Literature

Coetzee, J.M

Boyhood: Scenes from Provincial Life.

London : Secker & Warburg, 1997.

First edition of this fictionalized autobiography by the Nobel Prize-winning author. Octavo, original cloth. Signed by the author on the title page, “J.M. Coetzee Cape Town, 1999.” Fine in a fine dust jacket. Jacket design by Martin Ogolter. Jacket photograph by Barbara Morgan.

Washington, Booker T

Up From Slavery. An Autobiography.

New York : A.L. Burt Company Publishers, 1901.

First edition of the A.L. Burt Publishers edition of Booker T. Washington’s landmark biography. Octavo, original cloth, frontispiece. Near fine in a very good dust jacket. Exceptionally rare in the original dust jacket.

Garcia Marquez, Gabriel

Noticia de un Secuestro [News of a Kidnapping]

Mexico : Editorial Diana, 1996.

First edition of this work of nonfiction by the Nobel Prize-winning author. Octavo, original illustrated boards. Association copy, inscribed by the author in the year of publication on the half-title page, “Para Juana y Sergio, en la linea contra la Helius – Burlon; y Le amistad de siempre, Gabo 96.” The recipient, Sergio Muñoz BataContinue reading "Noticia de un Secuestro [News of a Kidnapping]"

Valenti, Jack. [William Safire]

Protect and Defend.

New York : Doubleday, 1992.

First edition of this work by the award-winning author.  Octavo, original half cloth. Presentation copy, inscribed by the author on the fly-leaf, “To Helen and Bill dear, dear loving friends. Read – enjoy! Jack Valenti.” The recipient, William Safire was an important American author, columnist, journalist, and presidential speechwriter and a close friend of theContinue reading "Protect and Defend."

A Flyer's Dad

Assembly Call: A Play.

Hollywood : Murray & Gee, Inc., 1943.

First edition of this classic WWII-era play. Octavo, original wrappers. In very good condition. Cover design by Pennington. Ownership name.

Baldwin, James

Just Above My Head.

New York : The Dial Press, 1979.

First edition of the last novel published in Baldwin’s lifetime. Octavo, original cloth. Association copy, inscribed by the author on the dedication page, “for my beloved David Adams Leeming: Godspeed. Jimmy Baldwin.” The recipient, literary scholar David Adams Leeming, and Baldwin were close friends for twenty-five years. Leeming published his James Baldwin: A Biography inContinue reading "Just Above My Head."

Vargas Llosa, Mario

La Guerra del Fin del Mundo [The War of The End of The World].

Barcelona : Editorial Seix Barral, 1981.

First edition of the author’s magnum opus. Octavo, original wrappers. Signed by Mario Vargas Llosa on the half-title page. Fine in a near fine dust jacket.

Burton, Virginia Lee

Maybelle: The Cable Car.

Boston : Houghton Mifflin Company, 1952.

First edition of this classic work. Oblong quarto, original cloth, illustrated endpapers, illustrated throughout. Boldly signed by Virginia Lee Burton on the title page. Near fine in a near fine price-clipped dust jacket. Uncommon signed.

Williams, John

Nothing But The Night.

Denver : Swallow, 1948.

First edition of John Williams’ first book. Octavo, original cloth. Signed by the author on the front free endpaper in a contemporary hand, “Best wishes John Williams.” Fine in a near fine dust jacket with a touch of shelfwear. Jacket and book design by John Williams. Rare and desirable signed.

The Tragi-Comic History of the Burial of Cock Robin; with the Lamentation of Jenny Wren.

Philadelphia : Published by Benjamin Warner, 1821.

First edition under this title of the classic English nursery rhyme. 12mo, original stiff wrappers, illustrated with 8 full-page wood engravings. American Imprints 5013. Rosenbach 616. In very good condition. Housed in a custom full morocco and folding chemise case. A rare title in early American children’s literature.

[Goldsmith, Oliver]

The History of Little Good Twoshoes; Otherwise Called Mrs. Margery Twoshoes.

Worcester, Massachusetts : Isaiah Thomas, 1787.

First Worcester edition of the famed fable. 16mo, original wrappers, illustrated with 8 engraved plates, terminal advertisements. In very good condition. From the library of noted collector and philanthropist Estelle Doheny with her bookplate to the folding chemise case. Housed in a custom full morocco and folding chemise case.

Whittier, John Greenleaf

Mogg Megone, A Poem.

Boston : Light & Stearns, 1836.

First edition of Whittier’s well-received narrative of the life of legendary 17th century Indian warrior Mogg Megone. BAL 21697. 16mo, original cloth with gilt title within an arabesque gilt frame to the front panel. In very good condition. Housed in a custom half morocco folding chemise case. From the library of noted American journalist andContinue reading "Mogg Megone, A Poem."

Hemingway, Ernest

Winner Take Nothing.

New York : Charles Scribner's Sons, 1933.

First edition of Hemingway’s third collection of short stories. Octavo, original black cloth. Near fine in an excellent dust jacket with light rubbing and wear.

Harris, Joel Chandler

Evening Tales: Done Into English from the French of Frederic Ortoli.

New York : Charles Scribner's Sons, 1893.

First edition of the author’s charming collection of children’s stories. Octavo, original publisher’s decorated cloth. Association copy, lengthily inscribed by the author on the front free endpaper, “My dear Field: As you have made me a millionaire, it is an easy matter to present you this book, which was already yours. It is also easyContinue reading "Evening Tales: Done Into English from the French of Frederic Ortoli."

Bailey, D. R. Shackleton. [Bernard Knox]

Cicero.

New York : Charles Scribner's Sons, 1971.

First American edition of Baileys classic work on Cicero. Octavo, original cloth, frontispiece. From the library of Bernard Knox with his ownership signature to the front free endpaper. English classicist, author, and critic Bernard MacGregor Walker Knox was the first director of the Center for Hellenic Studies. In 1992 the National Endowment for the HumanitiesContinue reading "Cicero."

Weeden, Howard. [Maria Howard Weeden; Joel Chandler Harris]

Bandanna Ballads.

New York : Doubleday & McClure Company, 1899.

First edition of Maria Howard Weeden’s best-known collection of poems. Octavo, original cloth decorated in gilt, illustrated by the author, tissue-guarded frontispiece. Introduction by Joel Chandler Harris. Presentation copy, inscribed by Harris on the flyleaf, “Faithfully yours: Joel Chandler Harris Atlanta Ga.: 6 September 1900.” Additionally signed by him on the title page and atContinue reading "Bandanna Ballads."

Harris, Joel Chandler

Nights With Uncle Remus: Myths and Legends of the Old Plantation.

Boston : James R. Osgood and Company, 1883.

First edition of the second book of Uncle Remus stories. Octavo, original cloth, illustrated with frontispiece and 19 plates by Frederick Church. In fine condition. Housed in a custom folding chemise slipcase. A brilliant example.

Riggs, Ransom

The Miss Peregrine Series Including: Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children, Hollow City, Library of Souls, Tales of the Peculiar, Map of Days, The Conference of the Birds.

New York : Random House, various dates.

First editions of the first six volumes in the author’s acclaimed series. Octavo, original boards, illustrated. Each are signed by Ransom Riggs on the half-title and title pages. Fine in fine dust jackets.

Deighton, Len

The Ipcress File.

London : Hodder & Stoughton, 1962.

First British edition of Deighton’s first novel. Octavo, original cloth. Lengthily inscribed by the author on the title page. Fine in a near fine dust jacket. Jacket design by Raymond Hawkey.

The Salvation Army British Empire Exhibition Handbook.

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First edition of this article with this title. Octavo, original wrappers, illustrated. Appearing on pp. 17-18 is a first appearance article by Rudyard Kipling titled Empire Building. It appeared in 1909 with no title and in 1913 with the title Give the Second Eleven a Chance. In near fine condition. Housed in a custom slipcase.Continue reading "The Salvation Army British Empire Exhibition Handbook."

Forsyth, Frederick

The Day of the Jackal.

London : Hutchinson, 1971.

First British edition of the author’s first novel. Octavo, original red cloth. Presentation copy, inscribed by the author in the year of publication opposite the title page, “For Dick and Ruth Epps with warmest regards, from Fredie Forsyth 16.6.71.” Very good in a very good dust jacket. Jacket design by Tom Simmonds and Trevor Vertigan.Continue reading "The Day of the Jackal."

Twain, Mark. [Samuel L. Clemens]

Roughing It.

Hartford : American Publishing Company, 1874.

Early printing of Twain’s first semi-autobiographical work of travel literature, essentially a prequel to The Innocents Abroad. Octavo, bound in three quarter morocco with gilt titles to the spine, fully illustrated by eminent artists with wood engravings throughout. Association copy, inscribed by Mark Twain on the fly-leaf, “For Mrs. P. T. Barnum with kindest wishesContinue reading "Roughing It."

Twain, Mark and Charles Dudley Warner. [Samuel L. Clemens]

The Gilded Age: A Novel.

London : George Routledge and Sons, 1874.

First English edition of the rarest of Mark Twain’s works: the only novel he wrote with a collaborator and the book that gave the era its name in history. Octavo, three volumes, original publishers green cloth, gilt titles to the spine, illustrated. The only multi-volume work Clemens produced, except for the two-volume Tramp Abroad (London,Continue reading "The Gilded Age: A Novel."

Blok, Alexander. [Aleksandr]. Translated by Babette Deutsch and Avrahm Yarmolinsky. Lithographs by George Biddle

The Twelve.

New York : William Edwin Rudge, 1931.

First edition and signed limited edition of Blok’s controversial long poem. Quarto, original quarter morocco with gilt titles to the spine, illustrated with lithographs by George Biddle. Translated by Babette Deutsch and Avrahm Yarmolinsky. One of 650 copies printed, 100 of which are numbered and have as illustrations the original lithographs by George Biddle, thisContinue reading "The Twelve."