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 1008-1032 of 1152
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Rare scrapbook from the collection of Marie Prince, documenting her tenure at The Westover preparatory school for girls in the early 1940s. Quarto, bound in three quarters morocco, the scrapbook contains several letters, notes, and large format photographs. In near fine condition.
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New York : Random House, 2007.
First edition of “this compelling personal story” (The New York Times). Octavo, original boards, illustrated. Presentation copy, lengthily inscribed by the author on the title page, “Dear Dave- Thanks for keeping the “Democratic” flag flying high! Keep the faith and I will keep my promises Joe Biden 6.12.08.” Near fine in a near fine dustContinue reading "Promises to Keep: On Life and Politics."
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London : Macmillan and Co., Limited, 1937.
First separate edition Kipling’s story of Toomai, a young elephant-handler, the basis for the 1937 film “Elephant Boy” starring Sabu Dastagir, India’s first child actor. Octavo, original boards, illustrated with photographs from the film by Mrs. F. H. Flaherty. Very good in the original dust jacket which is in good condition.
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New York : The Derrydale Press, 1940.
First edition of the sequel to Tranquility: Tales of Sport with the Gun. Quarto, original boards decorated in gilt, top edge gilt, illustrated by A. Lassell Ripley. One of four hundred and eighty-five numbered copies, this is number 227. In fine condition. Bookplate to the pastedown.
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New York : Whittlesey House, 1941.
Early printing of the composer’s classic work. Octavo, original cloth. Presentation copy, inscribed by the author on the front free endpaper, “To Mrs. Harold Moran Aaron Copland April 1944.” Near fine in a very good dust jacket.
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1858-63.
Rare collection of American Civil War era letters written by American business magnate J. K. Smythe concerning business between Europe and America during the initial years of the war. Quarto bound into two volumes in half-cloth over pebbled boards by Auguste Bellance of Paris, with marbled endpapers and a paper title label with Smythe’s signatureContinue reading "American Civil War Era J. K. Smythe Letter-Books."
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New York : Stein and Day, 1965.
First edition of the author’s collection of vignettes relaying the stories of ten personal friends involved in the communist movement. Octavo, original half cloth, top edge red. Presentation copy, inscribed by the author on the front free endpaper, “For Arnold Krammer inscribed with the regards of the author Bertram Wolfe.” The recipient, Dr. Arnold Krammer,Continue reading "Strange Communists I Have Known."
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London : Edward Arnold, 1919.
First edition of this essential early manual on single-handed cruising by one of the greatest yachting writers of the 20th century. Octavo, original cloth, illustrated. From the library of James Stephen “Steve” Fossett with his bookplate to the front pastedown. American businessman and record-setting aviator Steve Fossett became the first person to fly solo nonstopContinue reading "Single-Handed Cruising."
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New York and Cleveland : The World Publishing Company, 1970.
First edition of Serge Lifar’s intimate, revealing autobiography. Octavo, original cloth, illustrated. Presentation copy, inscribed by the author on the half-title page. Near fine in a near fine dust jacket.
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Cleveland and New York : The World Publishing Company, 1958.
First edition of this masterwork of biographical fiction. Octavo, original cloth. One of 350 presentation copies signed by James Ramsey Ullman. Near fine in a very good dust jacket with a chip to the spine. Jacket design by George Salter.
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New York : Farrar, Strauss and Cudahy, 1958.
First edition of this work which stands alongside The Seven Storey Mountain as one of Merton’s most popular works. Octavo, original cloth. Signed by Thomas Merton on the title page. Fine in near fine dust jacket. Jacket, typography and binding by Enrico Arno.
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New York : The John Day Company, 1941.
First edition of Nehru’s classic autobiography. Octavo, original cloth, illustrated. Boldly signed by Jawaharlal Nehru on the title page. Near fine in a near fine dust jacket. First editions are uncommon, especially signed.
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Johannesburg and London : Collins, 1962.
First edition of this work by the Nobel Laureate. Octavo, original cloth, frontispiece, illustrated. Near fine in a near fine dust jacket, bookplate. Introduction by Charles Hooper. A nice example.
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Boston : Houghton Mifflin Company, 1916.
First edition of this work by Muir. Octavo, original green cloth, color pictorial cover label, lettered in white, top edge gilt. Edited with an introduction by William Frederic Badè. Illustrated with several plates from photographs, including a frontispiece portrait with tissue guard; map. Fine in the rare original dust jacket, which is in near fineContinue reading "A Thousand-Mile Walk To the Gulf."
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New York : The Macmillan Company, 1952.
First edition of the author’s major biography of his grandfather, Henry Irving. Octavo, original boards, frontispiece portrait of Henry Irving in color by Jules Bastien-Lepage. Near fine in a very good price-clipped dust jacket. Jacket lettering by Charlotte Young. Small ownership inscription. Housed in the original slipcase which is in good condition.
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Boston and Cleveland : John P. Jewett and Jewett, Proctor & Worthington, 1852.
First edition, first issue of the author’s classic work. Octavo, original cloth, volume with title vignettes and six wood-engravings. In very good condition. With a rare carte-de-visite and note card signed “truly yours HB Stowe.” Comes with a first edition of Stowe’s A Key to Uncle Tom’s Cabin, published in 1853. Housed in a customContinue reading "Uncle Tom’s Cabin; Or, Life Among the Lowly and A Key to Uncle Tom’s Cabin."
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New York : E.P. Dutton & Company, 1954.
First American edition of Harrer’s classic account, signed by Harrer and The Dalai Lama. Octavo, original half cloth, illustrated with over 40 photographs. Presentation copy, lengthily inscribed by Heinrich Harrer in both English and Tibetan on the half-title page, “To Mrs. Rosser with best wishes in remembrance of my lecture in Philadelphia from H. HarrerContinue reading "Seven Years in Tibet."
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London : Putnam & Co., Ltd, 1952.
First edition of English yachtsman Edward C. Allcard’s detailed account of his second solo trip across the Atlantic aboard the yawl Temptress. Octavo, original cloth, cartographic endpapers, frontispiece, illustrated. From the library of James Stephen “Steve” Fossett with his bookplate to the pastedown. American businessman and record-setting aviator Steve Fossett became the first person toContinue reading "Temptress Returns."
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New York : Farrar, Straus & Giroux, 2001.
First edition of the author’s Pulitzer Prize-winning work. Octavo, original half cloth. Association copy, inscribed by the author on the title page to fellow Pulitzer Prize award winning author Edward O. Wilson, “For Edward with best wishes Louis Menand.” Wilson’s signature to the front free endpaper, near fine in a near dust jacket. Jacket designContinue reading "The Metaphysical Club: A Story of Ideas in America."
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London : Chatto & Windus, 1959.
First edition of Huxley’s autobiographical work based on her early life among white settlers on her father’s coffee plantation in Kenya. Octavo, original cloth. Signed by Elspeth Huxley on the title page. Near fine in a near fine dust jacket. Jacket design by Rosemary Seligman. Uncommon signed.
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New York and London : Harper & Brothers, Publishers, 1911.
First edition of Meadowcroft’s biography of Thomas Edison, written for children. Octavo, original cloth with paper label portrait of Edison to the front panel, illustrated with eight photographic portraits of Edison including tissue-guarded frontispiece. With Edison’s autobiographical notes. Boldly signed on the second free endpaper, “Thomas A. Edison.” In very good condition. First printings areContinue reading "The Boy’s Life of Edison."
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New York : Farrar, Straus and Cudahy, 1956.
First edition of Booth Mooney’s biography of Lyndon B. Johnson. Octavo, original cloth, illustrated with photographs. Presentation copy, inscribed by Lyndon B. Johnson on the front free endpaper, “To Ray Luhn with gratitude and admiration from his friend Lyndon B. Johnson.” Near fine in near fine dust jacket.
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New York : Alfred A. Knopf, 2003.
First edition in English of the Nobel Prize-winning author’s memoir. Octavo, original boards. Boldly signed by Gabriel Garcia Marquez on the half-title page. Fine in a fine dust jacket. Jacket design by Carol Devine Carson. Translated by Edith Grossman.
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New York : William Morrow and Company, 1982.
First edition of this glorious love story. Octavo, original half cloth. Inscribed by Simon Wiesenthal on the half-title page. Near fine in a near fine price-clipped dust jacket. Jacket design by Honi Werner. Translated by Catherine Hutter.
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Biography and Autobiography
Biography and Autobiography
Biography and Autobiography
Americana
Biography and Autobiography
Biography and Autobiography
