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London, Heinemann, (1962). The uncorrected proof copy of the first British edition of his third novel. Signed by the author. Matthiessen was one of the very few authors who has won the National Book Award for both fiction and nonfiction. His novel after this one, At Play in the Fields of the Lord, a National Book Award nominee, represented a significant jump from this book in terms of literary accomplishment. The book prior to this, Wildlife in America, started him on the path toward becoming one of our most highly regarded writers of natural history. This short novel, a tale of the sea that is reminiscent of Conrad, dates from an early period in Matthiessen's career and is uncommon even in the U.S. trade edition. This is the only copy of the British proof we have handled. Spine-sunned, else fine in wrappers. [#015912] $565
On Sale: $396

NY, Viking, (1978). A second printing of his first National Book Award winner, which recounts a trip to the Himalayas with naturalist George Schaller in the hopes both of encountering a snow leopard in the wild and of coming to terms with his wife's recent death from cancer. From Matthiessen's own library and with more than a dozen passages marked in pen by Matthiessen, all having to do with the porter and camp assistant Tuktken. There are a couple of other passages marked in pencil, with page notations in the prelims. Rear blank excised, else a very good copy, lacking the dust jacket. [#032371] $565

London, Heinemann, (1952). Peter Matthiessen's copy, in which he has re-drafted his included story, "The Centrepiece." Roughly two dozen changes, in the space of ten pages, including a change in the ending. Matthiessen has written, on the flyleaf, "PM story edited in this volume." These changes were incorporated when the story was republished in the collection On the River Styx in 1989. Front hinge cracked, loss of color to spine extremities; a good copy, lacking the dust jacket, but for the front flap, which is laid in. [#032392] $490

Stamford, Virginia Jevne, 1960. Bound mimeograph of Ward's memoir of Bladensfield, a famed Virginia plantation, edited by Peter Matthiessen, himself one of the "children of Bladensfield": Ward was his great-great-aunt. This copy is from the library of Peter Matthiessen and has "Edited by Peter Matthiessen" handwritten on the title page; the editing of Ward's memoir is normally unattributed. A very good copy in wrappers. Together with the 1978 Viking edition, published with Matthiessen's essay "Homegoing." Foxed; near fine in a very good dust jacket. The mimeograph is an unusual edition we have not seen before, and this copy contains previously unknown bibliographic information, presumably. [#032395] $490

London, John Murray, 1956. Matthiessen's own copy, in which he has edited his story contribution. Covers darkened and creased, with small stains; a good copy in wrappers. As far as we can tell, this story was never reprinted so this author's copy is the only one to show these edits. [#032394] $375

NY/London, Harper/Secker & Warburg, 1954. Matthiessen's own copies of both the first edition and the first British edition of his first book, a novel, written while he was living in Paris, where he helped found the Paris Review. Unmarked, but both copies are from the library of the author. The American edition is mottled and foxed; a good copy only, in a fair dust jacket with several small chips and split unevenly at the front flap and the spine. The British edition is foxed and musty, a good copy, with portions of the dust jacket (front cover, front flap) laid in. [#032363] $375

NY, Harper & Brothers, (1954). The author's first novel, published just after he returned from Paris, where he helped found the Paris Review. This is the issue in blue cloth and black boards; the priority has not been determined so far. Signed by the author. The front flyleaf bears a small ink price and a penciled editorial comment: "A book by Mary Wheelwright's brother - Not too good, but light and interesting if you know him!" A touch of fading to the cloth at the crown; else fine in a very good, spine-tanned dust jacket with light chipping to the extremities and corners and rubbing at the folds. [#014544] $375

Stamford, Virginia Jevne, 1960. Bound mimeograph of Ward's memoir of Bladensfield; although unattributed, edited by Peter Matthiessen, himself one of the "children of Bladensfield," for whom Ward wrote this memoir, which focuses on her youth at the plantation during the Civil War years. This copy is from Matthiessen's library; some insect damage; good in wrappers. Together with the 1978 Viking edition, published with Matthiessen's essay "Homegoing." Near fine, lacking the dust jacket. Laid in is a letter to Matthiessen from David Winfred Gaddy, the co-author of a book on the Confederate Secret Service, which made mention of a James Carey, a Confederate spy who visited Bladensfield and is mentioned in Ward's memoir. Also laid in is a parchment reproduction of Lee's Farewell Address coupled with his letter to Jefferson Davis. [#032396] $375

Paris, Pierre Tisne, 1947. An overview of the Impressionist era, its painters and paintings, written by the head conservator of paintings at the Louvre, and heavily illustrated with black-and-white reproductions and a number of tipped-in color plates. Matthiessen's copy, with his signature, dated in Paris at Christmas, 1948, and with his markings, and a few notes, in the (French) text. Matthiessen was an undergraduate college student at Yale, spending his junior year abroad at the Sorbonne in 1948. Whether he studied this for a course or read it for his own edification is unknown. Heavily sunned, hinges cracked; a good copy, lacking the dust jacket. [#032389] $265

(London), Panther, (1964). Two copies of the first printing of the Panther paperback edition of Matthiessen's fourth book, third novel. Each copy has pages marked by Matthiessen -- one copy with two pages and the other with three -- indicating word changes or changes to sentence order. The Panther edition precedes the American Bantam paperback by a year (but the Bantam edition does not reflect these changes). Spine creased on both copies, one heavily; the other has a small upper corner chip. Each is about very good in wrappers. [#032364] $265

NY, Random House, (1997). The second novel in the trilogy that began with Killing Mr. Watson, based on a series of events in Florida at the turn of the last century and using the novel form to explore the settling and development of that frontier, with an awareness of the ecological implications of that development. Inscribed by Matthiessen to Mike [Geary], with "many thanks again for a great day." For reasons unknown to us, not given to Geary; from Matthiessen's own library. Fine in a fine dust jacket. [#032352] $190

NY, Harper & Row, (1983). Matthiessen's copy, heavily highlighted in the first 200 pages (of this 600 page book, e.g. 1940s & 1950s). For the most part, the mention of the author himself in the text go unnoticed by Matthiessen, although he has highlighted passages about a number of other authors as well as those having to do with writing in general in that period, and criticism in particular. A very good copy, lacking the dust jacket. [#032411] $150

NY, writer & Readers, (1996). A novel by the British artist, writer, journalist and filmmaker. Warmly inscribed by the author to Peter [Matthiessen], who provided a blurb for the rear of the dust jacket. Laid in is an autograph note signed by Porter, with additional thanks, and calling Matthiessen "instrumental" in getting the book published. Slight foxing to top edge, else fine in a fine dust jacket. [#032428] $150

NY, Viking, (1983). An author's copy of his controversial and suppressed book about the confrontation between American Indian activists and the FBI in the early Seventies at Pine Ridge Reservation near Wounded Knee that left two federal agents and one Indian dead, and resulted in AIM activist Leonard Peltier being imprisoned for life, convicted of the agents' murder in a case that Matthiessen describes as rife with government malfeasance. Matthiessen, his publisher, and even some bookstores who had stocked the book were the targets of lawsuits brought by two government officials who claimed they were slandered by the hard-hitting book, which made no bones about its advocacy of the Indians' case. Until a landmark Supreme Court decision upholding Matthiessen's (and Viking's) First Amendment rights, the book was shelved with remaining copies of it being pulped; paperback publication, as well as foreign publication, were blocked for nearly a decade. A significant volume, both for the incendiary nature of its content, as well as the First Amendment battle surrounding its publication and suppression. This copy is from Matthiessen's own library. A little Long Island foxing in evidence; near fine in a near fine dust jacket. Letter of provenance available. [#031447] $125

Norwalk, Easton Press, 1997. One of the author's own copies of the leatherbound limited edition of the second novel in the Watson Trilogy, which later became Shadow Country. Unmarked, but from the library of Peter Matthiessen. Shrink-wrapped. Fine. [#032013] $115
On Sale: $75

Paris, Garnier, (1937). Two volumes, rebound in leather. From the library of Peter Matthiessen, and stamped on the spine with the titles, volume number (I and II), "Paris," and the name "D. Love," Matthiessen's second wife. Leather drying on spine; about near fine. [#032387] $115

Bristol, Ampersand, (1984). Matthiessen's first book of short fiction, a collection of stories that date from the Fifties and early Sixties. Printed by a small press at a college in Rhode Island. There were a few special copies being bound in hard covers for people involved with the project; but for the trade, this title was only issued in wrappers. Unmarked, but from the library of Peter Matthiessen. Near fine in wrappers. [#032016] $95

Boulder, Johnson Books, (2003). An investigative account of an egregious case of environmental degradation and the poisoning of thousands of workers by the W.R. Grace Corporation in Libby, Montana, the site of a vermiculite mine that was heavily tainted with asbestos. From the library of Peter Matthiessen. With a two-paragraph blurb of advance praise from Matthiessen, and with a letter from the publisher laid in expressing gratitude and conveying that "of all the copies we sent out, your response [meant] the most to [Peacock]." Fine in wrappers. [#032439] $95

NY, Talese/Doubleday, (2008). His fourth novel. Warmly inscribed by the author to Peter [Matthiessen] who has provided a blurb for the dust jacket, calling the book "fascinating and moving" and "a rare novel, wonderfully researched and beautifully written." Near fine in a near fine dust jacket. [#032442] $75

NY, Norton, (2012). From the library of Peter Matthiessen, who provided a blurb for the back of the dust jacket, in part: "...credit is at long last given to those who deserve it most." Fine in a very near fine dust jacket with just a crimp to the crown. [#032447] $75

London, Harvill Press, (2000). First thus, collecting The Tree Where Man Was Born; African Silences; and Sand Rivers, with an introduction by Matthiessen for this edition. Unmarked, but from the library of Peter Matthiessen. Near fine in wrappers. [#032005] $60

NY, Viking, 1961. Matthiessen's fourth book, third novel. Unmarked, but from the library of Peter Matthiessen. Foxing; offsetting to endpages; top stain faded. Very good in a very good dust jacket. [#032033] $60

Boston, Houghton Mifflin, 1989. The uncorrected proof copy. From Matthiessen's library and including his contribution from The Wind Birds. Spine-sunned; very good in wrappers. [#032416] $55

Washington, D.C., National Geographic, (2003). The advance reading copy of this account of a trip through the islands surrounding Antarctica on a research vessel. An uncommon advance copy, this being from the author's own library. Covers rubbed; near fine in wrappers. [#033202] $50

(Saint Amand), Gallimard, (1967). The first French edition of his third book of nonfiction, recounting the Harvard-Peabody Expedition to New Guinea to study one of the last "stone age" tribes on the planet, which had been entirely free from contact with Westerners or the artifacts of industrial society. Unmarked, but from the library of Peter Matthiessen. A review copy, with "S P" on the rear cover. Very good in wrappers. [#032062] $45

San Anselmo, Audio Wisdom, 1999. A two-cassette, two-hour audio recording of an evening with Peter Matthiessen. Unmarked, but from the library of Peter Matthiessen. Still shrink-wrapped; fine. [#032065] $40

(NY), Dramatists Play Service, (1994). Pintauro's adaptation of Matthiessen's book of the same name, with "Peter" as the main character. Unmarked, but from the library of Peter Matthiessen. Near fine in stapled wrappers. [#032100] $40

NY, Random House, (2009). An oral biography of George Plimpton, in the words of his friends, relatives, and others. First printing of the paperback edition. Unmarked, but from the library of Peter Matthiessen, who has more than two dozen appearances in the text and in photographs. Near fine in wrappers. [#032443] $30

(NY), Signet/New American Library, (1967). First Signet paperback edition of his fourth novel, nominated for a National Book Award and filmed nearly thirty years later. Unmarked, but from the author's own library. Together with the first Bantam paperback edition (1976), also from Matthiessen's library. Both copies have creasing to the covers; very good in wrappers. [#032003] $20

NY, Vintage, (1991). A paperback original of this collection of travel writing: Matthiessen's contribution is an excerpt from The Snow Leopard. Unmarked, but from the library of Peter Matthiessen. Very good in wrappers. [#032077] $20