Literature

Shelley, Mary Wollstonecraft

Valperga: or, the Life and Adventures of Castruccio, Prince of Lucca. By the Author of ‘Frankenstein’.

London : G. and W.B. Whittaker, 1823.

Rare first edition of Shelley’s second novel, which has been called “a meditation on political, psychological, and sexual power” and is considered by many to be her finest work.  12mo., bound in 19th century three quarter calf over marbled boards by Bumpus, gilt titles and tooling to the spine, morocco spine labels, raised bands. InContinue reading "Valperga: or, the Life and Adventures of Castruccio, Prince of Lucca. By the Author of ‘Frankenstein’."

Hearn, Lafcadio. Edited by Elizabeth Bisland

The Writings of Lafcadio Hearn.

Boston and New York : Houghton Mifflin Company, 1922.

The Large Paper Edition of Lafcadio Hearn’s collected writings. Octavo, 16 volumes bound in full blue levant morocco by the Harcourt Bindery with gilt titles and tooling to the spine in six compartments within raised gilt bands, gilt turn-ins and inner dentelles, elaborately gilt citron levant morocco doublures, watered silk endleaves, top edge gilt withContinue reading "The Writings of Lafcadio Hearn."

Poe, Edgar Allan

The Works of Edgar Allan Poe. [Including: The Murders in the Rue Morgue, The Gold Bug, Raven, Eureka].

New York : G. P. Putnam's Sons, [1884].

The Amontillado edition of the works of Edgar Allan Poe. Octavo, 8 volumes bound in full morocco by P.B. Sanford with gilt titles and tooling to the spine in 6 compartments within raised gilt bands, double gilt ruling to the panels, gilt turn-ins and inner dentelles, marbled endpapers, all edges gilt, tissue-guarded engraved frontispiece toContinue reading "The Works of Edgar Allan Poe. [Including: The Murders in the Rue Morgue, The Gold Bug, Raven, Eureka]."

Kipling, Rudyard; Arthur Conan Doyle, H. Rider Haggard, Bret Harte, Robert Louis Stevenson, et al.

My First Book.

London : Chatto & Windus, 1897.

The New Edition of My First Book with contributions by Rudyard Kipling, Arthur Conan Doyle, H. Rider Haggard, and Robert Louis Stevenson. Octavo, original cloth, illustrated, frontispiece. Introduction by Jerome K. Jerome. In very good condition.

Stegner, Wallace

Angle of Repose.

Garden City, NY : Doubleday & Company, 1971.

First edition of the author’s Pulitzer Prize-winning work. Octavo, original cloth. Presentation copy, inscribed by the author on the half-title page, “To John with best wishes Wallace Stegner November 9, 1972.” Fine in a near fine dust jacket with a touch of shelfwear. Jacket design by E.D.N. Designs. Photograph of the author by Alex Gotfryd.Continue reading "Angle of Repose."

Kipling, Rudyard

The New Army in Training.

London : Macmillan and Co., Limited, 1915.

First collected edition, first issue of this anthology which first appeared in 6 separate pamphlets in America of which only a few of each were printed. 16mo, original wrappers. With The Service Kipling on the rear panel. In fine condition. Housed in a custom half morocco and chemise case.

Broken Trail.

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First edition of the paperback original. Octavo, original illustrated wrappers. Presentation copy, inscribed by Alan Geoffrion on the title page, additionally signed by Scott Cooper and Olivia Cheng above and Robert Duvall opposite the title page. Duvall, Cooper, and Cheng acted in the 2006 miniseries adaptation, directed by Walter Hill and went on to winContinue reading "Broken Trail."

Pamuk, Orhan

Silent House.

New York : Alfred A. Knopf, 2012.

First edition of this “superb novel, which grips the reader and refuses to let go” (The New Yorker). Octavo, original half cloth. Signed by dated in the year of publication by Orhan Pamuk on the title page. Additionally signed three times by the jacket illustrator Chip Kidd, once on the front panel, once on the titleContinue reading "Silent House."

Huxley, Aldous

Eyeless In Gaza.

London : Chatto & Windus, 1927.

Signed limited edition of what is considered by many to be Huxley’s definitive work of fiction. Octavo, original cloth. Number 108 of 200 numbered copies, signed by Aldous Huxley. In near fine condition. A very sharp example.

Canetti, Elias

The Tower of Babel [Auto-Da-Fe].

New York : Alfred A. Knopf, 1946.

First American edition of the Nobel Prize-winning author’s most well-known work. Octavo, original cloth. Association copy, inscribed and dated by the author on the front free endpaper, “To Gertrud Kraus in very old friendship from Elias Canetti October 1947.” The recipient Gertrud Kraus was an Israeli pioneer of modern dance in Israel and close friendContinue reading "The Tower of Babel [Auto-Da-Fe]."

Lawrence, T.E. [A.W. Lawrence]

The Mint: A Day-Book of the R.A.F. Depot Between August and December 1922 with Later Notes by 352087 A/C Ross.

London : Jonathan Cape, 1955.

First edition, limited issue of Lawrence’s semi-autobiographical account of his R.A.F. training days.  Quarto, original quarter morocco, patterned endpapers, top edge gilt with others uncut. One of 2000 numbered copies, this is number 1039. Although not called for this example is signed by A.W. Lawrence on the limitation page (T.E. Lawrence’s brother who edited andContinue reading "The Mint: A Day-Book of the R.A.F. Depot Between August and December 1922 with Later Notes by 352087 A/C Ross."

Kerouac, Jack

Jack Kerouac Autograph Questionnaire Signed.

1960.

Rare mimeographed questionnaire sent by a graduate student of City College of New York to Jack Kerouac; completed and signed twice by him with a lengthy inscription in conclusion. Two pages, partially printed the questionnaire begins with a typed letter signed by James A. Sherlock politely requesting Kerouac’s response which reads in part: “Dear Mr.Continue reading "Jack Kerouac Autograph Questionnaire Signed."

Bowen, Elizabeth

The Death of the Heart.

London : Victor Gollancz Ltd, 1938.

First edition of Bowen’s classic work. Octavo, original cloth. Presentation copy, inscribed by the author on the front free endpaper in the month of publication, “William from Elizabeth October 1938.” Very good in a very good dust jacket. Rare and desirable signed as most examples are signed on a bookplate.

Cohen, Leonard

Stranger Music: Selected Poems and Songs.

New York : Pantheon, 1993.

First edition of this collection of poems and songs. Octavo, original cloth. Association copy, inscribed by the author on the title page in the year of publication, “To Mort and Judy warm regards on Christmas Day Leonard Los Angeles 1993.” Cohen has include his trademark entwined heart stamp. The recipients were composer Mort Lindsey andContinue reading "Stranger Music: Selected Poems and Songs."

Dumas, Alexandre

Les Quarante-Cinq. [The Forty-Five Guardsmen].

Paris : A. Le Vasseur et Cie, Editeurs, nd.

Le Vasseur’s “Alexandre Dumas Illustré” edition of third and final work in Dumas’ Valois trilogy. Quarto, original wrappers, frontispiece, illustrations by d’Alphonse de Neuville. In very good condition.

Dreiser, Theodore

Sister Carrie.

New York : Doubleday, Page & Co, 1900.

First edition of the author’s scarce first book. Octavo, original red cloth. Presentation copy, inscribed by the author on the front free endpaper, “For F.W. Skiff, with good wishes, from Theodore Dreiser, Portland, June 7, 1930.” Bookplate of noted book collector Frederick W. Skiff on the front pastedown. Laid in is an envelope addressed toContinue reading "Sister Carrie."

[Steinbeck, John]

Two Russian Books From the Library of John Steinbeck.

Moscow : Various, c. 1960.

Two volumes in Russian from the library of American literary master John Steinbeck. Quarto, two volumes including a book of early Russian Orthodox paintings with many in color and a folio of loose plates featuring artwork from the Hermitage Museum. From the library of John Steinbeck. In very good condition.

Glaude, Jr., Eddie [James Baldwin]

Begin Again: James Baldwin’s America and Its Urgent Lessons for Our Own.

New York : Crown, 2020.

First edition, early printing of this “unparalleled masterpiece of social criticism” (Imani Perry). Octavo, original boards. Boldly signed by Eddie Glaude on the title page. Fine in a fine dust jacket.

Holy Deadlock.

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First edition of this novel of two young people in search of a divorce after seven years of marriage. Octavo, original cloth. Near fine in very good dust jacket.

Hopkins, R. Thurston. [Rudyard Kipling]

Rudyard Kipling: The Story of a Genius.

London : Cecil Palmer, 1930.

First edition of Hopkins’ biography of Rudyard Kipling. Octavo, original cloth, frontispiece. Very good in a very good dust jacket.

Kipling, Rudyard

The Art of Fiction.

London : J. A. Allen & Co, 1926.

First separate edition, first issue of this report issued on the occasion of Kipling’s acceptance of the gold medal of the Royal Society of Literature. Octavo, original wrappers. In fine condition. Housed in a custom half morocco and chemise slipcase.

Russell, Bertrand

Marriage and Morals.

New York : Horace Liveright, 1929.

First edition of this work by Russell, in which he questions the Victorian notions of morality regarding sex and marriage. Octavo, original cloth. Signed by Bertrand Russell on the front free endpaper. In near fine condition. An exceptional signed example.

Sendak, Maurice

Maurice Sendak “So Sue Me” Signed Original Costume Design.

1993.

Rare original Maurice Sendak watercolor costume design for Arthur Yorinks’ 1993 play “So Sue Me”. One page, watercolor and ink on cardstock, Sendak has signed and annotated the design, “So, Sue me. Costume design M. Sendak Feb. 93.” In fine condition. The piece measures 6 inches by 4.75 inches. With a custom piece of glassineContinue reading "Maurice Sendak “So Sue Me” Signed Original Costume Design."

Roth, Philip

When She Was Good.

New York : Random House, 1967.

First edition of Roth’s second novel. Octavo, original cloth. From the library of Christopher Lasch, with his name to the front free endpaper. Lasch was a historian, moralist, and social critic who was a history professor at the University of Rochester. Lasch sought to use history as a tool to awaken American society to theContinue reading "When She Was Good."