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Literature

Rare & Classic, American or English Literature Books for Sale Online

Browse rare first edition classics in American, English, world literature, poetry, and plays. View our entire collection of rare literature below, search our inventory with advanced search, or use our sorting tools to find exactly what you’re looking for. Please call with any questions you may have on a specific item or order online today.

Showing items 1944-1968 of 4655

Flaubert, Gustave

Madame Bovary: Provincial Manners.

Paris : Michel Lévy frères, 1857.

True first edition, first printing with the mistake in the name of the dedicatee, “Sénart” written with T and not a D, “nor of your dedication” on the same page, which will become “and of your dedication”, and the double space between two words p. 7 (23rd line) of the author’s masterpiece. Octavo, two volumes,Continue reading "Madame Bovary: Provincial Manners."

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$6,500.00
Item Number: RRB-144079
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Lewis, Sinclair

Main Street.

New York : Harcourt, Brace and Howe, 1920.

First edition, first printing of Lewis’ classic work. Octavo, bound in full morocco by the Harcourt Bindery with gilt titles and tooling to the spine in six compartments within raised gilt bands, gilt ruling to the front and rear panel, gilt inner dentelles stamp-signed by the Harcourt Bindery, marbled endpapers, all edges gilt. Presentation copy,Continue reading "Main Street."

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$2,500.00
Item Number: RRB-144082
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Flynn, Gillian

Gone Girl.

New York : Crown Publishers, 2012.

First edition of this “instant classic” (Vanity Fair), basis for the film starring Ben Affleck and Rosamund Pike. Octavo, original boards. Signed by Gillian Flynn and Academy Award-winning actor Ben Affleck. Fine in a near fine dust jacket. Jacket design by Darren Haggar.

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$1,100.00
Item Number: RRB-131752
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Sartre, Jean-Paul

Existentialism.

New York : The Philosophical Library, 1947.

First edition of the philosopher’s classic work. Octavo, original cloth. Near fine in a near fine dust jacket. Translated by Bernard Frechtman. An exceptional example.

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$275.00
Item Number: RRB-144092
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Joyce, James

Exiles: A Play in Three Acts.

New York : B.W. Huebsch, 1918.

First American edition of the author’s only play, published simultaneously with the British edition. Octavo, original half cloth. Signed by the author on the front free endpaper, “James Joyce 2 June 1923 Paris.” In near fine condition. Rare and desirable signed.

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$12,500.00
Item Number: RRB-144094
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Faulkner, William

The Wild Palms.

London : Chatto & Windus, 1939.

First British edition of the Nobel Prize-winning author’s grandly inventive, heart-stopping classic novel. Octavo, original cloth. Signed by the author on the title page, “William Faulkner New York 3 March 1953.” Near fine in a near fine dust jacket. Rare and desirable signed with no other inscribed British edition ever appearing at auction.

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$7,800.00
Item Number: RRB-144096
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Pressfield, Steven [Matt Damon]

The Legend of Bagger Vance: A Novel of Golf and the Game of Life.

New York : William Morrow and Company, 1995.

First edition, early printing of one of the greatest golf novels of the 20th century. Octavo, original half cloth. Signed by the author on the half-title page, “Shalom Steven Pressfield.” Additionally signed by Academy Award-winning actor Matt Damon on the half-title page. Damon starred in the 2000 film adaptation. Fine in a fine dust jacket.Continue reading "The Legend of Bagger Vance: A Novel of Golf and the Game of Life."

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$1,250.00
Item Number: RRB-144822
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Fitzgerald, F. Scott

All the Sad Young Men.

New York : Charles Scribner's Sons, 1926.

First edition, first issue of Fitzgerald’s third collection of short stories. Octavo, original green cloth. Near fine in a near fine dust jacket. Housed in a custom half morocco clamshell case.

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$7,800.00
Item Number: RRB-139276
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O'Neill, Eugene

The Iceman Cometh.

New York : Random House, 1946.

First edition of the Nobel Prize-winning playwright’s masterpiece. Octavo, bound in full morocco by the Harcourt Bindery, gilt titles and tooling to the spine in six compartments within raised gilt bands, gilt ruling to the front and rear panels, gilt inner dentelles stamp-signed by the Harcourt Bindery, marbled endpapers, all edges gilt. An exceptional presentation.

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$1,400.00
Item Number: RRB-143667
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Bloomfield, Robert. [Herman Melville]

The Farmer’s Boy.

London : Sampson, Low, Son & Co, 1858.

Later printing of the poem that made Robert Bloomfield’s reputation. Octavo, original publisher’s cloth elaborately stamped in gilt, all edges gilt, illustrated with thirty engravings from drawings by Birket Foster, Harrison, Weir, and G.E. Hicks. Presentation copy, inscribed on the verso of the front free endpaper, “Fanny Melville from Herman Xmas 1876.” Presentation inscription likelyContinue reading "The Farmer’s Boy."

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$8,800.00
Item Number: RRB-144051
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Didion, Joan

Blue Nights.

New York : Alfred A. Knopf, 2011.

First edition of this intensely personal and moving account of Joan Didion’s thoughts, fears, and doubts regarding having children, illness and growing old. Octavo, original half cloth. Boldly signed by Joan Didion. Fine in a fine dust jacket. Jacket design by Carol Devine Carson.

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$500.00
Item Number: RRB-116868
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Baldwin, James

Another Country.

London : Michael Joseph, 1963.

First edition of Baldwin’s classic work, nominated as one of America’s best-loved novels by PBS’s The Great American Read. Octavo, bound in full morocco by the Harcourt Bindery with gilt titles and tooling to the spine in six compartments within raised gilt bands, gilt ruling to the front and rear panel, gilt inner dentelles stamp-signedContinue reading "Another Country."

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$3,500.00
Item Number: RRB-144034
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Thomas, Dylan

In Country Sleep.

New York : New Directions, 1952.

Signed limited edition, one of 100 copies of this collection of poems, including the first book appearance of “Do not go gentle into that good night,” published the year before his death,  Octavo, original cloth. Signed by Dylan Thomas. Fine in a fine slipcase. An exceptional example.

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$9,800.00
Item Number: RRB-109248
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Yogananda, Paramhansa

Autobiography of a Yogi.

New York : The Philosophical Library, 1946.

First edition of one of the most important spiritual books of the twentieth century, Octavo, original cloth, frontispiece. Signed by the author in the year of publication on the front free endpaper, “With blessings Paramhansa Yogananda Dec 10, 46. LA.” Preface by Walter Evans-Wentz. Near fine in a very good dust jacket. Housed in aContinue reading "Autobiography of a Yogi."

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$18,000.00
Item Number: RRB-144018
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Kierkegaard, Søren. Translated by A. S. Aldworth & W. S. Ferrie

Consider The Lilies: Being the Second part of “Edifying Discourses in a Different Vein”, published in 1847 at Copenhagen, by S. Kierkegaard.

London : The C. W. Daniel Company, Ltd., 1940.

First English edition of the elaboration and conclusion of Kierkegaard’s important existential discourses of 1847. Octavo, original cloth. Translated from the Danish by A. S. Aldworth & W. S. Ferrie. Fine in a near fine price-clipped dust jacket. An exceptional example.

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$975.00
Item Number: RRB-144009
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Garcia Marquez, Gabriel

In Evil Hour.

New York : Alfred A. Knopf, 1979.

First edition of “this fascinating novel of a Colombian river town possessed by evil points to the author’s later flowering and greatness” (Boston Globe). Octavo, original cloth. Association copy, inscribed by the author to his legendary literary agent in the year of publication on the second title page, “Para Carmen, Eres mi todo. Gabo RomeContinue reading "In Evil Hour."

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$8,500.00
Item Number: RRB-142798
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Baldwin, James

Going to Meet the Man.

New York : The Dial Press, 1965.

First edition of Baldwin’s singular collection of short stories. Octavo, original half cloth. Association copy, inscribed by the author on the second free endpaper, “for Vince, with love. Jimmy 470 West End Ave N.Y.C.” The recipient, Vincent Harding  was an African-American reverend, historian, and scholar of various topics with a focus on American religion andContinue reading "Going to Meet the Man."

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$5,500.00
Item Number: RRB-142797
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Rhinehart, Luke [George Cockcroft]

The Dice Man.

New York : William Morrow and Company, 1971.

First edition of this cult classic. Octavo, original cloth. Presentation copy, inscribed by the author on the title page, “For Andy ‘A lake is a pond is a river.’ Luke Rhinehart.” Fine in a near fine dust jacket with a touch of rubbing. Jacket design by Lawrence Ratzkin.

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$1,850.00
Item Number: RRB-143807
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Warren, Robert Penn

You, Emperors, and Others: Poems 1957-1960.

New York : Random House, 1960.

First edition of the collected poems of Robert Penn warren written in the years 1957 to 1960. Quarto, original publisher’s cloth. Association copy, inscribed by the author to poet and editor William Claire on the front free endpaper, “To William Claire in friendship Robert Penn Warren.” Very good in a good dust jacket. Housed inContinue reading "You, Emperors, and Others: Poems 1957-1960."

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$975.00
Item Number: RRB-143956
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Wells, H.G

The War of the Worlds.

London : William Heinemann, 1898.

First edition, first issue of this science fiction cornerstone. Octavo, original grey cloth lettered in black. Currey’s state (A) with 16 pages publisher’s advertisements at end dated Autumn 1897. In near fine condition, small name to the front free endpaper and title. An exceptional example.

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$5,500.00
Item Number: RRB-143783
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McDonald, Gregory

Fletch Won.

New York : Warner Books, 1985.

First edition of this work in the author’s classic Fletch series. Octavo, original boards. Signed by Gregory McDonald on the title page. Near fine in a near fine dust jacket, mark to the bottom.

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$175.00
Item Number: RRB-143771
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Pinter, Harold

The Collection and the Lover.

London : Methuen and Co, 1963.

First edition of this classic work by the Nobel Prize-winning playwright. Octavo, original cloth. Near fine in a very good dust jacket. Housed in a custom half morocco chemise and clamshell box. An exceptional presentation.

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$750.00
Item Number: RRB-143521
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Mailer, Norman

The Naked and the Dead.

New York : Rinehart and Company, 1948.

First edition of the author’s classic first book. Thick octavo, original black boards. Presentation copy, inscribed by the author on the half-title page, “To Paul after the pleasure of our first meeting Norman Mailer Oct. ’87.” The recipient, Paul Bartel was a director, actor and the creator of such films as Eating Raoul, Death RaceContinue reading "The Naked and the Dead."

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$1,800.00
Item Number: RRB-118122
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Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus

The Beauties of Mozart, Consisting of the Most Admired Sonatas Duetts and Concertos of this Esteemed Author.

London : Printed & Sold by Preston, c. 1810.

Rare edition of this compilation of Mozart’s sonatas. Quarto, bound in full diced morocco, gilt titles and tooling to the spine, front and rear panels, marbled endpapers, 6 parts in 1, each part engraved throughout, titles incorporating small oval portrait vignette. In near fine condition.

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$8,800.00
Item Number: RRB-143842-1
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