Twain, Mark
First UK edition of the non-fiction companion to HUCKLEBERRY FINN, a memoir of Twain's experiences as a steamboat pilot before the Civil War. LIFE ON THE MISSISSIPPI draws together two major strands of Twain's writing: the pensive regional descriptions of the South of his younger years, and the spirited travel narratives that took readers with him on adventures. Twain biographer Justin Kaplan sees the development of this memoir and HUCKLEBERRY FINN, written at the same time, as "symbiotic": when stuck on one, Twain would turn to the other. The relationship between the two was so close that material from HUCK actually ended up in LIFE ON THE MISSISSIPPI, including an entire chapter. The first UK edition is technically the first to reach the public, preceding the US edition by several days for copyright purposes. Octavo, 7.5'' x 5''. Original red cloth stamped in gilt and black. Brown leaf-patterned endpapers. Illustrated in black and white. Publisher's catalogue at rear, dated March 1883. xxvi, 561, [3], 32 pages. Contemporary ink gift inscription (dated August 1883) to second fly leaf; ink owner name with matching date to corner of title page; marginal pencil notation on page 17. Evidence of bookplate removal to front pastedown. Binding recased, with light soil and bumping to boards. Slight lean. Some bleed of red cloth color to endpapers. Else interior largely clean with just a few instances of soil. Tight.
Forster, E.M.
Advance review copy of the first US edition of Forster's posthumously published class-crossing love story, originally written in 1913 as the "direct result" of Forster's visit to socialist and early gay activist Edward Carpenter and his partner George Merrill. Forster's terminal note, written in 1960, explains both the genesis of the novel and the absolute necessity of its happy conclusion: "I was determined that in fiction anyway two men should fall in love and remain in it for the ever and ever that fiction allows." Early gay novels whose lovers escape the triple doom of death, betrayal, or prison are now commonly identified as groundbreaking, even revolutionary; in 1971, much critical reaction identified this aspect of MAURICE as only another damning example of Forster's Edwardian sentimentality (Phllip Toynbee declared his inability to detect anything "particularly homosexual about MAURICE" and was not alone in finding its romantic sensibility "embarrassing.") Later generations, less easily embarrassed by true love, have thought better of it. A scarce review copy. 8.25'' x 5.5''. Original blue printed wrappers. In original black dust jacket. Printed slips with jacket text laid in and mounted to rear inside cover, as issued. Adhesive residue to front jacket flaps. Light scuffing and soil to jacket with a few tiny chips and closed tears to extremities. Near fine in very good plus jacket.
Forster, E.M.
First US edition of Forster's posthumously published class-crossing love story, originally written in 1913 as the "direct result" of Forster's visit to socialist and early gay activist Edward Carpenter and his partner George Merrill. Forster's terminal note, written in 1960, explains both the genesis of the novel and the absolute necessity of its happy conclusion: "I was determined that in fiction anyway two men should fall in love and remain in it for the ever and ever that fiction allows." Early gay novels whose lovers escape the triple doom of death, betrayal, or prison are now commonly identified as groundbreaking, even revolutionary; in 1971, much critical reaction identified this aspect of MAURICE as only another damning example of Forster's Edwardian sentimentality (Phllip Toynbee declared his inability to detect anything "particularly homosexual about MAURICE" and was not alone in finding its romantic sensibility "embarrassing"). Later generations, less easily embarrassed by true love, have thought better of it. A lovely copy. 8.25'' x 5.5''. Original black cloth with gilt-lettered spine. Yellow topstain, fore-edge machine deckle. In original unclipped ($6.95) black dust jacket designed by Golda Fishbein. 256 pages. Minor edgewear to boards and jacket, light spotting to top edge. Offsetting to endpapers.
Burroughs, Edgar Rice
First photoplay edition, with a new jacket design featuring a scene from the film starring Jim Pierce - who later became Burroughs's son-in-law. First published serially in ARGOSY in 1922 then in book form by McClurg in 1923, this edition was issued to coincide with the feature-length film. In addition to the jacket, this version includes four full-page black-and-white plates of stills from the film. 7.5'' x 5''. Original orange cloth stamped in black to spine and front board. In original color pictorial dust jacket with G&D printed catalogue on verso. Illustrated with four black-and-white plates. Publisher's ads at rear. [6], 333, [11] pages. Jacket with minor rubbing, small area of discoloration to front panel, pencil "YC" on spine. Book with slight lean, a bit dusty, gentle toning to leaves. Very good plus in very good plus jacket.
Ingram, James
First edition in modern English of the complete ANGLO-SAXON CHRONICLE, a key historical document of the Early Medieval era composed during the reign of Alfred the Great. First compiled in Old English in the 9th century, the CHRONICLE is primarily a collection of annals that provide, in many cases, the only surviving documentation for events of the Early Medieval period. It is a substantial source for Alfred's fight against Viking aggressions, including the first recorded mention of a Viking raid: the infamous attack on the island monastery at Lindisfarne. Indeed, the hundreds of years of annals in this work provide many details about Viking culture, such as their unique ring-oaths; the deeds of their famous heroes; and the exploits of Cnut, who temporarily united Denmark, England and Norway into one North Sea Empire. While partial editions in modern English were printed before this (Ingram notes "the honour of having printed the first literal version of the Saxon Annals was reserved for a learned Lady," meaning Anna Gurney's translation of 1819), this edition is the first to contain a complete modern English translation of the CHRONICLE, from a collation of the 9 surviving manuscripts, printed side-by-side with the Old English text. Many of Ingram's historical footnotes are also valuable, while others show a clear nationalistic purpose. In addition to the folding map of Britain, it contains three full-page plates of coins and a facsimile engraving of a leaf from one of the surviving manuscripts. A major source for the Early Medieval period. 10.5'' x 8''. Nineteenth-century half marbled calf, marbled paper boards, raised bands, red goatskin spine labels, spine elaborately stamped in gilt. Marbled endpapers, red speckled edges. Engraved folding frontispiece map of Saxon Britain and five full-page engravings (complete). Text printed in double columns of Anglo-Saxon and modern English side by side. Half title present, Anglo-Saxon grammar following preface, chronology and indices at rear. [4], xxxii, 463, [1] pages. Two modern bookplates to front pastedown; some light scattered underlining and marginal notes in pencil (a couple words only in ink). Light rubbing to extremities of binding. Plates a bit foxed but much less than typically found. Firm.
First UK edition of Faulkner's novel, two alternating narratives set in New Orleans, later published under the author's preferred title of IF I FORGET THEE, JERUSALEM. The only William Faulkner novel to be quoted in a John Hughes film ("Between grief and nothing, I'll take grief," offers the principal in FERRIS BUELLER'S DAY OFF, a drama that has no other echoes in Faulkner's exploration of responsibility, abandonment to desire, and the hard consequences of illicit freedom from society's institutions. Or does it?). 7.25'' x 5''. Original green and blue-white cloth. Green topstain. In original unclipped (7s. 6d.) green dust jacket. 315, [1] pages. Book with toned spine, bump to top lower corner; scuffing and faint foxing to endpapers with traces of adhesive residue. Light chipping and soil to jacket, single tape repair to verso, a few scuffed patches to spine and rear panel.
First trade edition, first binding of Faulkner's novel, two alternating narratives set in New Orleans, later published under the author's preferred title of IF I FORGET THEE, JERUSALEM. An uncommonly beautiful copy of the only William Faulkner novel to be quoted in a John Hughes film ("Between grief and nothing, I'll take grief," offers the principal in FERRIS BUELLER'S DAY OFF, a drama that has no other echoes in Faulkner's exploration of responsibility, abandonment to desire, and the hard consequences of illicit freedom from society's institutions. Or does it?). 8'' x 5.5''. Original tan cloth stamped in green and gilt on front board and spine. Green topstain. In original unclipped ($2.50) dust jacket. 339, [1] pages. Spine lean. Book with touch of shelfwear, minor traces of soil to edges of text block. Light edgewear to jacket with a bit of rubbing to rear panel.
First UK edition of Forster's posthumously published class-crossing love story, originally written in 1913 as the "direct result" of Forster's visit to socialist and early gay activist Edward Carpenter and his partner George Merrill. Forster's terminal note, written in 1960, explains both the genesis of the novel and the absolute necessity of its happy conclusion: "I was determined that in fiction anyway two men should fall in love and remain in it for the ever and ever that fiction allows." Early gay novels whose lovers escape the triple doom of death, betrayal, or prison are now commonly identified as groundbreaking, even revolutionary; in 1971, much critical reaction identified this aspect of MAURICE as only another damning example of Forster's Edwardian sentimentality (Phllip Toynbee declared his inability to detect anything "particularly homosexual about MAURICE" and was not alone in finding its romantic sensibility "embarrassing.") Later generations, less easily embarrassed by true love, have thought better of it. 8.5'' x 5.25''. Original black cloth with gilt-lettered spine. In original unclipped (£2) black dust jacket. 240, [1] pages. Jacket with light wear along edges, touch of toning to spine.
First single-volume hardcover edition of the complete graphic novel, originally serialized between 1981 and 1990 and previously issued by Pantheon in two separate volumes. Spiegelman's Holocaust memoir in graphic novel format was groundbreaking and controversial in both genres, retaining its power to shock and move audiences even after winning an array of literary honors that included a National Book Critics Circle Award, an Eisner Award, a Harvey Award, and most notably, a Pulitzer Prize. As recently as 2022, a Tennessee school board removed MAUS from its middle-school curriculum, in the interests of protecting children from memory, art, and history. Their concerns were not new: back in 1987, Spiegelman was asked by a German reporter "if a cartoon about Auschwitz was in bad taste. 'No, I thought Auschwitz was in bad taste,' Spiegelman replied." (Alter). 9'' x 6.25''. Original black and grey boards. Pictorial endpapers. In original unclipped ($35.00) dust jacket. 295, [1] pages. Previous owner emboss to first leaf. Small stain to bottom edge of text block. Minor edgewear to boards and jacket.