(Salt Lake City), (Dream Garden), (1982). The second of the Wilderness calendars, with work by a number of prominent photographers, and text by Edward Abbey, Tom McGuane, Leslie Marmon Silko, Ann Zwinger, Lawrence Clark Powell, Wallace Stegner, Barry Lopez, Frank Waters, William Eastlake, John Nichols, and others. This copy has been signed by Eastlake and Powell, and photographers John Telford, Tom Till, Fred Hirschmann and Chris Wangsgard -- several of the finest and most highly respected photographers of the natural world working today. Fine.
[#010416]$95 $48
Worcester, Metacom Press, 1981. The hardcover issue. The first separate appearance of this short story, which first appeared in Antaeus. Of a total edition of 276 copies, this is one of 26 lettered copies, signed by the author. Fine in a fine dust jacket.
[#911362]$300 $195
1933. 23 pages, carbon typescript, with approximately three dozen changes made in Cain's hand, and more than a dozen additional small variations between this text and the published version. Published in American Mercury in November 1933, "Tribute to a Hero," is an autobiographical piece about the Cain family following the father's 1903 job change from St. John's College at Annapolis to Washington College at Chestertown, MD, and the culture shock that ensued from this move to a "hick place" from one of "smartness, competence, and class," a state of affairs that was partially redeemed by the actions of "a great man" (with an assist from Cain's father) on the occasion of a Washington College-Maryland Agricultural College football game. Published the year before his first novel, The Postman Always Rings Twice (and following Our Government in 1930, nonfiction based on Cain's column for New York World). Called "one of Cain's finest essays" by David Madden in James M. Cain: Hard-Boiled Mythmaker. Carbon paper a bit yellowed, some pencil rubbing, not affecting text; near fine. An early manuscript of a boyhood epiphany by a writer who gained a place in the literary pantheon for his famous first novel, which is still considered one of the high spots of American hard-boiled fiction.
[#029577]$2,500 $1,875
(Sydney), Knopf, (2008). First edition (Australian). Signed by the author. Fine in a very near fine printed glassine dustwrapper with one small crease.
[#914436]$100 $65
(Marvin), Blue Cloud Quarterly, 1975. Vol. 21, No. 2 of the Blue Cloud Quarterly. A poem based on Hopi myth, believed to derive from the much earlier Anasazi culture. Inscribed by the author to Joe and Carol [Bruchac] in the year of publication, a nice association copy. Fine in stapled wrappers.
[#025390]$80 $40
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, Dutton, (1923). Crowley's first novel, reportedly based on his own experiences as a drug user. Contemporary owner name and date to front flyleaf. Small spot to spine, light corner tap, and rear hinge starting; still a near fine copy, without dust jacket.
[#034868]$850 $595
(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 $114
(Hay), Hay Festival Press, 2004. The first separate appearance of this story, with an introduction by De Bernieres for this edition. Number 63 of 100 numbered copies signed by the author. Fine without dust jacket, as issued.
[#911483]$250 $163
Elmwood, Raven Editions, 1987. The first separate edition of this story by Dubus, expanded from its magazine publication back to its original length. An attractive limited edition, designed and printed by Carol Blinn of Warwick Press. Copy No. 34 of 60 numbered copies, of a total edition of 70 copies signed by the author. Unmarked, but from the library of Robert Stone. Fine, without dust jacket, as issued.
[#033672]$500 $325
Gorham/Portland, [University of Southern Maine], 1971. Poster advertising two dates for a showing of a film "featuring a history of experimental cartoon work and animation" by Charley Murphy and Stan Vanderbeek, and "a new film by Kenneth Anger," plus a "surprise film." 14-1/2" x 16". Black on gold; near fine.
[#033333]$100 $65
NY, Atlantic Monthly, (1997). His first book, a Civil War novel and a publishing phenomenon: after a modest 25,000 copy first printing, the book eventually sold more than a million copies in hardcover and won the National Book Award -- a rare combination of literary and commercial success for any work of fiction, let alone a first novel. Fine in a fine dust jacket, with the John Berendt blurb attached on a label to the front panel (not exactly an issue point, as some copies had this affixed on publication day, while others didn't). Signed by the author in the month of publication.
[#915000]$300 $195
(Johannesburg), Ravan Press, (1973). Second issue, with passages by Mandlenkosi Langa censored on pages 54 and 60. Subtitled "Notes on African Writing," with one section on fiction and one on poetry. This copy is signed by the Nobel Prize-winning author. The poet was supposedly issued with a banning order in October, 1973 and the passages quoting him had to be deleted or the issues pulped: later reports say it was actually Langa's brother Benjamin who had been banned. Handling apparent to rear cover; about near fine in wrappers. A fairly uncommon book in either issue, and quite scarce signed.
[#026742]$265 $172
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
(n.p.), (n.p.), 2000. An early, tapebound typescript of this novel that was published in July, 2001. No publisher indicated, suggesting this was an early agent's copy, or some other kind of copy prepared prior to the publisher issuing any version of it. Double-spaced, double-sided, 507 pages. "Revised: December 11, 2000" printed on the blue front cover/title page. Textual differences exist between this and the published text, beginning with a different table of contents and including changes in the Acknowledgments section of the book. We are aware of another state of this draft that was comb-bound, which was issued by Knopf/Canada. Fine.
[#032787]$375 $244
NY, Dutton, (1985). Reviews from the mid-1980s: Flashdance, Desperately Seeking Susan, Footloose, Stop Making Sense, The Big Chill, etc. Unmarked, but from the estate of the author. Very faint foxing to the edges of the text block; still fine in a fine dust jacket.
[#035357]$40 $20
NY, Scientia-Factum, 1968. Kosinski's resume from 1970, the facts of which roughly correspond to to the biographical sketch at the rear of The Art of the Self, with the omission of his 1965 work Notes of the Author. Together with a copy of The Art of Self [NY, Scientia-Factum, 1968], a pamphlet containing short pieces relating to his National Book Award-winning novel Steps. Inscribed by the author. The pamphlet is edge-sunned; near fine in stapled wrappers. The resume is folded in thirds; edge-sunned with a small edge chip; near fine. A unique combination of items pertaining to Kosinski's writing career after the success of The Painted Bird and before the scandals that later plagued him after his celebrity, culminating in his suicide.
[#022972]$750 $525
(London), Golden Handshake, (2001). Inscribed by the author to Robert Stone and his wife, in the year of publication:"Good seeing you though too briefly. Wish the winds of chance would blow you my way. There's never time in N.Y." Fine in wrappers.
[#033798]$60 $30
NY, New American Library, (1989). The advance reading copy. Inscribed by the author (but not signed) to Robert Stone and his wife. Very good in wrappers.
[#033747]$75 $38
Brooklyn, Melville House, (2010). The second novel by the author of the recent Taipei, published in softcover only, signed by Lin with a cross-shaped bug doodle, his bug doodle signature motif being not uncommon. Laid in is the publisher's "Rumpus" interview with Lin, asking about his writing process, his inspiration, his synopsis, and the book's autobiographical elements; the verso has tour dates and blurbs about earlier books. The interview is folded in half, and is inscribed by Lin and signed "tao." Also together with, for no concrete reason, a Snapfish postcard printout of Lin's 2008 image "Panda Crying for No Concrete Reason." A nice collection of materials by a writer who has been called "a Kafka for the iPhone generation."
[#029935]$250 $163
San Francisco, North Point, 1990. The uncorrected proof copy of her second book, a novel transformed by the author's best friend dying from AIDS during the writing. North Point dissolved shortly after the book was published, and the title never got the attention it deserved. Significant textual differences exist between this proof and the published version. Very near fine in wrappers.
[#035255]$40 $20
(MATTHIESSEN, Peter). ZUCKERMAN, Peter and PADOAN, Amanda
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 $38
NY, Simon and Schuster, 1952. The uncorrected proof copy, in the form of stringbound galleys, of this "Dastard's Handbook to Fame and Fortune," a bestselling satire based on Mead's rise from the mailroom to a vice presidency at the advertising agency Benton and Bowles. Adapted by Frank Loesser and Abe Burrows into the musical that would have three runs on Broadway, over four decades, with more than 2400 performances, earning nine Tony Awards, including one for Best Musical in its first run, 1961-1965, when it also won the 1962 Pulitzer Prize for Drama. Also the basis for the 1967 film. This proof has textual differences from the published book on, at least, the final page. Also, the cover has "Sheperd" hand-corrected to "Shepherd," as well as editorial notations. Tall (7" x 12"), stringbound galleys, printed on rectos only, with a back cover of cardboard. Small corner chip and a corner crease to the front cover; stray pen marks there; still near fine. Rare.
[#034619]$850 $595
(n.p.), Crown, (2000/2001). An advance copy, in the form of a tapebound typscript (computer printout, double-spaced, double-sided). Laid in is a typed letter signed from Nicosia to Peter Matthiessen, requesting a quote from him to use as publicity. Nicosia also says he would like to talk to him about a future book, about Mumia Abu-Jamal "and the war on people of color that is being waged by our justice system." Quotes from other writers about Home to War have been laid in as well. Small tape repair lower spine; near fine in an acetate cover.
[#032128]$45 $23
Paris, Plon, (1992). A later French edition -- 1993, the year the title won the Prix du Meilleur Livre Etranger, the French award for the best foreign book of the year. Fine in wrappers and signed by the author.
[#019580]$60 $30
NY, Doubleday, (1994). The advance reading copy of his second book, first novel. Winner of the 1993 Pirates Alley William Faulkner Prize for the Novel. Inscribed by the author: "For ___, this cold, cold book. Stay warm!" Fine in wrappers.
[#030018]$115 $75
(Lockport, NY), (Union Printing), (1884). "Copyrighted December 6th, 1883." Scarce in any edition, but more commonly seen printed in 1884 in St. Catharine's, Ontario, by Journal Printing Co. 56 pages; text fine. String-tied wrappers, with multiple small edge chips to the front cover; pictorial front cover present, rear cover absent, thus only a good copy.
[#031734]$115 $75
(NY), (Vehicle), (1978). Her second book, a collection of short prose poems. Of a total edition of 500 copies, this is one of 474 copies in wrappers. Inscribed by the author in 1979. Slight rubbing to the spine folds, else fine; a very nice copy.
[#011223]$210 $137
(London), Faber and Faber, (2003). His Guardian Prize- and Booker Prize-winning first novel. Signed by the author. Fine in a fine dust jacket. A beautiful copy.
[#912698]$250 $163
NY, Farrar Straus Giroux, (2014). The advance reading copy of this novel by the Pulitzer Prize winning author of Gilead; this novel, also set in the town of Gilead, won the National Book Critics Circle Award. Slight splay to cover; else fine in wrappers, with publisher's promotional pages laid in. Like a number of other ARCs of recent years, this appears to have been done in minuscule quantities; we have seen very few of them on the market.
[#031753]$95 $48
La Laguna, Zasterle Press, 1990. Number 51 of 300 numbered copies. Inscribed by Rothenberg to Clayton [Eshleman] & Caryl: "some more invasions from elsewhere, with much love." Rothenberg was working on translations of Lorca at the time he wrote these poems; both he and Eshleman have translated Spanish language poetry, in addition to sharing an interest in indigenous, tribal, and prehistoric arts. Near fine in wrappers.
[#033557]$100 $65
(London), Bogle-L'Ouverture, (1988). The hardcover issue of this collection of poetry. Signed by the author. Age-toning to page edges; still fine in a fine dust jacket.
[#915533]$100 $65
(n.p.), (Dial Press), (1968). The uncorrected proof copy of his Pulitzer Prize-winning play. Quarto, 8" x 11"; paper clip imprint to front cover and first few pages (clip still present); sunning to covers and the number 48 written in pencil on front; near fine. An uncommon format, suggesting that not many copies would have been done.
[#007163]$190 $124
(San Francisco), (San Francisco), (1963-1964). Three broadsides: Gary Snyder's Nanao Knows, Lew Welch's Step Out Onto the Planet, and Philip Whalen's Three Mornings. Each reproduced by photo-offset from the author's own calligraphy and printed in an edition of 300 copies on the occasion of a reading at Longshoreman's Hall, San Francisco, June 12, 1964. Each broadside is signed by its author. Snyder, Welch and Whalen first met when they attended Reed College, a progressive school in Oregon; the friends later became three of the most influential poets of the Beat generation. The Welch is sunned with two creases; the Snyder and Whalen have some light creases and edge sunning and are also signed by an unknown hand in an upper margin, with "much happiness." A very good set. 9-1/2" x 12-1/2". Publisher's postcard prospectus laid in. [McNeil A7.]
[#034473]$700 $490
Hadley, Numinous Press, 1992. A first bibliography of Robert Stone, describing in detail the American and British editions of his "A" items up through Outerbridge Reach, along with an extensive listing of his appearances in others' books, in periodicals, in translation, etc. Illustrated with photographs, and including a critical introduction, as well as a previously unpublished piece by Robert Stone: the transcript of an impromptu talk that Stone gave at the Library of Congress for the tenth anniversary of the PEN Faulkner Award in 1989, about his exposure at a young age to the effects of writing, experienced upon reading Coleridge's The Rime of the Ancient Mariner. Stone, who won the National Book Award for his novel Dog Soldiers, was widely considered one of the most important American novelists to emerge from the era of the Vietnam war and the Sixties counterculture, and the short list of his published novels does not give an accurate indication of his pervasive influence on contemporary American literature. By tracing the secondary appearances (the bibliography includes over 240 entries), one begins to appreciate the scope of his writing and the points at which his voice was one of those that defined our current situation and gave us the terms with which to understand it. The limited edition. One of 150 numbered copies, signed by Robert Stone. With a marbled paper dust jacket created expressly for this edition by Light of Day Bindery in Northampton, MA, and printed letterpress by Wild Carrot Press. Can be signed by Ken Lopez, if desired.
[#010984]$95 $48
Dickinson, Dickinson State College, 1974. Tate served as poetry editor for this annual publication, and here contributes an insightful and amusing three-page introduction. The collection includes, among other things, Stratis Haviaras's first poems in English. Spine-sunned, near fine in wrappers, with the stamp of a previous owner inside the front cover.
[#030830]$40 $20
Arlington Hts, Dark Harvest, (1992). The uncorrected proof copy, in glossy yellow wrappers. Inscribed by the author. Stamp of another author on the summary page. Mild spine sunning, else fine in wrappers.
[#031142]$40 $20
Boston, Houghton Mifflin, 1951. Their second collaboration, inscribed by Thoby-Marcelin to Barbara Howes in 1971. Howes/Smith bookplate front pastedown, causing offsetting to flyleaf at inscription. Introduction by Edmund Wilson, with Howes' pencilled markings in the text of the introduction; spine cloth faded; very good in a very good, price-clipped dust jacket with several small edge chips. Uncommon, especially signed.
[#018567]$265 $172
1979, 1980. Four letters from Thomson, widely considered one of the most important and influential American composers and music critics of the 20th century. Written to John Crelan, founder and director of the cultural organization Arts and Society. The first informs Crelan that he has set to music for solo voice work by the poets Gertrude Stein, Marianne Moore, Max Jacob, and Georges Hugnet, and that he also has three full length operas (two featuring work by Stein and one featuring work by Jack Larson), and further that he finds Crelan's suggestion of a concert in Boston involving his work "most agreeable." The second letter confirms the date and venue and inquires about payment if there is to be a radio or television broadcast. The third and fourth continue to speak of the types of travel arrangements that were necessary in the era when one might need to send a postcard to a hotel should the timing of an appointment change. All letters fine, with mailing envelopes included.
[#032679]$300 $195
1986. A remembrance by Updike of his friend Thompson, read at Thompson's memorial service. Two photocopies, each four pages, folded in thirds, stapled, and stamped with Updike's address. Reproduces a couple holograph corrections and one note of transmittal. One copy is however actually signed by Updike. Near fine, and together with a copy of Bookbuilder, January/February 1987, the newsletter of the Bookbuilders of Boston, where the tribute was printed.
[#031526]$575 $403
Newburyport, Wickford Press, 1968. A limited edition of a humorous essay on encounters with (other) famous authors, which first appeared in the New York Times. Number 56 of 250 numbered copies. Issued unsigned, this copy is inscribed by the author in 1997: For ___ ___ and her fabulous collection/ Cheers, John Updike." One of Updike's earliest limited editions, done the same year as Bath After Sailing and The Angels. Although the limitation of this title is larger than either of those, we have encountered it just as infrequently. Faint sunning at the edge of the spine, else fine.
[#030849]$1,500 $1,125
NY, Knopf, 2001. A volume in Knopf's "Everyman Library," collecting Bech: A Book, Bech is Back, Bech at Bay, and adding "His Oeuvre." Inscribed by the author: "For ___ ___/ warm regards, John Updike/ 4/19/01." Fine in a fine dust jacket.
[#030267]$190 $124
[NY], (Scientific American), (1969). The first separate edition of this physics-themed poem. One of 6200 copies printed as Christmas cards to be issued with W.H. Auden's A New Year Greeting (not present). 24 pages, illustrated. Fine in stapled wrappers. Lacking the cardboard sleeve that combined the two booklets, but in a custom three quarter leather clamshell case from the Praxis Bindery. This copy is inscribed by the author: "For ___/ Merry Christmas 1995/ John Updike [with a drawing of holly leaves and berries]." While the print run of this item was not particularly small, especially when compared with the many limited editions Updike has done, the nature of its distribution -- as a freebie to Scientific American subscribers -- suggests that most copies would have been lost or discarded.
[#030850]$2,500 $1,875
[Sacramento], (CoTangent Press), [1993]. A limited edition of a story from Thirteen Stories and Thirteen Epitaphs, preceded, in 1990 by a CoTangent edition of one handwritten folio copy, and issued here with revisions. This is copy number 23 of 200 numbered copies signed by Vollmann and by the designer, Ben Pax. Illustrated by Vollmann. Fine in sewn wrappers and dust jacket.
[#912137]$700 $490
[1921]. May 30 [1921]. Written to Herbert Fay, Custodian of Lincoln's Tomb. One 8-1/2" x 11" sheet of white lined paper, written on both sides. This letter refers to White Eagle's being in charge of an exhibit in Chicago for the Custer Battlefield Highway Association and to his efforts to contact an Apache named Dr. Montezuma, who lived in Chicago, in order to provide Fay with a photograph for his collection. Folded in sixths for mailing. Near fine.
[#003296]$650 $455
For notifications of our sale lists, new arrivals, new catalogs, or other e-lists, subscribe to our email list: