Biography and Autobiography

Lytton, Constance

Prisons & Prisoners: Some Personal Experiences by Constance Lytton and Jane Walton, Spinster.

London : William Heinemann, 1914.

First edition of the remarkable autobiography of the aristocratic suffragette Constance Lytton, recounting her remarkable masquerade and imprisonment as the working-class seamstress “Jane Warton.” Octavo, original publisher’s purple cloth with WSPU motif by Sylvia Pankhurst to the front panel, illustrated with two portraits including tissue-guarded frontispiece of Lytton. In very good condition. Ownership inscription. Rare.

Valenti, Jack. [William Safire]

A Very Human President.

New York : W.W. Norton & Compan Inc, 1975.

First edition of Valenti’s intimate biography of Lyndon Johnson. Octavo, original cloth, illustrated with photographs. Association copy, lengthily inscribed by the author on the front free endpaper, “To Bill Safire – a wise and eloquent ‘old pro’ – and me dear and valued friend Jack Valenti.” The recipient, William Safire was an important American author,Continue reading "A Very Human President."

Klein, Gerda Weissman

All But My Life.

New York : Hill & Wang, 1957.

First edition of the author’s “moving personal testament to courage” memoir. Octavo, original cloth, frontispiece. Presentation copy, inscribed by the author on the front free endpaper, “To Thomas Kaufman with thanks for your work in this whole course! All my good wished Gerda W. Klein Apr. 1962.” With a letter from Ms. Klein’s assistant statingContinue reading "All But My Life."

Opinions of Women on Women’s Suffrage.

London : Central Committee of the National Society For Women's Suffrage, 1879.

First edition of this collection of Opinions on Women’s Suffrage, compiled by the Central Committee of the National Society For Women’s Suffrage and containing the opinions of English women in official positions, scientific and political careers, and principals of colleges and high schools among others. Octavo, disbound. In very good condition.

Balfour, Arthur James

Speech In The House of Commons on Women’s Suffrage.

London : Published by The Central Society For Women's Suffrage, [c.1892].

Rare printing of Lord Balfour’s speech supporting the Women’s Franchise Bill, which proposed extending the parliamentary vote to women. Octavo, original wrappers. In near fine condition.

Stead, William Thomas [Editor]

The Review of Reviews. Vol IV. July-December. 1891.

London : The "Review of Reviews", 1891.

The July-December 1891 issue of of Stead’s The Review of Reviews. Octavo, original publisher’s binding, illustrated, advertisements, index. In very good condition.

[Mackenzie, Poppy]

The Truth About My Friends.

London : Dow & Lester, n.d.

Small parlor game book belonging to Poppy Mackenzie, each page with tipped-in printed slip lifting to reveal a self-criticism or “truth” (one of them being “My sympathies are with the suffragettes”), below which the participants have signed their name. In good condition.

Blind, Mathilde. [Emily Duval]

Madame Roland.

London : W. H. Allen & Co, 1886.

The Eminent Women Series edition of Blind’s biography of French revolutionary Marie-Jeanne ‘Manon’ Roland de la Platière. Octavo, original publisher’s decorated cloth, patterned endpapers. From the library of English suffragette Emily H. Duval with her ownership signature to the half-title page. English suffragette Emily Duval was a militant petitioner in the fight for women’s votingContinue reading "Madame Roland."

Stein, Gertrude

The Autobiography of Alice B. Toklas.

New York : Harcourt Brace and Company, 1933.

First edition of Gertrude Stein’s most famous work; one of the richest biographies ever written. Octavo, original cloth, illustrated from photographs. Near fine in the rare original dust jacket which is in good condition.

Alsop, Stewart

The Center: People and Power in Political Washington.

New York, Evanston, and London : Harper & Row, Publishers, 1968.

First edition of American journalist Stewart Alsop’s vivid portrait of political Washington. Octavo, original cloth. Association copy, inscribed by the author on the front free endpaper, “Dear Helene – Bill tells me you even got through the Supreme Court… which is more than I could ever do Best, Stew Alsop.” The recipient, William Safire, wasContinue reading "The Center: People and Power in Political Washington."

Macphail, Andrew

Essays in Fallacy.

New York, Bombay, and Calcutta : Longmans, Green and Co, 1910.

First edition of Macphail’s essay on the psychology of the suffragette. Octavo, original cloth. In near fine condition. Uncommon in this condition.

Fulford, Roger

Votes For Women: The Story of Struggle.

London : Readers Union/Faber and Faber, 1958.

Reader’s Union edition of Fulford’s work on the UK women’s suffrage movement. Octavo, original cloth. English journalist, historian, writer and politician Roger Fulford authored several important biographies and other works. Between 1964 and 1981 he edited five volumes of letters between Queen Victoria and the Princess Royal. He was President of the Liberal Party fromContinue reading "Votes For Women: The Story of Struggle."

Cobbe, Frances Power

Why Women Desire The Franchise.

London : Spottiswoode & Co., Printers, 1869.

First edition of prolific Anglo-Irish suffragette Frances Power Cobbe’s feminist treatise. Octavo, bound in half morocco over marbled boards with gilt ruling to the spine, burgundy morocco spine label lettered in gilt. Accompanied by an original albumen carte-de-visite of Frances Power Cobbe by Philip Crellin signed by her. In near fine condition. Library stamp toContinue reading "Why Women Desire The Franchise."

Phillips, Mary

The Militant Suffrage Campaign in Perspective.

London : Latimer Trend & Co, [1957].

Rare first edition of Mary Phillips’ personal account of the militant suffragette movement. Octavo, original wrappers. Foreword by the Right Hon. Lord Pethick-Lawrence. Mary Elizabeth Phillips joined the radical Women’s Social & Political Union in 1907 and established a Glasgow branch of the WSPU. In March 1908 she was sentenced to six weeks in HollowayContinue reading "The Militant Suffrage Campaign in Perspective."

Victor, Orville J

The History, Civil, Political & Military of the Southern Rebellion, From its Incipient Stages to its Close.

New York : James D. Torrey, Publisher, [1861].

Complete first edition set of one of the earliest histories of the American Civil War. Octavo, four volumes, original publisher’s full pebbled morocco decorated in gilt, marbled endpapers, all edges marbled, illustrated with steel engraved plates, additional vignette title pages. frontispieces, and maps. In good condition. A rare complete set, we have never seen anotherContinue reading "The History, Civil, Political & Military of the Southern Rebellion, From its Incipient Stages to its Close."

X. [Smedley, Constance]; Appendix by Mrs. Philip Snowden [Ethel Snowden]

Woman: A Few Shrieks!

Letchworth Herts : Garden City Press, [1907].

First edition of Constance Smedley’s rare feminist tract, published under the pseudonym X and with an appendix by Ethel Snowden. Octavo, original cloth, morocco spine label lettered in gilt, patterned endpapers. Appendix by Ethel Snowden. In good condition. Stamps throughout including to the front and rear panels and top edge. Bookplates to the pastedown.

Colmore, G. [Gertrude Baillie-Weaver; Emily Duval]

The Life of Emily Davison.

Kingsway, W.C. : The Woman's Press, 1913.

First edition of Gertrude Colmore’s brief biography of Emily Wilding Davison. Octavo, original publisher’s wrappers, frontispiece portrait of Davison. Association copy, from the library of fellow English suffragette Emily Duval with her ownership inscription, “Emily D. Duvall Given to her by Mrs. Green Dec. 17th 1913.” Like Davison, Emily Duval was a militant petitioner in theContinue reading "The Life of Emily Davison."

Herriot, James

The Lord God Made Them All.

New York : St. Martin's Press, 1981.

First edition of this installment in Herriot’s true-life-saga as a veterinarian in the Yorkshire countryside. Octavo, original cloth. Signed by James Herriot on the title page. Fine in a fine dust jacket. Jacket painting by Bob Chronister. Author photograph by Chris Krugs.

DeMille, Cecil B

The Autobiography of Cecil B. DeMille.

Englewood Cliffs, NJ : Prentice-Hall, Inc, 1959.

First edition of the autobiography of the legendary director. Octavo, original cloth. Note written on stationary from Hotel Pierre, New York, from Cecil B. De Mille to Barrett Kiesling, MGM Publicity Directory, dated June 21, 1931, laid-in, includes De Mille’s signature. Two notes to Kiesling from Cecilia De Mille Harper (daughter of the famous directorContinue reading "The Autobiography of Cecil B. DeMille."

Clinton, Bill [Hillary Clinton, Toni Morrision]

My Life.

New York : Alfred A. Knopf, 2004.

First edition of President Clinton’s autobiography. Large octavo, original blue boards, illustrated with 32 pages of photographs. Boldly signed by Bill and Hillary Clinton and Nobel Prize-winning author Toni Morrison on the title page. In 1998, Toni Morrison wrote a comment for The New Yorker arguing that  “white skin notwithstanding, this is our first blackContinue reading "My Life."

Goldsmith, James M. [Peter L. Bernstein]

Counter Culture.

London : W.H. Allen, 1985.

First edition of this work by Goldsmith. Octavo, original cloth. Presentation copy, inscribed by the author on the front free endpaper, “To Peter all best wishes Jimmy.” The recipient Peter L. Bernstein, was a financial historian, economist and educator whose development and refinement of the efficient-market hypothesis made him one of the country’s best known authorities inContinue reading "Counter Culture."

Harlan, Malvina Shanklin; Foreword by Ruth Bader Ginsburg

Some Memories of a Long Life, 1854-1911.

New York : The Modern Library, 2002.

First edition of this memoir rediscovered by Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. Octavo, original cloth. Presentation copy, inscribed by Justice Ginsburg on the title page, “Best wishes to Bonnie Brewer Ruth Bader Ginsburg.” Fine in a near fine dust jacket. Foreword by Ruth Bader Ginsburg. Afterword by Linda Przybyszewski. Rare and desirable signed and inscribed byContinue reading "Some Memories of a Long Life, 1854-1911."

[Warhol, Andy]

The Thistle: Andy Warhol 1949 Carnegie Institute of Technology Yearbook.

: Carnegie Institute of Technology, 1949.

1949 Carnegie Institute of Technology Yearbook featuring a rare photograph of Andy Warhol as a college senior. Folio, original boards, illustrated. Warhol is pictured as a member of Modern Dance club. The yearbook also includes a photograph of Philip Pearlstein, a fellow graduating senior. In near fine condition. Very rare, containing one of only aContinue reading "The Thistle: Andy Warhol 1949 Carnegie Institute of Technology Yearbook."

Hoover, Herbert

The Memoirs of Herbert Hoover: 1920-1933 The Cabinet and The Presidency.

New York : The MacMillan Company, 1951.

First edition, second printing of Hoover’s Presidential memoir. Octavo, original cloth, illustrated. Presentation copy, inscribed by the author on the front free endpaper, “The good wishes of Herbert Hoover to John P. Costello.” Near fine in a very good dust jacket. Jacket design by Riki Levinson.