Literature

Johnson, James Weldon

Fifty Years and Other Poems.

Boston : The Cornhill Publishing Co., 1921.

Early printing of Johnson’s first collection of classic poems. Octavo, original half cloth. Presentation copy, inscribed by the author on the front free endpaper, “For Mrs. Edward Lee McCatgin with the sincere regards of James Weldon Johnson.” With an introduction by Brander Matthews. In very good condition, with an inscription below “To August Meier withContinue reading "Fifty Years and Other Poems."

Wells, H.G

The First Men in the Moon.

London : George Newnes, Limited, 1901.

First edition, first issue binding of Wells’ classic work. Octavo, original cloth, 12 plates by Claude Shepperson. Fine in a near fine dust jacket with a touch of shelfwear. Exceptionally rare in the original dust jacket, especially in this condition.

Tolstoy, Lyof N. [Leo Tolstoy]

The Dominion of Darkness: A Drama, in Five Acts.

London : Vizetelly & Co., 1888.

First edition in English of Tolstoy’s five-act drama, the performance of which was forbidden in Russia until 1902. Octavo, original wrappers, publisher’s advertisements. Translated from the original Russian. In very good condition. Scarce.

Scott, Sir Walter

The Waverly Novels First Edition Collection.

Edinburgh : Printed for Archibald Constable and Co.; and John Ballantyne; And Hurst, Robinson, and Co., London, 1816-1821.

First edition collection of Scott’s Waverly Novels. Octavo, bound in full contemporary cloth with morocco spine labels lettered in gilt, the set includes first editions of The Antiquary (1816, 3 volumes, half-titles present); Guy Mannering (1817); Rob Roy (1818, 3 volumes, half-titles); and The Abbot (1820, 3 volumes); Tales of My Landlord (second series: 1818, 4Continue reading "The Waverly Novels First Edition Collection."

Frank, Pat

An Affair of the State.

Philadelphia and New York : J. B. Lippincott Company, 1948.

First edition of Frank’s classic Cold War political thriller, inspired in part by his experiences as an international journalist. Octavo, original cloth. Presentation copy, inscribed on the front free paper, “For Betty Wells – In the hope that some part of this book comes true. Pat Frank.” Very good in a very good dust jacket.Continue reading "An Affair of the State."

Burning Village.

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First edition of the acclaimed poet’s crowning achievement; a harrowing account of his experience as a boy in Lithuania during WWII. Octavo, original cloth. Presentation copy, inscribed by the author on the front free endpaper, “Feb 3rd 1977 For Prof. Chimieu Abronsky from Menke Katz.” Katz has also added a large illustration of flowers. NearContinue reading "Burning Village."

Kaufman, Sue [Richard Benjamin]

Diary of a Mad Housewife: A Novel.

New York : Random House, 1967.

First edition of this classic, bestselling novel of Central Park West ennui — and a seminal piece of urban women’s fiction. Octavo, original cloth. Presentation copy, inscribed by the author on the front free endpaper, ‘To Kornby with love Sue Kaufman.” Additionally signed by actor Richard Benjamin, who starred in the film bearing the sameContinue reading "Diary of a Mad Housewife: A Novel."

Anglund, Joan Walsh

Nibble Nibble Mousekin: A Tale of Hansel and Gretel.

New York : Harcourt, Brace & World, Inc., 1962.

First edition of Anglund’s beloved children’s classic. Octavo, original cloth, illustrated by the author. Presentation copy, inscribed by the author on the front free endpaper with an original drawing of two strawberries, “For Toby & For Johnny! Joan Walsh Anglund.” Near fine in a near fine dust jacket.

Caldwell, Erskine

Tobacco Road.

New York : Charles Scribner's Sons, 1932.

First edition of Caldwell’s classic work. Octavo, original cloth. Presentation copy, inscribed by the author on the front free endpaper, “For  with the best wishes of Erskine Caldwell July 13th 1935.” Near fine in a very good dust jacket with light rubbing to the spine extremities. Rare and desirable signed and inscribed.

Highsmith, Patricia

Deep Water.

New York : Harper & Brothers, 1957.

First edition of the author’s classic fifth novel. Octavo, original half cloth. Signed by the author on the front free endpaper, “Very best wishes, Pat Highsmith.” Near fine in a very good dust jacket. Jacket design by Polly Cameron. Rare and desirable signed.

Butler, Octavia E

Parable of the Sower.

New York : Four Walls Eight Windows, 1993.

First edition, early printing of this classic post-apocalyptic novel of hope and terror from the award-winning author which “pairs well with 1984 or The Handmaid’s Tale” (The New York Times). Octavo, original boards. Boldly signed by Octavia E. Butler on the half-title page. Near fine in a near fine dust jacket. Jacket design by StarkContinue reading "Parable of the Sower."

Ware, Chris

Jimmy Corrigan, the Smartest Kid on Earth.

New York : Pantheon Books, 2000.

First edition of the author’s inventive first book, which Publishers Weekly called “graphically inventive, wonderfully realized.” Octavo, original boards, illustrated. Signed and dated by Chris Ware with a drawing of stars. Fine in a fine dust jacket.

Herder, Johann Gottfried

Herder’s Ausgewahlte Dichtungen.

Stuttgart : J. G. Gotta'sche Buchhandlung, 1874.

Rare 19th century printing of Herder’s selected poems. Small octavo, original cloth. Text in German. In good condition.

Williamson, Henry

Love and the Loveless: A Soldier’s Tale.

London : Macdonald & Co., 1958.

First edition of the seventh novel in the author’s semi-autobiographical Chronicle of Ancient Sunlight series. Octavo, original cloth. Near fine in a near fine dust jacket. Jacket design by Broom Lynne. Bookplate.

Braine, John

The Vodi.

London : Eyre & Spottiswoode, 1959.

Publisher’s advance proof of the author’s second book. Octavo, original wrappers. In near fine condition.

Kipling, Rudyard

Ford O’Kabul River. No 2. Of the Second Series of Barrack-Room Ballads. Words by Rudyard Kipling. Music by Gerard F. Cobb.

London : Cas. Sheard & Co, 1895.

Rare sheet music printing of Rudyard Kipling’s Ford O’Kabul River, a song from Barrack-Room Ballads. Folio, bound in one quarter morocco with gilt titles and tooling to the spine. In good condition. Bound with several other pieces including Ciro Pinsuti’s Bedouin Love Song.

Porter, Bruce. [Ted Demme]

Blow: How a Small-Town Boy Made $100 Million with the Medellin Cocaine Cartel and Lost it All.

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

First St. Martin’s Griffin edition of Porter’s thrilling retelling of the story of George Jung, adapted into the 2001 film of the same name directed by Ted Demme and starring Johnny Depp and Penelope Cruz. Octavo, original wrappers. Presentation copy, inscribed by the author on the half-title page, “For Edgar Best wishes Bruce Porter 3/30/01”Continue reading "Blow: How a Small-Town Boy Made $100 Million with the Medellin Cocaine Cartel and Lost it All."

Canin, Ethan. [Jeff Bezos]

The Palace Thief.

New York : Random House, 1994.

Jeff Bezos’ special thank-you print run of his favorite book. Octavo, original boards. Signed by the author and by Jeff Bezos on the title page. Laid in is a letter from Bezos on amazon.com letterhead which reads, “Dear Friend of Amazon.com, What can I say? It’s been five years since we sold our first book,Continue reading "The Palace Thief."

Lee, Ang and James Schamus. [Sigourney Weaver]

Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon: A Portrait of the Ang Lee Film Including the Complete Screenplay.

New York : Newmarket Press, 2000.

First edition of the book companion to the epic Academy Award-winning film. Octavo, original boards, illustrated. Association copy, inscribed by director Ang Lee on the front free endpaper, “To dear Sigourney & Jim With Love Ang Lee 李安.” The recipient, Golden Globe Award-winning American actress Sigourney Weaver, is best known for her pioneering action heroineContinue reading "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon: A Portrait of the Ang Lee Film Including the Complete Screenplay."

Dobree, Bonamy. [Rudyard Kipling]

Rudyard Kipling.

London : Published for The British Council and the National Book League by Longmans, Green & Co., 1951.

First edition of Dobree’s work on Kipling, the man and the writer. Octavo, original wrappers, frontispiece portrait of Kipling. In near fine condition.

Carrington, Charles. [Rudyard Kipling; Lafcadio Hearn]

Rudyard Kipling: His Life and Work.

London : Macmillan & Co Ltd, 1955.

First edition of Carrington’s famed biography of Kipling. Octavo, original cloth. With an autograph note signed by Lafcadio Hearn adhered to the front pastedown which reads, “Kipling is priceless – his single story of Purima Bayal is worth a Kingdom; I & his suggestive moral of human life is such a miracle! I can’t tellContinue reading "Rudyard Kipling: His Life and Work."

Tolstoy, Leo

Sebastopol. [Sevastopol].

New York : Harper & Brothers, 1887.

First American edition of Tolstoy’s Sevastopol Sketches, which formed the basis of many of the episodes in his magnum opus, War and Peace. Octavo, original cloth, frontispiece portrait of Tolstoy. Translated from the French by Frank D. Millet. With an introduction by W. D. Howells. In near fine condition. Ownership inscription.

Tolstoy, Leo N

Stories & Dramas.

London and Toronto : J. M. Dent & Sons, Ltd., 1926.

First edition of this rare collection of thirteen of Tolstoy’s short stories including The Dream and The Nihilist; the publisher’s retained copy with their ‘File Copy’ label to front pastedown and perforated stamp to endpaper and title page. Translated form the Russian by Mrs. Lydia Turin, Mrs. H. M. Lucas and C. J. Hogarth. InContinue reading "Stories & Dramas."

Fleming, Ian

Moonraker.

London : Jonathan Cape, 1963.

Early printing of the third novel in the James Bond series and what many critics to be his finest. Octavo, original black cloth. Boldly signed by Ian Fleming on the front free endpaper. From the personal collection of a close female friend of Fleming’s who visited him in Jamaica frequently. Fine in a near fineContinue reading "Moonraker."