year. Oddly, the proof is typeset and the advance reading copy is shot from the author's typescript. Although unmarked, both are from the library of Philip Caputo. Very near fine in wrappers. [#033943] SOLD

NY, Simon & Schuster, (2010). The uncorrected proof copy of this Vietnam novel by the award-winning playwright who wrote a trilogy of plays about Vietnam and its impact after serving in a medical unit in the Army there in the 1960s. This copy belonged to Philip Caputo and bears his highlighting, underlining, and considerable writing within the text. Caputo reviewed the book for the New York Times. One page corner turned, coffee ring front cover; very good in wrappers. [#033944] SOLD

NY, Farrar Straus Giroux, (2011). The advance reading copy of Seaver's memoir of "publishing's golden age," i.e. Paris in the '50s and New York in the '60s. Unmarked, but from the library of Philip Caputo, whose memoir A Rumor of War was published by Seaver at Holt, Rinehart and Winston in 1977. Fine in wrappers. [#033945] $35

NY, Scribner, (2003). The advance reading copy of Swofford's highly praised memoir of the first Gulf War, which was immediately hailed as a classic of contemporary war literature, becoming a surprise bestseller and a film. From the library of author Philip Caputo: laid in is a letter from the publisher to Caputo, asking for support for the book. Fine in wrappers. [#033946] SOLD

NY, Grove Press, (2000). The uncorrected proof copy of the poet's memoir of his time in Vietnam. Several of Weigl's highly acclaimed books of poetry have focused on his experiences in Vietnam, and he has also translated Vietnamese literature into English. Unmarked, but from the library of Philip Caputo. Near fine in wrappers. [#033948] $45

(Corinth), (Black Mountain Press), (1968). An anti-war pamphlet, advocating civil disobedience in thwarting the use of napalm in Vietnam. 4-1/4" x 13", 8 pages; side-stapled; printed in red and blue. Curled at the top inch; near fine. Zinn, a professor of history at Boston University, was an early opponent of the Vietnam War and an advocate of the U.S. pulling out of that war: he wrote Vietnam: The Logic of Withdrawal, published in 1967. In 1980 he published A People's History of the United States, 1492-Present, which started as a counterpoint to, and critique of, the standard histories and narratives of the American nation, and has become more like the standard version of that history than a critique of it, at least within academic circles. The book has sold over two million copies, an unprecedented number for a history book. [#033924] $150