Literature

Farina, Richard

Been Down So Long It Looks Like Up To Me.

New York : Random House, 1966.

First edition of the author and songwriter’s first novel, warmly praised by his friend Thomas Pynchon; the only novel published in Fariña’s lifetime, as he tragically died in a motorcycle accident two days after its publication. Octavo, original half green cloth. Presentation copy, inscribed by the author on the front free endpaper, “G – Recognize anyContinue reading "Been Down So Long It Looks Like Up To Me."

Koppelman, Amy. [Joan Didion]

Hesitation Wounds: A Novel.

New York : The Overlook Press, 2015.

First edition of the author’s third book. Octavo, original half cloth. With an autograph note signed by the author tipped in which reads in full, “Dear Ms. Didion, You probably won’t remember me – about fifteen years ago I dropped off my MFA thesis and asked you if I was a real writer. You respondedContinue reading "Hesitation Wounds: A Novel."

Beaton, Cecil

Cecil Beaton’s Fair Lady.

New York : Holt, Rinehart and Winston, 1964.

First edition of Beaton’s Fair Lady, a witty compilation of his personal diary entries recorded while managing the costume and set design of the 1957 Warner Brothers film starring Audrey Hepburn. Octavo, original half cloth, illustrated throughout. Presentation copy, inscribed by the author on the front free endpaper, “To Elaine and Arthur Cohen my favoriteContinue reading "Cecil Beaton’s Fair Lady."

Solzhenitsyn, Alexander. [Solzhentizyn]

One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich.

New York : E. P. Dutton & Co., Inc, 1963.

First edition in English, preceding the first British edition, of the Nobel Prize-winner’s first published work. Octavo, original cloth. Presentation copy, inscribed by the author on the half-title page, “To Anne Roberts A. Solzhenitsyn Dec. 2004.” Near fine in a near fine dust jacket. Jacket design by the Duquesnes. Jacket photograph by Sovfoto. Translated byContinue reading "One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich."

Kipling, Rudyard

Collected Verse of Rudyard Kipling.

New York : Doubleday, Page & Co, 1910.

Signed limited edition of the collected verse of Rudyard Kipling, beautifully illustrated by W. Heath Robinson. Quarto, bound in three quarters crushed levant morocco over marbled boards, gilt titles and tooling to the spine, top edge gilt with others untrimmed, illustrated by W. Heath Robinson with nine mounted color plates. One of one hundred andContinue reading "Collected Verse of Rudyard Kipling."

Tennyson, Alfred

The Works of Alfred Tennyson, Poet Laureate.

London : Macmillan and Co, 1884.

Finely bound example of the works of Alfred, Lord Tennyson. Octavo, bound in a full contemporary polished emerald green calf prize-binding, gilt tooling to the spine in six compartments within raised gilt bands, morocco spine label lettered in gilt, gilt turn-ins, marbled endpapers, all edges marbled, tissue-guarded frontispiece. In very good condition. Presentation inscription.

Hurston, Zora Neale [Edited by Alice Walker]

I Love Myself When I Am Laughing: A Zora Neale Hurston Reader.

New York : The Feminist Press, 1979.

First edition of this classic collection of work, edited by Alice Walker. Octavo, original wrappers. Presentation copy, inscribed by the author in the year of publication on the front free endpaper, “To David Levin Peace Alice Walker 12-79.” Edited by Alice Walker. Introduction by Mary Helen Washington. In near fine condition.

Stoppard, Tom

Rosencrantz & Guildenstern Are Dead.

London : Faber & Faber, 1967.

First edition of the author’s masterpiece. Octavo, original cloth. Signed twice by Tom Stoppard, once  on the title page and again on a bookplate with the Union Jack flag to the front free endpaper. Near fine in a near fine dust jacket. Housed in a custom half morocco clamshell box made by the Harcourt Bindery.Continue reading "Rosencrantz & Guildenstern Are Dead."

DeLillo, Don

Running Dog.

New York 1978.

First edition of “the best Vietnam novel to appear so far, bearing some relationship to Robert Stone’s Dog Soldiers and some to V. S. Naipaul’s Guerrillas (Houston Post). Octavo, original half cloth. Presentation copy, inscribed by the author on the front free endpaper, “To Brian Light Best ever Don DeLillo.” Fine in a fine dustContinue reading "Running Dog."

Bouvier, Jacqueline and Lee [Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis]

One Special Summer.

New York : Delacorte Press, 1974.

First edition of this delightful memoir written by the Bouvier sisters about their summer in Europe. Folio, original marbled blue paper boards, illustrated with drawings and decorations by both authors. Fine in a near fine dust jacket.

Buckley, Gail Lumet

The Hornes: An American Family.

New York : Alfred A. Knopf, 1986.

First edition of this history of the Horne dynasty, spanning eight generations. Octavo, original half cloth, illustrated. Association copy, inscribed by the author on the front free endpaper, “To Joan + John – With best wishes – Gail June, 1986.” The recipients, American journalists Joan Didion and John Gregory Dunne met in the late 1950sContinue reading "The Hornes: An American Family."

Arnold, Katie. [Joan Didion]

Chemical Pink: A Novel of Obsession.

New York : A Tom Doherty Associates Book, 2001.

First edition of the author’s first novel. Octavo, original cloth. Association copy, inscribed by the author on the half-title page, “To Joan – Thank you for being so generous & kind. Your support has made all the difference. Lots of love, Katie 2/19/01.” The recipient, American journalist and novelist Joan Didion gained a reputation inContinue reading "Chemical Pink: A Novel of Obsession."

Carle, Eric

The Very Hungry Caterpillar.

Cleveland : World Publishing, 1969.

First edition, first printing of Carle’s most recognizable work (with the complete number line 1-5 on the copyright page and A3450 on the rear board). Oblong quarto, original illustrated boards. Fine in a very good dust jacket price-clipped dust jacket.

Tartt, Donna

The Goldfinch.

New York : Little, Brown and Company, 2013.

First edition of the bestselling author’s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel. Octavo, original publisher’s cloth. Presentation copy, inscribed by the author on the title page, “especially for John – on Halloween – Donna Tartt.” Fine in a fine dust jacket. Jacket design by Keith Hayes. Jacket painting: The Goldfinch (1654) by Carel Fabritius. Author photograph by BeowulfContinue reading "The Goldfinch."

Swinburne, Algernon Charles

The Poems and Tragedies of Algernon Charles Swinburne.

London : Chatto & Windus, 1904-1906.

The Large-Paper edition of the poems and tragedies of Algernon Charles Swinburne. Octavo, 11 volumes, bound in three quarter crushed levant morocco, gilt titles and ruling to the spine in six compartments within raised gilt bands, marbled endpapers, top edge gilt with others untrimmed, ribbons bound in. One of 110 numbered sets, this is numberContinue reading "The Poems and Tragedies of Algernon Charles Swinburne."

Dumas, Alexandre

The Borgias.

London : Arthur L. Humphreys, 1911.

Finely bound edition of Dumas’ classic work. Octavo, bound in full red morocco gilt by Bumpus, gilt titles and tooling to the spine, raised bands, gilt tooling to the front and rear panels, all edges gilt, inner dentelles. In near fine condition.

Woolf, Virginia

The Years.

London : Hogarth Press, 1937.

First edition of the most successful of Woolf’s later novels, often viewed as her masterpiece. Octavo, bound in full morocco by the Harcourt Bindery, gilt titles and ruling to the spine, raised bands, gilt ruled to the front and rear panels, gilt signature to the front panel, inner dentelles, marbled endpapers, all edges gilt. InContinue reading "The Years."

Yalom, Irvin D

When Nietzsche Wept: A Novel of Obsession.

New York : Basic Books, 1992.

First edition of this classic work. Octavo, original half cloth. Presentation copy, inscribed by the author on the title page, “For Linda with best wishes Irvin D. Yalom.” Near fine in a fine dust jacket. Jacket design and illustration by Honi Werner.

Adams, Douglas

The Hitch Hiker’s Guide To the Galaxy. [Hitchhiker’s]

London : PAN, 1979.

First British edition of this modern classic, preceding the hardcover edition. Octavo, original wrappers. Boldly signed by Douglas Adams in a contemporary hand on the front pastedown. In fine condition. Housed in a custom clamshell box. A very sharp example, rare and desirable signed; this is the first example we have seen.

Gluck, Louise

The House on Marshland.

New York : The Ecco Press, 1975.

First edition of the Nobel Prize-winning author’s second book. Octavo, original cloth. Presentation copy, inscribed by the author on the half-title page, “For Larry Louise Gluck.” Near fine in a near fine dust jacket. Jacket design by Loretta Li.

Select Poetry. Chiefly on Subjects Connected with Religion. [Fore-Edge Painting].

London : Printed for L. B. Seeley and Son, 1825.

Finely bound poetry collection decorated with a concealed fore-edge painting. 18mo, bound in full morocco with gilt titles and tooling to the spine, double gilt ruling to the front and rear panels, gilt turn-ins and inner dentelles, all edges gilt, decorated with a concealed fore-edge painting. In very good condition.

Lefevre, Edwin

Simonetta.

New York : George H. Doran Company, 1919.

First edition of this work by the author of Reminisces of a Stock Operator. Octavo, original cloth. Near fine in the rare original dust jacket with chipping to the spine. We have never seen another example in the dust jacket.

Burns, Robert

The Complete Works of Robert Burns.

London : Blackie, 1888.

The works of Robert Burns, finely bound. Octavo, 5 volumes, bound in full morocco, gilt titles and elaborate tooling to the spine, front and rear panels, inner dentelles, marbled endpapers, all edges gilt, illustrated throughout. Edited by Charles Annandale. In near condition. An exceptional set.

Dickens, Charles

The Christmas Books: A Christmas Carol; The Chimes; The Cricket on the Hearth; The Battle of Life; The Haunted Man and The Ghost’s Bargain.

London : Chapman and Hall/Bradbury & Evans, 1843-48.

Complete set of Charles Dickens’ Christmas Books. Octavo, 5 volumes, original red cloth with gilt titles and tooling to the spine and front panels, all edges gilt. A Christmas Carol, in Prose. Being a Ghost Story of Christmas is a fourteenth edition illustrated 4 hand-colored plates and wood-engraved illustrations after John Leech, advertisement leaf atContinue reading "The Christmas Books: A Christmas Carol; The Chimes; The Cricket on the Hearth; The Battle of Life; The Haunted Man and The Ghost’s Bargain."