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Biography and Autobiography

Rare Biography & Autobiography Books for Sale Online

If you are looking for rare or first edition biography or autobiography books look no further than Raptis Rare Books. Browse through our entire collection of rare biographies and autobiographies below, view details about individual books and contact us to ask a question or find out more information.

Showing items 200-220 of 1089

Chamberlain, Wilt; David Shaw

Wilt: Just Like Any Other 7-Foot Black Millionaire Who Lives Next Door.

New York : Macmillan Publishing Co., Inc, 1973.

First edition of this autobiography that captures and reveals NBA All-Star Wilt Chamberlain as “a complex, diverse, immensely self-assured and self-possessed human being” (David Shaw). Octavo, original publisher’s blue cloth, illustrated with black and white photographs. Boldly signed by the author on the front free endpaper, “Peace Wilt Chamberlain.” Near fine in a near fineContinue reading "Wilt: Just Like Any Other 7-Foot Black Millionaire Who Lives Next Door."

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$975.00
Item Number: RRB-148626

Sinatra, Nancy [Frank Sinatra]

Frank Sinatra: My Father.

New York : Doubleday & Company, Inc, 1985.

First edition of this biography of Nancy Sinatra’s legendary father. Square quarto, original publisher’s cloth, illustrated with over 400 photographs and a selective illustrated discography, with a filmography, bibliography, and appendices. Boldly signed and dated by the author in the year of publication on the front free endpaper, “Love, Nancy Sinatra Nov. 15, 1985.” FineContinue reading "Frank Sinatra: My Father."

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$450.00
Item Number: RRB-148622

Roberts, Andrew [Winston S. Churchill]

Churchill: Walking with Destiny.

London : Allen Lane an imprint of Penguin Books, 2018.

First edition of this biography of Sir Winston Churchill. Octavo, original publisher’s boards, cartographic endpapers, illustrated throughout. Boldly signed by the author on the title page. Near fine in a near fine dust jacket with bumping and rubbing to the extremities. Cover photograph by Yousuf Karsh. Author photograph by Anna Kunst.

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$225.00
Item Number: RRB-148601

Caro, Robert A

The Power Broker.

New York : Alfred A. Knopf, 1974.

First edition of Caro’s Pulitzer-Prize winning work on Robert Moses. Thick octavo, original black cloth, cartographic endpapers, illustrated with numerous photographs and maps, top edge red. Association copy, inscribed by the author on the half-title page, “To George Labalme – George, I think I’ve known you for almost as many years as its been sinceContinue reading "The Power Broker."

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$5,500.00
Item Number: RRB-149327

Sloan Jr., Alfred P

My Years With General Motors.

New York : Doubleday & Company, 1964.

First edition of Sloan’s influential work, which has since become a classic. Octavo, original cloth, illustrated. Boldly signed by the author on the page preceding the half-title page, “Alfred P. Sloan Jr. New York Jan 29, 1965.” Fine in a near fine dust jacket. Jacket design by Lawrence Ratkin. Jacket painting of Sloan by RobertContinue reading "My Years With General Motors."

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$1,850.00
Item Number: RRB-150012

Strode, Hudson [Jefferson Davis]

Jefferson Davis: American Patriot 1808-1861; Confederate President; Tragic Hero 1864-1889; Private Letters 1823-1889.

New York : Harcourt, Brace and Company, 1955-1966.

First editions of the complete set of the biography of the only president of the Confederate States. Octavo, four volumes, publisher’s original half-cloth, top stains, frontispiece, with cartographic endpapers in Confederate President. Boldly signed by the author in three of the volumes: on the Montgomery Edition tipped in leaf for the Civil War Book ClubContinue reading "Jefferson Davis: American Patriot 1808-1861; Confederate President; Tragic Hero 1864-1889; Private Letters 1823-1889."

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$975.00
Item Number: RRB-148547

Sanger, Margaret

My Fight For Birth Control.

New York : Farrar & Rinehart Incorporated, 1931.

First edition of Sanger’s remarkable first autobiography with the publisher’s device to the copyright page. Octavo, original cloth, illustrated with twenty black and white photographs. Presentation copy, with a full page inscription by the author, “Wash D.C. Jan 18, 1934 To R.L. Rollio With my appreciation and gratitude for courteous consideration to the members ofContinue reading "My Fight For Birth Control."

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$1,250.00
Item Number: RRB-150030

Sanger, Margaret

My Fight For Birth Control.

New York : Farrar & Rinehart Incorporated, 1931.

First edition of Sanger’s remarkable first autobiography with the publisher’s device to the copyright page. Octavo, original cloth, illustrated with twenty black and white photographs. Boldly signed by Margaret Sanger on the front free endpaper. Very good in the scarce first issue dust jacket which is in very good condition.

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$3,000.00
Item Number: RRB-129460

Boswell, James. Edited by Frank Brady and Frederick A. Pottle

The Private Papers of James Boswell: Boswell’s London Journal 1762-1763; Boswell in Holland 1763-1764; Boswell on the Grand Tour: Germany and Switzerland 1764; Boswell on the Grand Tour: Italy, Corsica, and France 1765-1766; Boswell In Search of a Wife 1766-1769; Boswell For The Defence 1769-1774.

London : William Heinemann Ltd, 1951-1960.

The De Luxe Yale edition of the private papers of James Boswell. Tall octavo, 6 volumes, original publisher’s half vellum with morocco spine labels lettered in gilt, gilt coat of arms to each front panel, top edge gilt, ribbons bound in, frontispiece to each volume, illustrated, folding maps. In fine condition. A very attractive set.

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$1,250.00
Item Number: RRB-149552

Thornton, Alfred

Don Juan. Volume the First and Don Juan; Volume the Second: Containing His Life in London, Or, A True Picture of the British Metropolis.

London : Printed for Thomas Kelly, 1821-1822.

First edition of Thornton’s satirical reinterpretation of the famous libertine legend. Octavo, two volumes bound in full crushed levant morocco by Lloyd with gilt titles and tooling to the spine in six compartments within raised gilt bands, gilt scrolling and cornerpieces to the front and rear panels, gilt turn-ins and inner dentelles stamp-signed by Lloyd,Continue reading "Don Juan. Volume the First and Don Juan; Volume the Second: Containing His Life in London, Or, A True Picture of the British Metropolis."

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$1,250.00
Item Number: RRB-149525

Pepys, Samuel; Henry B. Wheatley [Editor]

The Diary of Samuel Pepys.

London : George Bell & Sons, 1928.

Finely bound example of this famous firsthand account of the Restoration period. Octavo, 10 volumes, bound in three-quarters contemporary calf with gilt titles and tooling to the spine in six compartments within raised gilt bands, top edge gilt, marbled endpapers, tissue-guarded frontispiece. With Lord Braybrooke’s notes, edited with additions by Henry B. Wheatley. In veryContinue reading "The Diary of Samuel Pepys."

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$1,600.00
Item Number: RRB-148423

Rousseau, Jean-Jacques

The Confessions of J.J. Rousseau.

London : The Nonesuch Press, 1938.

The Nonesuch Press limited edition of Rousseau’s autobiographical masterpiece. Octavo, two volumes, bound in full morocco with gilt titles to the spine in six compartments within raised bands, top edge gilt, ornamented with wood engravings, printed on pannekoek mould-made paper. One of 800 numbered copies, this is number 73. In near fine condition, bookplate toContinue reading "The Confessions of J.J. Rousseau."

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$600.00
Item Number: RRB-148546

Cellini, Benvenuto; Fritz Kredel [Illustrator]

The Life of Benvenuto Cellini: Written By Himself.

New York : The Limited Editions Club, 1937.

The Limited Editions Club signed limited edition of this autobiographical account by the Italian Renaissance sculptor, goldsmith, and writer Benvenuto Cellini. Quarto, bound in full modern morocco by Sangorski & Sutcliffe / Zaehnsdorf with gilt titles and tooling to the spine in six compartments within raised gilt bands, gilt ruling to the front and rearContinue reading "The Life of Benvenuto Cellini: Written By Himself."

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$850.00
Item Number: RRB-148544

Rabin, Yitzhak

The Rabin Memoirs.

Boston : Little, Brown & Company, 1979.

First edition in English of the memoirs of Yitzhak Rabin. Octavo, original half cloth, cartographic frontispiece, illustrated with black and white photographs and maps. Presentation copy, inscribed by the author on the half-title page, “To Herbert B. Lazarus with best wishes Y. Rabin 10.1.82.” Fine in a near fine dust jacket. Jacket design by JohnContinue reading "The Rabin Memoirs."

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$1,150.00
Item Number: RRB-148522

Palmer, Arnold [Payne Stewart, Vijay Singh]

A Golfer’s Life.

New York : Ballantine Books, 1999.

First edition of the golfing legend’s autobiography. Octavo, original half cloth, with 16 black-and-white photographic plates. Boldly signed by Arnold Palmer and Payne Stewart on the half-title page, co-author James Dodson on the title page and additionally signed by Vijay Singh and others on the front free endpaper. Fine in a fine dust jacket. WrittenContinue reading "A Golfer’s Life."

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$1,200.00
Item Number: RRB-149555

Astaire, Fred

Steps In Time.

New York : Harper & Brothers, Publishers, 1959.

First edition. Octavo, original cloth, illustrated endpapers, illustrated. Presentation copy, inscribed by the author on the half-title page, “For Paul- Fred.” Near fine in a near fine dust jacket. Jacket design by Ben Feder.

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$750.00
Item Number: RRB-148555

[Gandhi, Mohandas Karamchand] [Mahatma]. Edited by D.G. Tendulkar; M. Chalapathi Rau; et al. A Word for the Readers by Mohandas Gandhi; Introduction by Jawaharlal Nehru. [John Kenneth Galbraith]

Gandhiji: His Life and Work. Published on His 75th Birthday.

Bombay : Keshav Bhikaji Dhawale, October 2, 1944.

First unabridged edition of this tribute to Gandhi, with introductions by Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru and a biographical essay by Albert Einstein. Quarto, original publisher’s half cloth, patterned endpapers, illustrated with black and white photographs and tipped-in color plates, frontispiece. Boldly signed by Mahatma Gandhi on the half-title page. Association copy, additionally signed by JohnContinue reading "Gandhiji: His Life and Work. Published on His 75th Birthday."

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$60,000.00
Item Number: RRB-149272

Ginsburg, Ruth Bader

My Own Words. [with] Typed Letter Signed by Ruth Bader Ginsburg.

New York : Simon and Schuster, 2016.

First edition of this work which gives “unprecedented insight into the inner workings of the Supreme Court and garner unparalleled appreciation for one of its finest minds” (Booklist). Octavo, original half cloth, illustrated. Fine in a fine dust jacket. Written with Mary Hartnett and Wendy W. Williams. Accompanied with a typed letter signed to BruceContinue reading "My Own Words. [with] Typed Letter Signed by Ruth Bader Ginsburg."

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$2,800.00
Item Number: RRB-148500
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