It’s winter here in Vermont, and our rolling hills and green mountain-sides are blanketed in soft snow. It looks sublime, and it inspires thoughts of wilderness adventure. We are reminded of those who have followed those kindled inspirations and trekked the great outdoors – Heinrich Harrer, Edmund S. Hilary – mountaineers of the early toContinue reading “The Masters of Mountaineering”
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Author Spotlight – Hunter S. Thompson
Most notable amongst the New Journalism movement is Hunter S. Thompson. Thompson became internationally famous for his publication of Hell’s Angels: The Strange and Terrible Saga of the Outlaw Motorcycle Gangs (1967), for which he spent a year living with the Angels to experience their lives and stories first hand. But his most popular workContinue reading “Author Spotlight – Hunter S. Thompson”
California Book Fair Dreaming…
This weekend we will be at the Santa Monica International Antiquarian Book Fair in Santa Monica. Book fairs are a fun and convenient way to meet like-minded book collectors and sellers, so please join us in Santa Monica! Over 90 quality exhibitors will offer for sale a wide variety of Antiquarian, Rare and First EditionContinue reading “California Book Fair Dreaming…”
James Bond First Editions
There are many reasons why a Twentieth-Century novel may be well-written and well-received, and few books exemplify these features as Ian Fleming’s James Bond series does. Fleming’s fourteen-book long series is critically respected, successful, and highly collectible. They are some of the most popular spy thrillers ever written, and they look wonderful as a set.Continue reading “James Bond First Editions”
Rare Books – a Meaningful and Unique Christmas Gift Idea
We love Christmas here at Raptis Rare Books. I have to admit, our Pandora Christmas station is already playing and it probably will not stop until after the New Year. There is just something so magical about the holidays. As the shopping season approaches though, its easy to get overwhelmed by the crowds at theContinue reading “Rare Books – a Meaningful and Unique Christmas Gift Idea”
Identifying The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings First Edition Issue Points
J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Hobbit and the Lord of the Rings trilogy are some of the most iconic and sought after first editions books on the market today. We could wax long about Tolkien’s imaginative style or the ways in which the books have affected our culture or children’s fantasy writers after him, but much hasContinue reading “Identifying The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings First Edition Issue Points”
Anne of Green Gables First Edition
Just over 100 years ago, Lucy Maud Montgomery introduced the world to a red-headed, spirited, orphan girl named Anne (with an “e”) Shirley. Since that first edition in 1908, this girl adopted into a little town called Avonlea in Prince Edward Island, Canada has been stealing the hearts of readers generation after generation and isContinue reading “Anne of Green Gables First Edition”
Identifying Stephen King First Edition Issue Points
Stephen King is, without a doubt, the most popular horror writer of all time. He has sold more than 350 million copies of his books worldwide, and, as you can imagine, there is a very large audience who desire first editions and/or signed copies in collectible condition. We always like it when we can findContinue reading “Identifying Stephen King First Edition Issue Points”
Nikos Kazantzakis: an Undaunted Soul
Nikos Kazantzakis was a Greek writer and philosopher of whom many consider to be the most important and most translated Greek writer of the 20th century. He was one vote short of winning the Nobel Prize for Literature when he was nominated in in 1957, having lost to Albert Camus. Unfortunately, he died that sameContinue reading “Nikos Kazantzakis: an Undaunted Soul”
Author Spotlight – Gunter Grass
Gunter Grass is Germany’s greatest living writer. He is best known for his first novel, The Tin Drum (1959), which was adapted into a film and won both the 1979 Palme d’Or and the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film. The Tin Drum is a contributing piece to European “magic realism,” a genre thatContinue reading “Author Spotlight – Gunter Grass”