Steinbeck, John.
n.p., John Steinbeck, n.d. (1933), first edition. This is a carbon copy of the typescript for Steinbeck's breakthrough book, specially bound by Steinbeck himself for presentation to a close friend, Alice Cohee, in what is now a fairly crummy leather binding, this is No. 2 of only two copies (unknown by me as to whom has No. 1--Carol?) according to a label affixed to the inside front cover "This is one of a first edition of/two copies of which this is #2," the leather binding is labeled Tortilla Flat at the top of the front cover, the middle of the front cover has a leather boxed area that reads "For/John/& Alice/Cohee," the bottom of the front cover reads "John Steinbeck" in what is undoubtedly his hand, top of the rear cover reads "Phalanx," Tortilla Flat is one of several of his books utilizing Steinbeck's "Phalanx Theory" in which group man operates far differently than individual man, there is another spot on the rear cover that appears to read "The old colection (sic) of Doodads," in 1933 Steinbeck had published three books, none of them successful, and he was failing at finding a publisher for his fourth, Tortilla Flat, in the end it was Alice Cohee, a close friend, who urged Steinbeck to try one more time, this time Covici Friede took the book, launching his successful career, according to Susan Shillinglaw's Carol and John Steinbeck Portrait of a Marriage (page 126), Alice was presented with the manuscript, this is that manuscript (which in reality is a carbon copy of the typescript), according to a professional appraisal obtained by the Cohee family, "the typescript is a relatively late version of the text and includes the preface in its final form but does not include the chapters headings added after conversations with Elizabeth Otis and Pat Covici," there are a few holographic corrections in an unknown hand (possibly his wife/typist, Carol) "and few differences from the published text," according to the appraisal, interestingly, Steinbeck used one ribbon-typed page from another manuscript to type the Tortilla Flat page, that manuscript was Dissonant Symphony which was never published and which Steinbeck destroyed, according to his biographer, Jack Benson, it is very likely that this one page is the only survivor of that book that never was, Alice Cohee and her husband John were also close friends with Ed Ricketts, he corresponded with them periodically, according to Katharine A. Rodger's Renaissance Man of Cannery Row The Life and Letters of Edward F. Ricketts, according to a family appraisal, the binding was probably used by Steinbeck for other purposes before he used it to bind the typescript, the binding is a folio-sized ledger book, the typescript was drilled or stabbed twice with two wing clamps inserted through the entire typescript, combined with this specially-bound book are 15 letters from Steinbeck to the recipient, Alice Cohee, none of which were published in Steinbeck: A Life in Letters, it appears that there are no letters to Mrs. Cohee housed at the Humanities Research Center at the University of Texas or at Stanford, of the 15 letters, 13 are autographed letters, one is a typed letter signed, one is a typed letter, also included is one autographed postcard signed, they span from May 18, 1938 through March 1953, the letters are substantive and long, eight letters have between 100 and 300 words, the others are 450, 600, 650, 950, 1,400, and 1,500 words, eight of the letters are from the second half of the year 1948, a critical time in his life (death of Ed Ricketts, request for divorce from Gwyn), no use of the letters has been made by scholars, in fact few other than Cohee family members have read the letters, in the letters Steinbeck writes about his work, recent or projected travels, his living situation, state of mind, his health, repairs to the Pacific Grove house, personal matters/relationships with Gwyn, Elaine, Ed Ricketts, and Dook Sheffield, people with whom he has been working (Elia Kazan), sometimes he writes about himself as a father, in some he writes about aging, life, and death, plus social concerns (migrant labor), nuclear weapons testing, overpopulation, sometimes the letters are blunt about Alice's life and mental state, sometimes contrasting hers with his own, which shows his closeness to her, here are some excerpts, in the May 18, 1938 letter he writes, "I've been out in the fields (working).very terrible.Makes you ashamed to eat when it doesn't make you murderous," in the May 28, 1948 letter, he writes, "Ed (meaning Ed Ricketts) was the most selfish man I have ever known, but by being that he could be the kindest and most associative and open. We, and I mean you and me and nearly everyone I know of the little confused failures in the world think they are being selfless when they are simply afraid.," in the September 12, 1948 postcard, he writes, "As for the break up -- I didn't leave, I was pushed. The fog smells so good it makes me a little crazy. It is going to be my seat for some time to come," he describes his November 17, 1948 as "rough" since his discussion of her is on the pointed side, he mentions Carlton Sheffield in his December 21, 1948 letter, "He has not changed very much," he turns down her suggestion of driving to see him in the May 21, 1949 (?) letter because he is busy at work and because of demands on his time, his "no" is rather detailed, writing in part, "I'm sorry Alice but I just refuse to be deflected even for one hour," the last letter is dated May 3, 1953 is lengthy and detailed, covering nuclear weapons testing and his big Mallory project. Front cover available, but detached.
NY, Viking, 1984, first edition, first printing, dust jacket . Hardcover. This is The Bible of all John Steinbeck biographies, it was 12 years in the research and writing, followed by another three years in getting it published, there are several suites of photo illustrations, a great accomplishment, this is an Association Copy, it was Robert Cathcart's copy, he was a friend of Steinbeck's from his Stanford University days, see page 8 of Steinbeck: A Life in Letters, see this biography pages 59, 110, 127, 128, 138, 149, 151, 415, front pastedown with three ownership stamps of Cathcart. Color fade to the jacket, mostly along the spine panel, as is so common with this title, very good.
Philadelphia, Saturday Evening Post, July 2, 1966, first edition, wrappers. Softcover. Pages 32-38, 40-41, 44, 46-47, text from his nonfiction book of nearly the same title (America and Americans), Goldstone & Payne C192, not recorded by Morrow, also includes Charles Portis and Kay Boyle. Fine.
NY, Viking, 1975, first edition, dust jacket. Hardcover. A wonderful biography of this Nobel Prize-winning author through the multitude of letters he wrote, it will make you both laugh and cry, an excellent reference, this copy Signed by Elaine Steinbeck, although not indicated, this was Robert Cathcart's copy, he was a friend of Steinbeck's from his Stanford University days, see page 8 of Steinbeck: A Life in Letters, see Jack Benson's massive biography, The True Adventures of John Steinbeck, Writer, pages 59, 110, 127, 128, 138, 149, 151, 415). Very good.
Bradenton, Opuscula Press, 1989, first edition, wrappers. Softcover. Includes seven essays on Steinbeck books and on Steinbeck himself by Beyer, Dr. Tetsumaro Hayashi, Kiyoshi Nakayama, Lee Richard Hayman, Carlton A. (Dook) Sheffield, Dr. Robert DeMott, and Roy S. Simmonds, issued in an edition of 300 numbered copies, this copy Signed by Hayashi, Hayman, and DeMott, this is an out-of-series presentation from the publisher, Robert F. Hanson with his inscribed business card laid in loosely, a prospectus for the book is also laid in loosely. Fine.
London, T. Fisher Unwin Ltd, 1923, first British edition, first printing, dust jacket. Hardcover. The British edition follows the American signed/limited edition, original green cloth, there are two states of the dust jacket, this copy with the white paper jacket with the title and author shown within the decoration on the front cover, jacket is priced at seven shillings and sixpence, includes all issue points as noted in Smith 25, Keating 180, with a publisher's advertising sheet laid in loosely, one sheet folded to make four pages, the front cover of which features a portrait of Conrad by Bender after a photo of him, with a facsimile of his signature, with text internally about The Rover and advertising other books by Conrad available from the publisher. Very good.
Ricketts, Edward F. and Calvin, Jack.
Stanford, Stanford University Press, 1948, first edition thus, dust jacket. Hardcover. This is actually the second edition, but it is the first with the foreword by John Steinbeck, includes line drawings by Ritchie Lovejoy, color frontispiece with tissue guard, with several suites of b&w plates, this influential book is "an account of the habits and habitats of some five hundred of the common, conspicuous seashore invertebrates of the Pacific Coast between Sitka, Alaska, and northern Mexico," first published in 1939, more than 70 years later this important and influential book is still in print, very scarce in this first appearance, even the Morrow catalogue lacked a copy, Goldstone & Payne B58. Fine in a jacket with a short tear, slight age and wear and a minor repair, else fine.
NY, Viking, 2002, first edition, dust jacket. Hardcover. Edited by Susan Shillinglaw and Jackson J. Benson, this copy inscribed by Shillinglaw to Robert Cathcart, a friend of Steinbeck's dating back to his Stanford University days, see page 8 of Steinbeck: A Life in Letters, see Jack Benson's massive biography, The True Adventures of John Steinbeck, Writer, pages 59, 110, 127, 128, 138, 149, 151, 415), inscribed in the year of publication ("To Robert-/with warm thanks/to the man with/the best memory-/warmest memories of/John Steinbeck - I've/ever met./Susan Shillinglaw/February 2002"). Fine in a near fine jacket.
Steinbeck, John.
Cleveland, The Rowfant Club, 1943, first edition. No. 116 of 152 numbered copies, printed at the Grabhorn Press, black buckram spine with red and gray floral pattern boards, Goldstone & Payne A20a, Morrow 169, this was Henry F. Pope's copy, Pope was a long-time Rowfant Club member who died in 1950, his Rowfant Club books were given back to the club, this copy was acquired via a Rowfant Club auction, lacking its glassine jacket, as usual. Very nearly fine.
Santa Barbara, Fithian Press, 2000, first edition, wrappers. Softcover. Includes interviews with friends and acquaintances of John Steinbeck, inscribed by Lynch to Robert Cathcart, a friend of Steinbeck's from his Stanford days and beyond, see page 8 of Steinbeck: A Life in Letters, see Jack Benson's massive biography, The True Adventures of John Steinbeck, Writer, pages 59, 110, 127, 128, 138, 149, 151, 415 ("To Bob Cathcart-/who is charming,/kind and a real storyteller./From one Steinbeck/aficionado to another-/yours in Steinbeck,/Audry Lynch, May 17, 2002"). Fine.
Steinbeck, John.
NY, Viking, 1951, first edition, dust jacket. Hardcover. This is the first appearance of just the log portion of the earlier-published Sea of Cortez, this portion written entirely by Steinbeck, it includes the first appearance of Steinbeck's 67-page preface "About Ed Ricketts," includes a glossary of terms in the rear, with frontispiece photos of both Steinbeck and Ed Ricketts, map endpapers, this copy in the maroon cloth binding, Goldstone & Payne A15c, Morrow 141, one of 7,500 copies, this is an Association Copy with the signature and San Francisco address of Robert Cathcart, one of Steinbeck's running buddies from his Stanford University days, see page 8 of Steinbeck: A Life in Letters, see Jack Benson's massive biography, The True Adventures of John Steinbeck, Writer, pages 59, 110, 127, 128, 138, 149, 151, 415). Spine panel of book sunned, else a solid copy in a jacket NOT sunned along the spine panel, extremely scarce thus.
San Francisco, Simon J. Lubin Society of California, May 1938, second printing, wrappers. Softcover. Sold originally at 25 cents, is one of the most elusive of Steinbeck's books, with the famous front cover photo by Dorthea Lange of a migrant mother breast feeding her child, the book was a precursor to Steinbeck's publishing his masterpiece, The Grapes of Wrath, Goldstone & Payne A10b, Morrow 87, Steinbeck's epilogue was written especially for this publication, the majority of the book had appeared previously in newspaper articles, introduction by John D. Barry, San Francisco News columnist. Nearly fine.
NY, Viking, 1989, first edition, dust jacket. Hardcover. Edited by Robert DeMott, then director of the Steinbeck Research Center at San Jose State University, DeMott remains one of the best and most readable of all the major Steinbeck scholars, includes DeMott's preface and his lengthy and informative introduction in addition to Steinbeck's journals leading up to and right after his writing of The Grapes of Wrath in an attempt "to map the actual working days and hours" of his masterpiece, this is an association copy with the ownership stamp of Robert Cathcart, one of Steinbeck's running buddies from his Stanford University days, see page 8 of Steinbeck: A Life in Letters, see Jack Benson's massive biography, The True Adventures of John Steinbeck, Writer, pages 59, 110, 127, 128, 138, 149, 151, 415). Fine.
Steinbeck, John.
NY, Covici Friede, 1936, first edition. With publisher's black paper-covered slipcase with orange spine label, this is No. 23 of just 99 copies Signed by Steinbeck, this is also the best strike novel of the 20th Century, Steinbeck's best friend and philosophical mentor, Ed Ricketts, makes his first of many appearances in a Steinbeck novel, he appears as Doc Burton, Steinbeck would use Ricketts and their shared philosophy in many other novels, this was also Steinbeck's first foray into agricultural politics through his literature which ultimately led to his writing The Grapes of Wrath, the use of another character in In Dubious Battle, a communist, would lead to the untrue allegation that Steinbeck was a communist, that allegation would have negative effects on Steinbeck's life from then to the end of his life in 1968, Goldstone & Payne A5a, Morrow 43. Bookplate, else as fine as the day this book was made in a (as usual) very good original slipcase.
NY, Viking, 1969, first trade edition, first printing, dust jacket. Hardcover. These are Steinbeck's East of Eden letters written to his editor, Pascal Covici, Goldstone & Payne A44b, Morrow 275, this was Carlton Sheffield's copy with his bookplate to the front pastedown, Sheffield was a Steinbeck roommate during their Stanford University days and a lifelong friend, this was apparently a gift to Sheffield from Steinbeck biographer Nelson Valjean (John Steinbeck The Errant Knight) with his inscription on the half title ("To Dook Sheffield/My generous and/gentle friend-who/has helped me so/much-/Nelson Valjean/November 24, 1969/Mill Valley, Calif-"). Fine in a very good jacket.
