Literature

Essays with a Purpose.

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First edition of this collection of essays. Octavo, original cloth. Near fine in a near fine dust jacket.

Wells, H.G

Love and Mr. Lewisham: The Story of a Very Young Couple.

New York : Charles Scribner's Sons, 1924.

Early Scribner’s reprint of one of Wells’ first fictional writings outside the science fiction genre. Octavo, original publisher’s cloth elaborately stamped in blind. In very good condition. Bookplate to the pastedown. Surplus deaccession stamp from the Library of Congress.

Dickens, Charles

Bleak House.

London : Bradbury Evans, 1853.

First edition of this Dickens’ classic. Octavo, bound in three quarters morocco over marbled boards, gilt titles and tooling to the spine in six compartments within raised gilt bands, top edge gilt, marbled endpapers, illustrated with engraved title page and 39 engraved plates by H.K. Browne. In very good condition.

Johnson, Samuel

The Works of Samuel Johnson.

London : Henry G. Bohn, 1850.

Finely bound edition of the works of Samuel Johnson, with an essay on his life and genius by Arthur Murphy. Octavo, two volumes bound in three quarters morocco over marbled boards, gilt titles and tooling to the spine in six compartments within raised bands, marbled endpapers, all edges marbled, engraved frontispiece portrait of Johnson toContinue reading "The Works of Samuel Johnson."

Dickens, Charles

The Christmas Books: A Christmas Carol; The Chimes; The Cricket on the Hearth; The Battle of Life; The Haunted Man and The Ghost’s Bargain.

London : Chapman and Hall/Bradbury & Evans, 1843-48.

Complete set of Charles Dickens’ Christmas Books. Octavo, 5 volumes, original cloth with gilt titles and tooling to the spine and front panels, all edges gilt. A Christmas Carol, in Prose. Being a Ghost Story of Christmas is a second edition in brown cloth with red and blue title-page dated 1843, ‘Stave One’ and correctedContinue reading "The Christmas Books: A Christmas Carol; The Chimes; The Cricket on the Hearth; The Battle of Life; The Haunted Man and The Ghost’s Bargain."

O'Brien, Tim

If I Die In a Combat Zone, Box Me Up & Ship Me Home.

New York : Delacorte Press, 1973.

First edition of O’Brien’s first book. Octavo, original cloth. Boldly signed by the author on the title page, “Peace Tim O’Brien.” Fine in a near fine dust jacket. Jacket design by Wendell Minor. Photograph by Susan Futterman. An exceptional example.

Tartt, Donna

The Secret History.

New York : Alfred A. Knopf, 1992.

First edition of this contemporary literary classic and “an accomplished psychological thriller…absolutely chilling” (Village Voice). Octavo, original illustrated boards. Signed three times by legendary jacket designer Chip Kidd; on the front panel of the book, on the half-title page and rear jacket panel. Fine in a near fine dust jacket. Jacket design by Chip KiddContinue reading "The Secret History."

Simon, Neil

The Sunshine Boys.

New York : Random House, 1973.

First edition of this classic work. Octavo, original half cloth. Boldly signed by actor Richard Benjamin on the title page. Benjamin starred in the 1975 film directed by Herbert Ross and produced by Ray Stark, with George Burns as Lewis, Walter Matthau as Clark, and Richard Benjamin as Ben. Fine in a near fine price-clippedContinue reading "The Sunshine Boys."

McCarthy, Cormac

The Stonemason: A Play In Five Acts.

Hopewell, NJ : The Ecco Press, 1994.

Signed limited first edition of this expansively imagined drama about four generations of an American family. Octavo, original cloth. Additionally signed by jacket designer Chip Kidd on the signature page as follows, “It’s actually Mike Tyson on the cover! Chip Kidd.” Additionally signed by Kidd on the slipcase. The designer is referring to the frontContinue reading "The Stonemason: A Play In Five Acts."

Stoppard, Tom

Rock ‘n’ Roll.

New York : Faber & Faber, 2006.

First edition of “one of the great political plays in the English language (John Peter). Octavo, original cloth. Boldly signed by Tom Stoppard on the title page. Fine in a fine dust jacket. Jacket design by AKA.

Morrison, Toni

Sula.

New York : Alfred A. Knopf, 1973.

First edition of the Nobel Prize-winning author’s second novel. Octavo, original cloth. Boldly signed by Toni Morrison in a contemporary hand on the front free endpaper. Fine in a near fine dust jacket. Jacket design by Wendell Minor.

Morris, Willie

My Dog Skip.

New York : Random House, 1995.

First edition of “this classic story of a boy, a dog, and small-town America… a rich experience all around” (The New York Times Book Review). Octavo, original half cloth. Presentation copy, inscribed by the author in the year of publication on the half-title page, “To John, Warm wishes to a fellow dog-lover in Michigan 6/17/95.”Continue reading "My Dog Skip."

Jong, Erica

Fear of Flying.

New York : Holt, Rinehart and Winston, 1973.

First edition of the author’s controversial, gound-breaking second-wave feminist classic which has sold over 20 million copies worldwide. Octavo, original cloth, red endpapers. Presentation copy, inscribed by the author in the year of publication on the half-title page, “For Katherine Kasten – from Erica Jong October 1973.” Near fine in a very good dust jacketContinue reading "Fear of Flying."

Shelley, Percy Bysshe

The Works of Percy Bysshe Shelley.

London : Edward Moxon, 1854.

Finely bound example of the works of Percy Bysshe Shelley. Royal octavo, bound in three quarters vellum over marbled boards, elaborate gilt tooling to the spine, morocco spine labels lettered in gilt, all edges gilt, marbled endpapers, illustrated, tissue-guarded frontispiece. In near fine condition. Armorial bookplate.

Rowling, J.K [Kennelworthy Whisp]

Quidditch: Through the Ages.

New York : Arthur A. Levine/ Scholastic Books, 2001.

First American edition of this “amazingly imaginative work” (Associated Press). Octavo, original wrappers as issued. Boldly signed by J.K. Rowling on the title page. In fine condition. Rare signed.

Hall, Oakley

Warlock.

New York : The Viking Press, 1958.

First edition of this classic of American West literature. Octavo, original half cloth. Presentation copy, inscribed by the author on the title page, “To Jim Dunham with best wishes Oakley Hall UCI 89.” The recipient, Jim Dunham was a historian and friend of the authors. Fine in a near fine dust jacket. Jacket design byContinue reading "Warlock."

Farina, Richard

Been Down So Long It Looks Like Up To Me.

New York : Random House, 1966.

First edition of the author and songwriter’s first novel, warmly praised by his friend Thomas Pynchon; the only novel published in Fariña’s lifetime, as he tragically died in a motorcycle accident two days after its publication. Octavo, original half green cloth. Presentation copy, inscribed by the author on the front free endpaper, “G – Recognize anyContinue reading "Been Down So Long It Looks Like Up To Me."

Koppelman, Amy. [Joan Didion]

Hesitation Wounds: A Novel.

New York : The Overlook Press, 2015.

First edition of the author’s third book. Octavo, original half cloth. With an autograph note signed by the author tipped in which reads in full, “Dear Ms. Didion, You probably won’t remember me – about fifteen years ago I dropped off my MFA thesis and asked you if I was a real writer. You respondedContinue reading "Hesitation Wounds: A Novel."

Beaton, Cecil

Cecil Beaton’s Fair Lady.

New York : Holt, Rinehart and Winston, 1964.

First edition of Beaton’s Fair Lady, a witty compilation of his personal diary entries recorded while managing the costume and set design of the 1957 Warner Brothers film starring Audrey Hepburn. Octavo, original half cloth, illustrated throughout. Presentation copy, inscribed by the author on the front free endpaper, “To Elaine and Arthur Cohen my favoriteContinue reading "Cecil Beaton’s Fair Lady."

Solzhenitsyn, Alexander. [Solzhentizyn]

One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich.

New York : E. P. Dutton & Co., Inc, 1963.

First edition in English, preceding the first British edition, of the Nobel Prize-winner’s first published work. Octavo, original cloth. Presentation copy, inscribed by the author on the half-title page, “To Anne Roberts A. Solzhenitsyn Dec. 2004.” Near fine in a near fine dust jacket. Jacket design by the Duquesnes. Jacket photograph by Sovfoto. Translated byContinue reading "One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich."

Kipling, Rudyard

Collected Verse of Rudyard Kipling.

New York : Doubleday, Page & Co, 1910.

Signed limited edition of the collected verse of Rudyard Kipling, beautifully illustrated by W. Heath Robinson. Quarto, bound in three quarters crushed levant morocco over marbled boards, gilt titles and tooling to the spine, top edge gilt with others untrimmed, illustrated by W. Heath Robinson with nine mounted color plates. One of one hundred andContinue reading "Collected Verse of Rudyard Kipling."

Tennyson, Alfred

The Works of Alfred Tennyson, Poet Laureate.

London : Macmillan and Co, 1884.

Finely bound example of the works of Alfred, Lord Tennyson. Octavo, bound in a full contemporary polished emerald green calf prize-binding, gilt tooling to the spine in six compartments within raised gilt bands, morocco spine label lettered in gilt, gilt turn-ins, marbled endpapers, all edges marbled, tissue-guarded frontispiece. In very good condition. Presentation inscription.

Hurston, Zora Neale [Edited by Alice Walker]

I Love Myself When I Am Laughing: A Zora Neale Hurston Reader.

New York : The Feminist Press, 1979.

First edition of this classic collection of work, edited by Alice Walker. Octavo, original wrappers. Presentation copy, inscribed by the author in the year of publication on the front free endpaper, “To David Levin Peace Alice Walker 12-79.” Edited by Alice Walker. Introduction by Mary Helen Washington. In near fine condition.

Stoppard, Tom

Rosencrantz & Guildenstern Are Dead.

London : Faber & Faber, 1967.

First edition of the author’s masterpiece. Octavo, original cloth. Signed twice by Tom Stoppard, once  on the title page and again on a bookplate with the Union Jack flag to the front free endpaper. Near fine in a near fine dust jacket. Housed in a custom half morocco clamshell box made by the Harcourt Bindery.Continue reading "Rosencrantz & Guildenstern Are Dead."