Literature

Irving, Laurence

Henry Irving: The Actor and His World.

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.

Dreiser, Theodore

America is Worth Saving.

New York : Modern Age Books, 1941.

First edition, second printing of this work by the author of Carrie. Octavo, original cloth. Presentation copy, inscribed by the author on the front free endpaper in the year of publication, “Signed for whoever buys this book to aid the cause of peace by Theodore Dreiser Hollywood. April- 1941.” Near fine in a very goodContinue reading "America is Worth Saving."

Hemingway, Ernest

The Torrents of Spring.

New York : Charles Scribner’s Sons, 1926.

First edition of Hemingway’s first novel, one of 1250 printed. Octavo, original cloth. Fine in a near fine dust jacket with light wear to the crown. An exceptional example.

Stowe, Harriet Beecher

Uncle Tom’s Cabin; Or, Life Among the Lowly and A Key to Uncle Tom’s Cabin.

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."

Burgess, Gelett

The Maxims of Methuselah: Being the Advice Given by the Patriarch in his Nine Hundred Sixty and Ninth Year to his Great Grandson at Shem’s Coming of Age in Regard to Women.

New York : Frederick A. Stokes Company, 1907.

First edition of the humorist’s colorful take on the Battle of the Sexes. Octavo, original half cloth, with illustrations, decorations, and cover design by Louis D. Fancher. Very good in the rare original dust jacket which is in very good condition.

Thomas, Dylan

Eighteen Poems.

London : Sunday Referee and the Parton Press, 1936.

First edition, first issue of Thomas’ first book, one of 250 copies. Octavo, original cloth. Association copy, inscribed by the author to Desmond Hawkins, who was Dylan’s literary editor and close friend, with a playful (and perhaps drunken) inscription which attempts to conflate their names, maybe in an effort to create a new single personaContinue reading "Eighteen Poems."

Garcia Marquez, Gabriel

Leaf Storm and other Stories.

New York : Harper & Row, Publishers, 1972.

First edition with the statement of first edition to the copyright page and the full number line on the final page of this early collection of stories by Garcia Marquez. Octavo, original cloth, patterned endpapers. Boldly signed by Gabriel Garcia Marquez on the half-title page. Fine in a near fine dust jacket with a touchContinue reading "Leaf Storm and other Stories."

Hedin, Sven

Trans-Himalaya. Discoveries and Adventures in Tibet.

London : Macmillan & Company, Limited, 1909-1913.

Early printings of volumes one and two and a first edition of volume three of this work by the famed explorer. Octavo, 3 volumes, frontispieces, 14 maps (4 of which are folding route maps), numerous illustrations. From the library of James Stephen “Steve” Fossett with his bookplate to the pastedown of each volume. American businessmanContinue reading "Trans-Himalaya. Discoveries and Adventures in Tibet."

Dostoevsky, Fyodor

The Possessed.

London : William Heinemann, 1913.

First edition in English of Dostoevsky’s classic novel. Octavo, original red cloth. Translated into English by Constance Garnett. In near fine condition. With a two-page letter signed and entirely in the hand of the translator, Constance Garnett, laid in. Dated May 23, 1929 and sent from The Cearne, Edenbridge Kent, the letter reads, “Dear Mr.Continue reading "The Possessed."

Wassilewska, Wanda [Wasilewska]

Rainbow. The Story of a Ukrainian Village Under German Occupation.

London : Hutchinson & Co, 1945.

First edition of this work by Wassilewska. Octavo, original cloth. Boldly signed by the author on the front free endpaper, “Wanda Wassilewska Kiev. XI.63.” Near fine in a very good dust jacket with some chips and tears. Translated by Edith Bone. Although not marked in anyway, this is from the library of John and ElaineContinue reading "Rainbow. The Story of a Ukrainian Village Under German Occupation."

Roth, Philip

When She Was Good.

New York : Random House, 1967.

First edition of Roth’s second novel. Octavo, original cloth. Presentation copy, inscribed by the author on the front free endpaper in the year of publication, “Sept. 7, 1967 NYC To Jack Keeney- For the testimonial baquet- Philip Roth.” Near fine in a very good dust jacket. Jacket design by Roy Kuhlman.

Christos.

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First edition of this early work by the author of Zorba the Greek. Octavo, original wrappers. In very good condition.

The Love Machine.

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First edition of this work by the author of Valley of the Dolls. Octavo, original half cloth. Presentation copy, inscribed by the author on the front free endpaper, “To Winifred Apt Best Wishes Jacqueline Susan.” Near fine in a very good dust jacket. Jacket design by Milton Charles.

Ferber, Edna

Giant.

Garden City, NY : Doubleday & Company, 1952.

First edition of this “powerful story…truly as big as its subject” (Los Angeles Times). Octavo, original cloth. Signed by Edna Ferber.  Near fine in an excellent dust jacket with light rubbing and wear. Jacket design by Fred McCarroll.

Lee, Harper

Go Set A Watchman.

New York : Harper Collins, 2015.

First trade edition of Lee’s second novel. Octavo, original half cloth. Signed by Harper Lee on the half-title page. This copy was a gift from Lee’s attorney Tonja Brooks Carter to a clerk of the court in Monroeville, Alabama. Brooks Carter was responsible for rediscovering the manuscript of this novel and instrumental to its publication.Continue reading "Go Set A Watchman."

Princess Chumbhot of Nagara Svarga [John Steinbeck]

The Lacquer Pavilion at Suan Pakkad Palace.

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First edition of this work, inscribed by Chumbhot to Nobel Prize-winning author John Steinbeck. Quarto, original boards, illustrated. Presentation copy, inscribed opposite the title page, “To Mr. and Mrs John Steinbeck with compliments by Pantip Chumbhot Bangkok 27/1/67.” Near fine in a very good dust jacket. From the library of John Steinbeck.

Dahl, Roald; Walt Disney [Bill Justice]

The Gremlins. From the Walt Disney Production. A Royal Air Force Story.

New York : Random House, 1943.

First edition of Dahl’s rare first book, with 14 vibrant full-page illustrations by Walt Disney Productions. Quarto, original half cloth, pictorial endpapers. Presentation copy, inscribed by Disney animator Bill Justice on the half-title page with a large drawing of a Gremlin, “Sorry Ray That’s a lousy Gremlin Bill Justice.” Justice joined Walt Disney Studios asContinue reading "The Gremlins. From the Walt Disney Production. A Royal Air Force Story."

O'Neill, Eugene

The Hairy Ape and Other Plays.

London : Johnathan Cape, 1930.

Early printing of this collection of three plays by the Nobel Prize-winning playwright. Octavo, original cloth. In near fine condition.

Hellman, Lillian

The Children’s Hour.

New York : Alfred A. Knopf, 1934.

First edition of the author’s first and most well-known work. Octavo, original cloth. Review copy with publisher’s slip tipped to front free endpaper, near fine in a very good dust jacket. Examples in the original jacket are rare.

Faulkner, William

Intruder In The Dust.

New York : Random House, 1948.

First edition of this classic Faulkner novel, which explores the lives of a family of characters in the South. Octavo, original cloth. Near fine in a good dust jacket with some rubbing to the extremities. Jacket design by E. McKnight Kauffer.

Hayes, J. Gordon

Antarctica: A Treatise on the Southern Continent.

London : The Richards Press, 1928.

First edition of Hayes’ seminal work on Antarctica. Quarto, original cloth, illustrated with plates after photographs, charts and maps, many folding. From the library of James Stephen “Steve” Fossett with his bookplate to the pastedown of each volume. American businessman and record-setting aviator Steve Fossett became the first person to fly solo nonstop around theContinue reading "Antarctica: A Treatise on the Southern Continent."

Yule, Colonel Henry

The Book of Ser Marco Polo, the Venetian, Concerning the Kingdoms and Marvels of the East.

London : John Murray, 1871.

First edition of Yule’s important work which correlated Polo’s travels with their present-day locations. Octavo, two volumes. Bound in full morocco by Sangorski and Sutcliffe with gilt titles and tooling to the spine, gilt ruling and vignettes to the front panels, gilt turn-ins and inner dentelles, all edges gilt, patterned endpapers, with maps and engravedContinue reading "The Book of Ser Marco Polo, the Venetian, Concerning the Kingdoms and Marvels of the East."

Calvino, Italo

Difficult Loves.

New York : Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, Publishers, 1984.

First edition of this classic collection of short stories by Calvino. Octavo, original half cloth. Association copy, inscribed by the author on the front free endpaper to editor Irene Skolnick in the year of publication, “For Irene Italo Calvino N.Y., Nov. 14. 1984.” Fine in a fine dust jacket. Jacket design by Louise Fili. TranslatedContinue reading "Difficult Loves."

Roberts, Lord Frederick Sleigh

Forty-One Years in India: From Subaltern to Commander in Chief.

London : Richard Bentley and Son, 1898.

First edition of Commander-in-Chief of the British Army Lord Robert’s memoirs. Octavo, 2 volumes bound in full vellum with morocco spine labels lettered in gilt and gilt tooling to the spines, double gilt ruling and gilt coats of arms to the front and rear panels, marbled endpapers, all edges red, illustrated with tissue-guarded engravings andContinue reading "Forty-One Years in India: From Subaltern to Commander in Chief."