Literature

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."

Plath, Sylvia

A Winter Ship.

Edinburgh : Tragara Press, 1960.

First edition of Plath’s first separately printed poem, one of only 60 copies. Octavo, original marbled wrappers with printed title label in a ruled border pasted to front cover. In fine condition. One of only perhaps sixty copies produced by Alan Anderson, owner of the Tragara Press, this work constituted the first separate printing ofContinue reading "A Winter Ship."

Eighner, Lars

Travels With Lizbeth: Three Years on the Road and on the Streets.

New York : St. Martin's Press, 1993.

Early printing of this modern classic. Octavo, original boards. Boldly signed by Lars Eighner on the title page. Fine in a fine dust jacket. Front cover photograph by Martha Grenon.

Roth, Philip

I Married A Communist.

Boston : Houghton Mifflin Company, 1998.

First edition of this classic work. Octavo, original half cloth. Signed by Philip Roth on the title page. Fine in a fine dust jacket. Jacket design by Milton Glaser.

Achebe, Chinua

Things Fall Apart.

New York : Astor-Honor/ An Obolensky Book, 1959.

First edition, early printing of this “true classic of world literature . . . A masterpiece that has inspired generations of writers in Nigeria, across Africa, and around the world” (Barack Obama). Octavo, original boards. Signed by Chinua Achebe on the title page. Near fine in a very good price-clipped dust jacket. Jacket design byContinue reading "Things Fall Apart."

Waugh, Evelyn

A Handful Of Dust.

London : Chapman and Hall, 1934.

First edition of the author’s classic work. Octavo, original cloth. In near fine condition, contemporary name to the front free endpaper. A very sharp example.

Twain, Mark. [Samuel L. Clemens]

Mark Twain Autograph with Photograph.

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Original photograph of Mark Twain by A. F. Bradley, signed with a note, “Yrs truly Samuel L. Clemens Mark Twain”, framed beneath original photograph. The silver gelatin print is a seated portrait of Twain, stamped “Pach Bros. NY” lower right. Double matted and framed. The entire piece measures

Norman, Howard

Northern Tales: Traditional Stories of Eskimo and Indian Peoples.

New York : Pantheon Books, 1990.

First edition of this spellbinding collection of tales of the far North. Octavo, original half cloth. Fine in a fine dust jacket. Jacket design by Angela Skouras.

McCarthy, Cormac

Suttree.

New York : Random House, 1979.

First edition of the author’s fourth novel and what many consider to be his finest. Octavo, original half cloth. Association copy, inscribed by the author on the front free endpaper, “For Howell Pearce with best wishes Cormac McCarthy.” The recipient, Howard Pearce was a close friend of McCarthy’s and a Memphis poet. Fine in aContinue reading "Suttree."

Shaw, George Bernard

Man and Superman.

Westminster : Archibald and Constable & Co., Ltd, 1903.

First edition of the Nobel Prize-winning playwright’s classic work. Octavo, original cloth. Presentation copy, inscribed by the author on the half-title page, “To Charles Roebuck Ramsden Goodhart from G. Bernard Shaw 21st May 1905.” In very good condition. Housed in a custom half morocco and chemise box. Rare signed and inscribed.

Hughes, Langston

The First Book of Africa.

New York : Franklin Watts, Inc., 1960.

First edition of Hughes’ concise history of Africa. Octavo, original cloth, illustrated with photographs. Presentation copy, inscribed by the author on the front free endpaper, “To Allison, Stephen, and Alan- with the sincere regards of- Langston Hughes New York, PEN Club, October 17, 1960.” Near fine in a very good dust jacket.

Lord Byron. [George Gordon Byron]

Hebrew Melodies.

London : John Murray, 1815.

First edition of Byron’s book of poetry written at the request of the Hon. D. Kinnaird. Octavo, bound in half cloth over paper-covered boards. In near fine condition.

Cohen, Leonard

Death of a Lady’s Man.

Toronto : McClelland and Stewart, 1978.

First Canadian edition (and true first), first state with “Lie down.” on page 94. Octavo, original cloth. Presentation copy, inscribed by the author, “For Michael, Like a bird on a wire like a drunk on a midnight choir I have tried in my way to be free Leonard 29 Sept 1980.”  Fine in a nearContinue reading "Death of a Lady’s Man."

Irving, John [Michael Ondaatje]

A Prayer For Owen Meany.

Toronto : Lestern & Orpen Dennys Publishers, 1989.

First edition of the author’s seventh novel and what many consider his finest. Octavo, original half gray cloth. Association copy, inscribed by the author on the title page, “For Michael & Linda with my affection – John Irving.” The recipients novelist Michael Ondaatje, whose many works include the modern classic the English Patient, and hisContinue reading "A Prayer For Owen Meany."