Weekly Sale

1972. Four panoramic panels (constructed from nine individual images) of post-bombing destruction. Only one of the images is labeled, on verso: "Nam Ngan hamlet, Don Soc district, Thanh Hoa province, destroyed by US bombs dropped from B.52's at 2:30 hrs, April 26, 1972." Black and white photographs, mounted on mat board. These were given to members of a U.S. peace contingent visiting Hanoi in late October 1972, just before the Presidential election that year, in hopes that their content would be publicized in the U.S. upon their return. The high-profile entourage of women consisted of Jane Hart, wife of Senator Philip Hart; the poet Denise Levertov; and the novelist Muriel Ruykeyser. They met with the Vietnam Committee for Solidarity with the American People and the Vietnam Women's Union. Richard Nixon, running on a "Peace With Honor" platform, won the election in a landslide over George McGovern, who ran as an explicitly antiwar candidate. The peace delegation had little but symbolic impact: it reiterated, as had been the case for years, that the bulk of the artistic community in the U.S. was soundly antiwar, and it showed -- as had also been the case for some time -- that the antiwar movement now included part of the mainstream of American life, in this case represented by a moderate Senator's wife. Three are 20" x 7"; one is roughly 26" x 6". Near fine. In our experience, unique. [#031535] $1,500
$1,125

NY, Crowell, (1969). A collection edited by Aldan, who was nominated for the 1979 Pulitzer Prize for Poetry for Between High Tides. Inscribed by Aldan in the year of publication, with a quote from the 11th century poem "Black Marigolds" and "in memory of race horses, with love." Near fine in a very good dust jacket with a pending chip at the spine base. [#027326] $95
$48

NY, Rivers Press, 1970. His first book, a collection of poetry only issued in wrappers, in an edition of 500 copies with illustrations by Mary Miner. Precedes his second book by four years and his first book of fiction by well over a decade. Signed by the author. Fine. [#911346] $500
$325

Ithaca, Ithaca House, (1971). The second book, and first regularly published volume, by this writer of Abenaki descent, who has carved out a unique place in contemporary American Indian literature as a publisher, poet, novelist, anthologist, storyteller and chronicler of traditional stories. Warmly inscribed by the author to his grandmother: "For Grandma/ For her birthday./ July 4, 1972/ Love,/ Sonny." Joseph "Sonny" Bruchac was raised by his grandparents, and his grandmother influenced his early love of reading. Some staining to front cover and some rubbing and surface peeling there. Very good in wrappers. A nice association copy. [#016536] $375
$244

Santa Barbara, Capra Press, 1976. The hardcover issue of Carver's third collection of poems, and his second book to be issued by Capra. Of a total edition of 1100 copies, this is copy 43 of 100 numbered hardcover copies signed by Carver. Fine without dust jacket, as issued. Illustrated with drawings by Marcia/maris. [#912310] $750
$525

London, Collins Harvill, 1988. The uncorrected proof copy of a collection of seven stories for which there is no comparable U.S. edition. Five of the stories appeared in Where I'm Calling From -- copyright problems reportedly kept the publisher from reissuing the other stories included in that collection. Tiny, shiny spot to front cover; else fine in wrappers. [#912320] $175
$114

NY, Norton, (1991). Signed by the author and additionally inscribed to a well-known poet in the year of publication. The recipient has made a number of marginal markings on the contents page, otherwise fine in a fine dust jacket. A good association copy. [#013174] $60
$30

NY, Dial, 1967. His first book, and his only novel, a story of the peacetime military and the challenges to manhood and honor that its rigid code of morals creates. Dubus was once quoted as saying that after he wrote this novel someone introduced him to Chekhov's short stories, and he threw away the manuscript of what was to be his next novel and began writing short fiction -- to become one of our most acclaimed and accomplished practitioners. Signed by the author. Fine in a very near fine dust jacket with very mild shelf wear. [#911167] $1,000
$700

(n.p.), McSweeney's, (2000). A drawing by Eggers of a broken bird-like creature, executed on the previously blank dust jacket of Timothy McSweeney's Issue No. 5. Signed (initialed) by Eggers. Additionally initialed by Eggers in 2001 and signed by Lydia Davis, Susan Minot, Ben Greenman, Lawrence Weschler, Paul LaFarge, Ann Cummins, and Sarah Vowell Issue No. 5 was the first hardcover issue of Timothy McSweeney's Quarterly Concern, and it was issued in three variant bindings and four variant dust jackets. This is the Ted Koppel binding with the previously blank white front. One tiny corner tap, else fine in a very near fine dust jacket. [#032950] $1,000
$700

Richford, Samisdat, 1980. An omnibus volume collecting the poems in his three earlier Samisdat pamphlets, along with new poems. Fine in wrappers. [#010351] $40
$20

[Boston], [Houghton Mifflin], [1980]. An advance issue consisting of unbound 8-1/2" x 11" sheets of this collection edited by Stanley Elkin and with stories by John Updike, John Sayles, Donald Barthelme, Frederick Busch, William Gass, Larry Heinemann, I.B. Singer, Grace Paley, Peter Taylor, Mavis Gallant, Elizabeth Hardwick and others. Elkin's introduction bears copyeditor's marks throughout. Minor edge wear to a few pages; else fine. [#000786] $150
$98

NY, Harper & Row, (1968). A second printing of his first book, "a fictional memoir" and one of the defining books of the Sixties, which helped blur the line between fiction and nonfiction much the way the New Journalism of that era did. A finalist for the National Book Award, winner of both the William Faulkner Foundation Award for best first novel and the Richard and Hinda Rosenthal Foundation Award of the American Academy and Institute of Arts and Letters, for a work that, while not a commercial success, was nonetheless "a considerable literary achievement." Made into a movie in 1972, which was a finalist for the Golden Palm award at the Cannes Film Festival. While Exley's book was not a bestseller at the time, over the years it has remained in print, been brought out in a number of different editions, and is widely viewed as a classic of the 1960s. Signed by the author. Very slight spine slant; near fine in a near fine dust jacket with a couple short tears at the crown. [#023413] $640
$448

(Amherst), Swamp Press, 1982. Copy No. 75 of 100 hardcover copies, signed by the author. This copy is a presentation copy, inscribed by the publisher/printer, Edward Stuart Rayher, "with thanks," on stationery laid in. Quarterbound in leather. Edge-sunned boards; near fine. An early publication by this small press, which is now also a type foundry. [#034445] $125
$81

[Copenhagen], Decenter, 1968. A proof copy of the first English language edition. Inscribed by the author to Cheryl Crawford, "a bit of European life/ from Elsa/ (apologies for the many misprints)." Gress has also written "Proof Copy" on the half title and corrected multiple errors in the text. Edge-sunned; a near fine copy in wrappers, in a very good dust jacket. [#034529] $75
$38

Paris, Vuibert at Nony, (1909). The first edition (1909) of this dense, 508 page, illustrated tome by the French naval officer who developed the Natural Method of training that led to the development of the parcours du combatant (military obstacle course). Both the method and the courses fueled the compulsions of a Vietnamese-French orphan turned Paris fire fighter named Raymond Belle, whose legendary physical prowess inspired his son, David Belle, to turn the methods of "parcours" into parkour, which is undergoing a renaissance more than a century after Hebert's insistence that training be fully functional and involve walking, running, jumping, climbing, lifting, throwing, swimming, balance, and techniques for defense and rescue. As best as we can tell, this was Hebert's first book, and it was followed by a series of volumes on the Natural Method. Here presented in original wrappers, foxed at the edges, pages uncut, and for all practical purposes already separated at the spine into five signatures: a possible candidate for rebinding. [#033038] $750
$525

Smithtown, Exposition Press, (1983). A vanity press publication by a white writer, written for pre-teens. Despite the title, which seems thematically all-encompassing (albeit gender-specific), each chapter is actually a story about food, and the author includes an introduction for teachers stressing that the coming global food crisis can be averted by emulating some Indian practices. A fine copy in a heavily rubbed, very good dust jacket with tiny corner chips. [#016678] $60
$30

1998. Promotional poster for the annual Toronto literary festival, which each year since 1980 brought together the best writers of contemporary world literature. The poster was designed by a leading artist of the day and is one of only a handful of copies signed by all or most of the year's participants. From the collection of the promoter of the festival himself, Greg Gatenby. Designed by Sandro Chia. Approximately 51 signatures. Signed by: Rose Tremain, Tim O'Brien, Ho Anh Thai, Jay McInerney, Mary Gaitskill, Alice Munro, Edwidge Danticat, Joyce Carol Oates, Richard Holmes, Robert Coover, Geoff Nicholson, Leon Rooke, Timothy Findley, Farley Mowat, Susan Minot, Colin Wilson, Herta Muller, Jack Hodgsins, Greg Hollinghead, Yves Beauchemin, Howard Norman, Patricia Melo, and others. 17" x 23". [#029754] $1,000
$700

NY, HBO/Cannon Video, (n.d). The 1975 Academy Award-winning movie based on Kesey's novel, in VHS format. Signed by Kesey on the case, over the picture of Jack Nicholson, who himself won an Academy Award for the lead role. The placement of the signature may have been a statement on Kesey's part: he was known to have strongly opposed the casting of Nicholson as McMurphy (thinking a more physically imposing actor, such as Gene Hackman, would have been more appropriate), and he reportedly considered having his own name taken off the movie in protest. Kesey's son, Zane, said that this was the only copy of the movie he had ever heard of being signed by his father, because of how thoroughly unhappy he was with the film. Fine in a very good, rubbed case, with a small sticker removal abrasion. [#028935] $750
$525

(Prague), Odeon, (1979). A Czech edition. A little edge-toning; near fine in a very good, rubbed dust jacket with light edge creasing. [#023513] $40
$20

Pleasant Hill, Intrepid Trips/SITO, (1979, 1981). Two of the six issues of Kesey's homegrown magazine, edited by him and with contributions by Kesey himself, William Burroughs, Larry McMurtry, Jerry Garcia, John Clellon Holmes and others, including Kesey's alter-ego "Grandma Whittier." These two are the Pyramid issue and the Neal Cassady issue. Unmarked, but from the library of Robert Stone. Near fine in wrappers. [#033741] SOLD

Kansas City, Andrews McMeel, (1998). A presentation copy ("PC" on the colophon) of this limited edition that had a declared print run of 448 numbered copies and 52 lettered copies. Signed by Beahm and by Stephen J. Spignesi, who provides an introduction. Recipient's bookplate front pastedown. In the format of the lettered issue: leatherbound; fine in publisher's clamshell case. Scarce as a presentation copy. [#030347] SOLD

Holyoke, Crossroads Press, 1999. The uncorrected proof copy of this limited edition. Signed by the author. Comb-bound with both printed and acetate covers. Stamp of Stanley Wiater on half title; near fine in wrappers. Scarce. [#029498] $115
$75

NY, Diamond, (1992). Inscribed by the author, with well-intentioned profanities. Stamp of recipient inside the front cover. Near fine in wrappers. [#030966] SOLD

Seattle, Jawbone Press, 1981. The uncorrected proof copy. Signed by the author. Near fine in wrappers. [#913626] $100
$65

(Springfield), Gauntlet, (1999). The advance reading copy. Stamp of another author on specifications page, faint foxing to top edge; else fine in wrappers. [#031027] SOLD

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
$244

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
$124

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
$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
$396

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
$38

(Stone Harbor), Meadow Run Press, (1996). Essays on and tales of angling, by one of the most respected American novelists, who is also an avid angler. This is the deluxe limited edition, one of only 67 numbered copies, signed by McGuane and by the artist, John Swan. Quarterbound in blue leather and linen boards; fine in a fine clamshell box. [#911078] SOLD

Boston, Houghton Mifflin, 1987. The first book by the author of Waiting to Exhale. Fine in a fine dust jacket. [#914561] $150
$98

Chicago, Harvester-Hall, 1964. The earliest publication we have seen by Murphy, author of Golf in the Kingdom, among a number of other books, both fiction and nonfiction. Murphy was one of the co-founders of Esalen Institute and a key figure in the human potential movement that grew from it. One of 500 copies. Dampstain at lower corner of front cover, thus near fine in stapled wrappers. [#009648] $95
$48

1964. May 15, 1964. Hall of Famer Musial ("Stan the Man") played baseball for the St. Louis Cardinals from 1941 to 1963 (minus one year in the Navy); in February, 1964, he began a three-year term as Consultant to the President on Physical Fitness, under President Lyndon Johnson. This (form) letter, written on White House stationery, addressed to the Public Relations Director of the L.A. Dodgers, and signed by Musial as "Stan," asks for help, "since we don't have funds for advertising" in publicizing "two new books -- Vim for girls, Vigor for boys -- which explain how important [exercise] can be to their future." Included here are copies of Vim and Vigor, "A Complete Exercise Plan for Girls/Boys 12 to 18." [Washington, D.C.: President's Council on Physical Fitness, 1964]. Each is 24 pages, leading off with a Presidential Message from Johnson and concluding with a message from President Kennedy "prepared especially for this book in November, 1963." The 50+ year old advice is surprisingly current, and the advice across the two genders is surprisingly balanced. The letter is fine; the booklets are very good (Vim) and near fine (Vigor) in stapled wrappers. An example of the youthful President Kennedy's foresight in his emphasis on physical fitness, and the subsequent President taking up the mantle to continue his effort with the help of one of the athletic superstars of the day. [#032322] $565
$396

NY, Knopf, (1993). The uncorrected proof copy of the first American edition of this dark young adult novel that was later reprinted as The Butterfly Tattoo. Slightly dusty; else fine in wrappers. [#023042] $150
$98

(Tulsa), (Western Publishing), (1990). Poetry, by a former helicopter pilot in Vietnam, who suffered post traumatic stress disorder after the war. Most of the poems have the same simple rhyme scheme, and each has its own epilogue, longer than the poem. Label removal abrasion front flyleaf; else fine in a fine dust jacket. [#010368] SOLD

Vienna, AUSTRIA, Phaidon, 1936. First Edition. Yellow cloth with gold decorations. Near fine in very good dust jacket (edge-worn, scored). [#600016] $60
$30

Boston, Little Brown, (1959). Inscribed by the author to Peter [De Vries] and his wife, Katinka. Further signed in full by Roueche on the title page. A collection of profiles of people who found a life that suits them. First published in The New Yorker between 1946 and 1953. (Note that for this reason the copyright page at a glance makes it seem as though the book was published in 1953.) Spine slanted, rubbing to spine extremities; a near fine copy in a very good, spine-sunned and price-clipped dust jacket. [#030801] $115
$75

London, Harvill Press, (1998). The first English language edition. This is the issue in wrappers. Fine. [#912023] $175
$114

Minneapolis, Coffee House Press/Espresso Editions, 1990. A story by the Pulitzer Prize-winning author, with six linoleum cut illustrations by Susan Nees. Number 99 of 170 numbered copies signed by the author and artist. A couple small faint spots to spine cloth; else fine in boards and publisher's ribbon-tied plexiglass case. An attractive production. [#915756] $950
$665

Boston, Houghton Mifflin, (1989). The uncorrected proof copy of this collection of original essays by Isabel Allende, Robert Stone, Gore Vidal, Charles McCarry and Marge Piercy. Mild spine sunning; near fine in wrappers. [#000319] $45
$23

NY, Ecco, (1984). First thus. Volume 4 in the Tales of Chekhov series. With a 175-word blurb by Robert Stone on the rear cover, and from Robert Stone's library. Very good in wrappers. [#033812] $45
$23

(Schenecdaty), (Union College), (1971). Printed as a special issue of The Idol and featuring the text of a conversation with Updike. 32 pages, fine in glossy stapled wrappers with a pencil sketch of Updike on the cover. This copy is inscribed by Updike. An uncommon piece, and scarce signed. [#031521] $285
$185

NY, Knopf, 1994. Inscribed by the author to Edward Hoagland: "For Ted/ a new trip for you/ warm regards as always, John." A nice association. Fine in a near fine, spine-faded dust jacket. [#033494] SOLD

(NY/West Stockbridge/Prague), Thornwillow Press, 2002. One of the more attractive and lavishly produced limited editions in the Updike oeuvre. Three stories that appeared in the New Yorker ("Personal Archaeology," "Free," and "The Guardian") plus an Author's Note. Bound in full black leather with raised bands and gilt stamped spine; marbled endpapers; illustrated with tipped-in photographs; and laid into a velvet-lined black linen clamshell case. This is copy number 149 of 250 numbered copies, signed by Updike, by the photographer Mariana Cook, and by the designer Luke Ives Pontifell. This copy is additionally inscribed by Updike: "for some generous patron of the 2003 St. John's Fair/ with thanks, John Updike." Fine. [#030861] $1,750
$1,313

NY, Knopf, 1987. Short stories. Signed by the author. Slight foxing to foredge and (faded) top stain; near fine in a fine dust jacket. [#030213] $60
$30

Bristol, Scorpion, (1994). The limited edition. Of a total edition of 90 copies, this is copy "L" of 15 deluxe lettered copies, signed by the author and by Andrew Taylor, who provides an introduction. Quarterbound in leather; fine. [#913470] $250
$163

NY, Random House, (1966). An extra-annotated copy: inscribed by Wasserman, "To --- ---, a fellow quixotick -- with appreciation, Dale Wasserman, in 1968. Wasserman, who had had success on Broadway with an adaptation of Ken Kesey's One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest in 1963, wrote the book for Man of La Mancha which opened off Broadway in 1965 and moved to Broadway in 1966, where it won the Tony Award for best musical. Tipped into this copy is a plethora of Quixotic ephemera, as well as four typed letters signed from Wasserman. There is also a photo of a Cervantes-themed bracelet, which the recipient had sent to Wasserman, and which Wasserman mounted and photographed. The four letters span 1968-1969. In one, Wasserman notes: "It amuses me, the way The Impossible Dream has swept the world, gone into so many languages and been put to so many uses. For most often it's used wrongly, in a perversion of its meaning..." The owner has rather compulsively annotated not only the text of the book, and the added articles, reviews, and illustrations; he has also annotated Wasserman's letters. Binding broken from all the ephemera laid in. Thus a good copy, with the dust jacket absent but the jacket flaps preserved and pasted to the endpages. A unique copy. [#033200] $750
$525

(Tucson), Ironwood Press, (1976). A collection of poems, several about the war. Weigl has won numerous awards for his poetry, much of which comes from his experience in the military in Vietnam. In his memoir, Weigl wrote "The war took away my life and gave me poetry in return." Signed by the author. Very good in stapled wrappers. [#034514] SOLD

(n.p.), Apparently Self-Published, (1978). Poetry. Rust to the staples, otherwise near fine in stapled wrappers. Stapled to the front cover is a typed letter signed to Peter Matthiessen. [#032237] $40
$20

NY, Harper & Row, (1967). Inscribed by Wilder to Cheryl Crawford, "ever affectionately," and dated March 21, 1967, in New York. As with another copy of this book that was inscribed on the same day, the recipient's name is filled in in what appears to be a child's hand. Laid into this copy is a six-page typescript of Wilder's 1918 playlet "Nascuntur Poetae [Poets are Born]." The book has apparent smoke damage to the upper edges; only a fair copy, lacking the dust jacket. The typescript appears to be a carbon copy; folded in thirds; near fine. [#034540] $200
$130

NY, Lippincott, (1944). A collection of six stories including "Rear Window," basis for the classic Hitchcock film starring Jimmy Stewart and Grace Kelly. Also includes the story "Marihuana." A Queen's Quorum title, and a fragile wartime production, printed on thin, cheap paper. The first page of "Rear Window" (p. 145) has a hinge tear, affecting a couple of letters. Label remnants on front flyleaf; minor watermarks to lower rear board and lower corner of rear pages; a very good in a very good dust jacket with modest edge wear. A very presentable copy of one of the high spots of the mystery novel, according to "Ellery Queen." [#006782] $640
$448