Weekly Sale

(Latham), Paris Review Editions, (1989). An uncommon book of poetry by a writer who is, these days, more well known for his fiction, including First Light and Through the Safety Net. Baxter's first two books, in the early 1970s, were poetry and this was his third collection of verse. Signed by the author in 1994 with the added sentiment: "Even a scowl is a kind of style." Fine in wrappers. [#911350] SOLD

(London), Whurr, (2000). A very good copy of the paperback: laid in is an offprint of Chapter 9, "On Aesthetic Perception," and an autograph note signed by the author to Peter Matthiessen, saying he would enjoy reading Matthiessen's work on Buddhist thought. There is also a letter laid in from Brown's son to Matthiessen, suggesting that Matthiessen and his father might enjoy a dialogue. [#031836] $95
$48

Gladestry, Scorpion Press, (2006). The deluxe limited edition. Of a total of 93 copies, this is copy "h" of 16 lettered copies signed by the author and by Simon Kernick, who provides an introduction. Quarterbound in leather with raised spine bands. Fine. [#914435] $350
$228

Concord, Ewert, 1987. The first publication of this story. One of 12 advance copies, signed by the publisher, William Ewert, but not by Carver. Fine in wrappers. [#912329] $325
$211

(NY), Viking, (1994). The first American edition. Signed by Coetzee for the poet Alfred Corn and dated October 26, 1994 in St. Louis. Beneath Coetzee's dated and located signature, Corn has written: "John Coetzee kindly inscribed this book to me during an international writer's conference at Washington University, devoted to the topic 'The Writer and Religion' in October 1994. Of course I value Coetzee as one of the greatest fiction writers of our time. Alfred Corn." Corn was a visiting professor at Washington University at the time of the conference. A bit of spotting to the spine cloth, else fine in a fine dust jacket. Coetzee's signature is uncommon; the association is unique. [#031677] $400
$260

London, Dent, 1925. A novel that was unfinished at the time of Conrad's death and was published posthumously. Offsetting to endpapers, spotting to pages edges; very good in a very good, internally tape-repaired jacket. [#011414] $115
$75

[Seattle], Incunabla, 2007. The lettered limited edition of this poster, a broadside excerpt from Crowley's 1981 novel Little, Big, issued in conjunction with what was to be the 25th anniversary edition of Crowley's World Fantasy Award-winner, which is still a work-in-progress and has yet to be published. A 24" x 37" poster, with art by Peter Milton, whose haunting drawings, etchings, engravings and prints are to grace the new edition. When Little, Big was first published, Ursula Le Guin famously wrote that "all by itself it calls for a redefinition of fantasy"; Thomas Disch called it "the greatest fantasy novel ever." The literary critic Harold Bloom listed three books by John Crowley, including Little, Big, in his book The Western Canon. Bloom is listed as providing an introduction to the anniversary edition of the novel. One can get a sense, from this poster, of the aesthetic of the anniversary volume. One of 26 lettered copies, this being letter "L," signed by John Crowley, artist Peter Milton, editor John Drummond and book designer John D. Berry. Rolled; else fine. A scarce artifact of a prolonged publishing project and labor of love, associated with one of the best-loved and most highly regarded fantasy novels of all time. [#029580] $750
$525

Santiago, Nascimento, 1960. An early collection of short stories, the fourth book by this Chilean writer, which was not translated into English or published in the U.S. for 17 years. This book precedes any publication of Donoso's work in the U.S. by five years. Pages browning with age but still near fine in self-wraps. A scarce volume, given the Chilean imprint, the fragile binding and the cheap, acidic paper used in production. [#013579] $265
$172

(London), Warren Editions, 1974. The first separate appearance of a piece that appeared in the Sunday Times in 1973, in which Drabble shares her delight in raising children. One of 150 copies privately distributed for the publishers "to celebrate the birth of Daisy Victoria Gili." 4-1/2" x 5-1/4". Fine in self-wrappers. Scarce. [#024844] $265
$172

NY, Knopf, 1998. The uncorrected proof copy of his last book, his second collection of essays. Dubus was best known as a short story writer, and his last collection of stories was a finalist for the National Book Critics Circle Award in 1996. He won the Rea Award for the Short Story in 1991 and a MacArthur Foundation "genius grant" in 1988. He is the father of the acclaimed novelist and memoirist Andre Dubus III. Signed by the author. Fine in wrappers. [#021063] $115
$75

(n.p.), McSweeney's, (2000). An ink drawing by Eggers of a malformed human, captioned "Things have changed since then, executed on the previously blank dust jacket of Timothy McSweeney's Issue No. 5. Signed (initialed) by Eggers. With an additional ink drawing by Eggers on the flyleaf, of an amoeba shape, captioned, "At one time they were all like this." Eggers has been selling his captioned paintings and prints of captioned animals to benefit ScholarMatch (which he also founded), an organization that funds college educations. Additionally signed by Ben Greenman. 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. Two tiny spots to foredge and small lower board nicks; near fine in a very good, mildly dusty jacket with a couple of closed tears. [#032951] $850
$595

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

NY, Farrar, Straus & Giroux, (2001). An advance audio excerpt from his then-forthcoming novel The Corrections, along with excerpts of ten other books in FSG's Fall 2001 line-up. Cassette tape, signed by Franzen on a small label affixed to the printed cardstock sleeve. Fine. The Corrections won the National Book Award and is consistently cited as one of the top books of the 21st century's "new canon." An unusual advance issue for a literary novel, and likely the only signed copy. [#029924] $125
$81

Lynbrook, Charnel House, 1991. Issued in an edition of 500 copies, this is a Publisher's Copy ("PC" on the colophon). Signed by Garton and the illustrator, J.K. Potter. Bookplate of another author on the verso of the front flyleaf. The previous owner has also made a note on the title page that he received this copy from Potter. Fine in a fine slipcase. [#030589] $95
$48

NY, Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, (1974). His only children's book. Fine in a fine dust jacket. [#912617] $350
$228

(Jackson), Nouveau Press/Mississippi Civil Liberties Union, (1982). A limited edition printing "Ride, Fly, Penetrate, Loiter" and "John, This Plane's on Fire." One of 26 hardbound Roman-numeraled copies signed by the author. Fine, without dust jacket, as issued. [#915045] SOLD

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

(Cazadero), (Sudden Oak Books), (2015). The first hardcover edition of this novel that was published in hardcover, in paperback, and as an app. The hardcover is a slipcased edition of two volumes, "Snacks" and "News," meant to be read in alternating chapters and with illustrations by Ian Huebert that combine across the two volumes to make a larger picture. Although not called for, each volume is signed by the author. Horowitz was a managing editor and then publisher of McSweeney's. Fine copies, without dust jackets, as issued, in a fine slipcase. [#032650] SOLD

(1980-1981). Three autograph letters signed (two on personal stationery; one written inside a card) to fellow writer Jay Neugeboren, praising his recent story in The Atlantic and his current novel. Kaplan is especially taken with the Jewishness of Neugeboren's work: "I think it's very rare to find such a daring, honest, wonderful story that is a genuinely Jewish story in a national magazine. (First of all, I think very few stories of that description are being written)....you've captured an attitude, a spirit in this story that except for the very early immigrant writers (& some of them were primitive so not "art") that has been either unknown or buried in the mainstream of American Jewish fiction." All items fine. [#012866] $40
$20

Middleton, Wesleyan University Press, (1980). The author's first book, poetry in the Wesleyan series, this being the hardcover issue. Warmly inscribed by the author to his then-wife, the poet Ai (although the address used is "darling"). Fine in a very good dust jacket. [#012867] $60
$30

(n.p.), Viking, (1987). The uncorrected proof copy of this collection of short pieces, both fiction and nonfiction. "Press Copy" markings to cover and summary page; one corner crease; near fine in wrappers. [#016287] $40
$20

NY, Henry Holt, (1998). Signed by the author. Unmarked, but from the library of Robert Stone. Fine in a fine dust jacket. [#033794] $35
$18

Kansas City, Sheed McMeel, (1978). His second book, a retelling of Native American tales of Coyote the Trickster, subtitled "Coyote Builds North America." Lopez revivifies the tales, restoring their humor and vitality, and thus their power to affect the contemporary reader, rather than recounting them in the dry manner of an anthropologist dissecting a "subject." Signed by the author. Very slight bowing to boards; still fine in a near fine dust jacket worn at the lower edge and spine extremities and lightly rubbed on the spine. [#027034] SOLD

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
$30

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
$30

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, Farrar Straus Giroux, (1978). The second issue uncorrected proof copy. Signed by the author. Reviewer (?) name on front cover; crease to rear cover; near fine in light gray wrappers. [#911706] $200
$130

NY, Farrar Straus Giroux, (2017). The advance reading copy of this collection of essays on writing, specifically on writing long-form nonfiction. McPhee practically single-handedly invented the genre of Creative or Literary Nonfiction in the 1960s, with his profiles and other long pieces written for The New Yorker. Since then he has, in addition to writing, taught a course in writing at Princeton, and been a mentor to several generations of young writers. His own writing both illuminates the subjects he takes on, and also expands the range of journalism and reporting by virtue of his approach to his subject. A bit crunched at the spine; very good in wrappers. [#033599] $50
$25

(n.p.), (Jubilee), (1959). An offprint from Jubilee of an article Merton wrote on Pasternak following Pasternak's being awarded (and declining) the Nobel Prize for Literature. Oblong quarto; roughly a dozen pages. Mild, even acidification and a few small creases near the spine. Near fine in stapled wrappers. Dell'Isola lists the Jubilee appearance, but makes no mention of this offprint. OCLC locates only three copies. [#030126] $375
$244

(Toronto), McClelland & Stewart, (1996). An advance copy, in the form of comb-bound galleys, typeset but reproducing several holograph corrections. Her third book, first novel, which was first published in Canada, and only in wrappers. Winner of the Orange Prize for Fiction, the Guardian Prize for Fiction, the Books in Canada First Novel Award and the Trillium Prize. Signed by the author. 9" x 11". Fine. [#915362] $650
$455

Norfolk, New Directions, (1939). Miller's first book to be published in the U.S., after the acclaim that his earlier books -- Tropic of Cancer, Tropic of Capricorn and Black Spring -- had achieved in Paris. One of 2000 copies printed, this copy is a review copy (so stamped on the front flyleaf, with a publication date). Inscribed by Miller to Roger Richards, a legendary New York bookseller whose store, Greenwich Books, was a hangout for many of the Beat writers including Gregory Corso, Herbert Huncke, Ginsberg and Burroughs, and even Carl Solomon. Richards also published one of the last things Miller wrote, a 1978 chapbook called Love Between the Sexes, issued in an edition of 276 copies. This was one of the early books published by New Directions, which had been founded in 1936. Darkening to endpages and spine cloth, a very good copy of the first issue in a very good, first issue dust jacket with several small edge chips and two small contemporary reviews taped to the front flap. Very uncommon as an advance copy, and an excellent association copy. [#032894] $1,500
$1,125

Boston, Little Brown, (2002). A memoir by the novelist, which won the PEN/Martha Albrand Award for the Art of the Memoir. Inscribed by Moody in 2003 to the author Nicholas Delbanco: "For Nick D/ All admiration and gratitude for your work and for having me to Ann Arbor." Thomas Pynchon provides a dust jacket blurb on the front flap. Upper corners tapped, else fine in a fine dust jacket. [#029688] $115
$75

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

Garden City, Doubleday, 1986. Inscribed by the author to Robert Stone, "in friendship and with great admiration" in the year of publication. Fine in a near fine dust jacket. [#033764] $75
$38

Los Angeles, 20th Century Fox, 1940. The revised shooting final screenplay, dated December 15, 1939, although with 24 pages of colored inserts dating from January and February, 1940. Machine stamped "copy #1," belonging to the producer Darryl F. Zanuck. This was one of the two screenplays that O'Hara worked on from September to December 1939 and shared screenplay credits for, in this case with Karl Tunberg and Don Ettlinger. The movie was produced by Zanuck, and starred Vera Zorina, Erich von Stroheim and Peter Lorre. Quarto; mimeographed pages with blue revision sheets inserted. Near fine in printed studio wrappers. Rare. [#025153] $2,000
$1,500

Prairie City, Decker Press, (1948). An unrecorded variant of this uncommon title. Gray cloth with the same design as that of the apparently first issue yellow cloth, in a blue dust jacket with gold and black lettering, a price of $1 and the words "THE ARCHIVE of Duke University" in place of "Louis Untermeyer" on the dust jacket copy. According to Morgan, Decker printed about 200 copies of this title, about 20 of which were the first issue, although Morgan doesn't account for all known variants. Shortly after printing this book, Decker disappeared and his car was found abandoned, a mystery that was never solved. Fine in a mildly sunned, else fine dust jacket. [#001805] $1,500
$1,125

(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

(NY), Vehicle, (1984). A small press volume, the first book appearance of this story. Issued in an edition of 2026, this is Letter "A" of 26 hardbound copies signed by the author and by Yvonne Jacquette, the illustrator. Fine in a fine slipcase. [#914270] $600
$420

NY, Broadway Play Publishing, (1990). A play by this poet, playwright, essayist and novelist. His novel Cold Hands was chosen as New York Times Notable Book. Inscribed by the author: "Tony [Harvey] -- Thanks for lunch. Joe." Near fine in wrappers. [#026853] $40
$20

NY, Knopf, 1918. A collection of poems, literary essays and commentary, and an early title for Pound, considered by many the most important American poet of the 20th century. Signed by Pound on the frontispiece, below his photograph. First issue binding. Front hinge weak; cloth rubbed at the edges and joints. Owner name and addresses on the front pastedown, and a photograph tipped to the rear pastedown, with a quote in an unknown hand attributed to Ira V. Morris. A good copy. [#030779] $1,500
$1,125

(various places), (various publishers), (1977-2000). Six magazines with pieces by and about Robbins. Two articles and four interviews, as follows: an interview in Rolling Stone, November 1977; a brief essay on living in La Conner, WA in Pacific Northwest, April 1986; an interview in Interview, November 1993; an interview in Seattle Weekly, April, 1994; a cover article on living in the Northwest in Seattle Times, August, 1994, (plus a newspaper ad for the same) and, lastly, an interview in High Times, June 2000. All issues are near fine or better, and span his career from the year after Even Cowgirls Get the Blues to Fierce Invalids from Hot Climates. [#023608] $40
$20

(NY), Library of America, (2005). The second volume of Roth's collected works: When She Was Good, Portnoy's Complaint, Our Gang, and The Breast. Signed by the author. Fine in a fine dust jacket. [#911999] $250
$163

(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

Ottawa, Borealis, 1972. The first book, a collection of poetry, by the Pulitzer Prize-winning author of The Stone Diaries. Inscribed by Shields to the Canadian poet and novelist Rosemary Aubert: "For Rosemary/ with thanks for a delightful evening/ Carol Shields." Spine faded, with a little tear to the spine base; near fine in wrappers. A nice literary association copy of an important first book. [#029530] $750
$525

Boston, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2010. His second story collection, this copy from the author's own library. Fine in a fine dust jacket. [#033842] $50
$25

(Northampton), Tundra, 1991. A book of sketches by Totleben, one of the key artists associated with Swamp Thing and the horror anthology Taboo. Published as Number Two in the Tundra Sketchbook Series, the press that was an offshoot of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle phenomenon. Fine in wrappers. [#034609] $75
$38

Northridge, Lord John, 1984. A limited edition collection of early works by Updike from his undergraduate years, including poems and several cartoons. Of a total edition of 200, this is copy number 23 of 150 numbered copies, signed by the author. Slight foxing to edges of text block; else fine, without dust jacket, as issued. [#030204] $210
$137

(Logan), (Perfection Form Co.), (1979). An educational pamphlet consisting of the title story of Updike's 1962 story collection, with exercises based on the story. DeBellis & Broomfield A75-a2, apparently: this seems to be the cream-colored variant (no priority established between a1 and a2). Uncommon. Fine in stapled wrappers. [#031527] $135
$88

(n.p.), (n.p.), 1978. Transcript of two consecutive nights of Updike's appearances on The Dick Cavett Show in December 1978. Ten pages and eleven pages, respectively, plus cover sheet. Printed on rectos only. Near fine, in a blue acetate folder that has split along its fold. DeBellis and Broomfield A68. Later collected in Conversations with John Updike. [#030282] $565
$396

NY, Knopf, 1966. The first issue of this collection of stories, with the transposed lines on page 46. Signed by the author. Light splaying to boards; else fine in a near fine dust jacket. [#912072] $450
$293

NY, Harper & Row, (1975). The uncorrected proof copy of his third suspense novel set in Vietnam, and the least common of the author's novels. Fine in wrappers. [#014684] $60
$30