Portnoy’s Complaint
Portnoy's Complaint - Signed Limited Edition ROTH, Philip. Portnoy's Complaint. New York: Random House, [1969]. Signed Limited Edition. Octavo (8 1/8 x 5 5/8 inches; 207 x 143 mm.). [x], [1]-275, [2] pp. "Six hundred copies have been specially printed and bound. Each copy is signed by the author and numbered "32" [signed] "Philip Roth". Publisher's cream buckram, front cover and spine lettered in gilt, red endpapers, top edge stained red. A fine copy in the original red cardboard slipcase with matching limitation number on spine. Portnoy,s Complaint. "A disorder in which strongly-felt ethical and altruistic impulses are perpetually warring with extreme sexual longings, often of a perverse nature." Philip Milton Roth (1933-2018) was an American novelist and short-story writer. Roth's fiction - often set in his birthplace of Newark, New Jersey - is known for its intensely autobiographical character, for philosophically and formally blurring the distinction between reality and fiction, for its "sensual, ingenious style" and for its provocative explorations of American identity. He first gained attention with the 1959 short story collection Goodbye, Columbus, which won the U.S. National Book Award for Fiction. Ten years later, he published the bestseller Portnoy's Complaint. Nathan Zuckerman, Roth's literary alter ego, narrates several of his books. A fictionalized Philip Roth narrates some of his others, such as the alternate history The Plot Against America.
More from David Brass Rare Books
Vantage Point, The
Signed in black marker by Lyndon Baines Johnson on a front blank leaf JOHNSON, Lyndon Baines. The Vantage Point. Perspectives of the Presidency 1963-1969. New York: Holt, Rinehart and Winston, 1971. First edition. Octavo (9 3/16 x 6 1/8 inches; 234 x 155 mm.). [2, signature leaf, verso blank, [xii], 636 pp. Illustrated throughout with black & white photogravures and maps. Publisher's red cloth over boards, front cover and spine blocked in blue and lettered in gilt, pictorial endpapers. A near fine copy in the original printed dust jacket, a little worn at extremities and glassine starting to peel at lower edge. Signed in black marker "Lyndon Baines Johnson" on a front blank leaf. Lyndon Baines Johnson (1908-1973), often referred to by his initials LBJ, was an American politician who served as the 36th president of the United States from 1963 to 1969. He became president after the assassination of John F. Kennedy, under whom he had served as the 37th vice president from 1961 to 1963. A Democrat from Texas, Johnson also served as a U.S. Representative and U.S. Senator. Johnson is one of only three, along with Richard Nixon and Andrew Johnson, to have served in all four federally elected positions of the U.S. government. Oklahoma!
MAMOULIAN, Rouben; ROGERS, Richard; HAMMERSTEIN, Oscar 2nd First Edition, Warmly Inscribed by Rouben Mamoulian The Director of the Pulitzer Prize Winning Musical - Oklahoma [MAMOULIAN, Rouben, director]. ROGERS, Richard. HAMMERSTEIN, Oscar 2nd. Oklahoma! A Musical Play by Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein, 2nd. Based on Lynn Riggs' Green Grow the Lilacs. Book and Lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein, 2nd. New York: Random House, [1943]. Inscribed on the front free endpaper "For Ken - With thanks for the warm enthusiasm with which he appreciates the right and the beautiful wherever he finds it. Rouben [Mamoulian]". First edition. Small octavo (8 x 5 3/8 inches; 203 x 137 mm.). [x], [1]-146 pp. Photogravure frontispiece and four photogravure plates. The last few leaves slightly creased at lower corner. Publisher's light gray cloth, front cover with a pair of cowboy boots in blue and brown, spine blocked in brown and blue and lettered in white. A near fine copy in the original pictorial dust jacket, slightly worn at extremities. Oklahoma! is the first musical written by the duo of Rodgers and Hammerstein. The musical is based on Lynn Riggs's 1931 play, Green Grow the Lilacs. Set in farm country outside the town of Claremore, Indian Territory, in 1906, it tells the story of farm girl Laurey Williams and her courtship by two rival suitors, cowboy Curly McLain and the sinister and frightening farmhand Jud Fry. A secondary romance concerns cowboy Will Parker and his flirtatious fiancée, Ado Annie. The original Broadway production opened on March 31, 1943. It was a box office hit and ran for an unprecedented 2,212 performances, later enjoying award-winning revivals, national tours, foreign productions and an Oscar-winning 1955 film adaptation. It has long been a popular choice for school and community productions. Rodgers and Hammerstein won a special Pulitzer Prize for Oklahoma! in 1944. Between the world wars, roles in musicals were usually filled by actors who could sing, but Rodgers and Hammerstein chose, conversely, to cast singers who could act. Though Theresa Helburn, codirector of the Theatre Guild, suggested Shirley Temple as Laurey and Groucho Marx as Ali Hakim, Rodgers and Hammerstein, with director Rouben Mamoulian's support, insisted that performers more dramatically appropriate for the roles be cast. As a result, there were no stars in the production, another unusual step.[8] The production was choreographed by Agnes de Mille (her first time choreographing a musical on Broadway), who provided one of the show's most notable and enduring features: a 15-minute first-act ballet finale (often referred to as the dream ballet) depicting Laurey's struggle to evaluate her suitors, Jud and Curly.[11] Rouben Zachary Mamoulian (1897-1987) was an American film and theater director. Mamoulian was also the first to stage such notable Broadway works as Oklahoma! (1943), Carousel (1945), and Lost in the Stars (1949).- $2,500
- $2,500
Theodore Roosevelt’s letters to His Children
ROOSEVELT, Theodore; BISHOP, Joseph Bucklin, editor 'With an Autograph Letter from one Big Game Hunter To Another' ROOSEVELT, Theodore. Theodore Roosevelt's letters to His Children. Edited by Joseph Bucklin Bishop. New York: Charles Scribners' Sons, 1919. First edition, first issue. Octavo (7 7/8 x 5 5/8 inches; 200 x 143 mm.). x, [1]-240 pp. With an illustrated four-page facsimile letter between pp. 104 & 105, and several line drawings in the text. Publisher's green cloth, covers bordered in blind, front cover and spine lettered in gilt. A near fine copy chemised in a green cloth slipcase, red leather label on spine lettered in gilt. Loosely inserted is a two page Als. with envelope from The Juja Farm, Nairobi, addressed to A. Radclyffe Dugmore dated 1909 "Sunday. Dear Mr. Dugmore, You are very kind to write me. I should prefer not to express any feeling or preference as to the photo of the dead buffalo; you are entirely within your rights to do as you choose. The other photos of course are simply like various photos you have already taken. I look forward eagerly to seeing your work; it must be really noteworthy. With all good wishes. Very sincerely yours, Theodore Roosevelt". It was during Theodore Roosevelt's hospitalization in late 1918, near the end of his life, that American newspaper editor Joseph Bucklin Bishop disclosed that he wanted to publish examples of letters Roosevelt had written to his children when they were young. Theodore Roosevelt's Letters to his Children, released in 1919, became a national best selling book and made Bishop economically self-sufficient for the remainder of his life. In his introduction, Bishop notes that Roosevelt never spoke down to his children in his letters. As they grew, he discussed more serious topics in his letters to them and helped guide them through school and career decisions, but they were first and foremost always his equals. Theodore Roosevelt Jr. (1858-1919), often referred to as Teddy or by his initials, T.R., was an American politician, statesman, conservationist, naturalist, and writer who served as the 26th president of the United States from 1901 to 1909. He previously held various positions in New York politics, rising up the ranks to serve as the state's 33rd governor for two years. He later served as the 25th vice president under President William McKinley for six months in 1901, assuming the presidency after McKinley's assassination. As President, Roosevelt emerged as a leader of the Republican Party and became a driving force for anti-trust and Progressive policies. Roosevelt was a passionate hunter. He loved the thrill of tracking and chasing game, the skill in marksmanship, the careful and deliberate recording of his observations about each hunt, the demanding - if smelly - preservation of specimens, and the pleasure of capturing in rich and vibrant language this ephemeral experience so that he could share it with the world. Arthur Vaux Venner Radclyffe Dugmore (1870-1955) was a Welsh-born American naturalist and wildlife photographer, painter, print-maker and author. He turned from "hunting to capturing his subjects on paper and canvas."- $4,500
- $4,500
Terry and the Pirates
CANIFF, Milton Inscribed by the Milton Caniff CANIFF, Milton. Terry and the Pirates. Adapted from the famous comic strip. New York: Random House, [1946]. First edition inscribed by the author. Small quarto ( 10 x 7 inches; 254 x 178 mm.).[vi], [1]-115, [1, blank]. With seventeen black & white illustrations in the text. Inscribed on the front free endpaper "For Richard Baker / Best Wishes / Milton Caniff / 7 January / 1947". Publisher's pictorial boards, pictorial dust jacket. A near fine copy. Milton Arthur Paul Caniff (1907-1988) was an American cartoonist known for the Terry and the Pirates and Steve Canyon comic strips.- $250
- $250
Judy and Liza
MINELLI, Liza; SPADA, James With a Signed Photograph of Liza Minnelli MINELLI, Liza. Judy and Liza by James Spader. Garden City, New York: Doubleday & Company, Inc., 1983. First edition. Large quarto (11 x8 1/4 inches; 280 x 235 mm.). [iv], [1]-216 pp. Illustrated throughout with black & white photographs. Publisher's pictorial stiff wrappers. Near fine. With a signed photograph of Liza Minnelli affixed to inside front cover. Loosely inserted is an invitation from Liza Minelli to attend her party to celebrate Michael Feinstein's opening of the New Cafe Mondrian and four guest passes. Liza May Minnelli (1946-) is an American actress, singer, dancer, and choreographer. Known for her commanding stage presence and powerful alto singing voice, Minnelli is one of the very few performers awarded a non-competitive Emmy, Grammy (Grammy Legend Award), Oscar, and Tony. Minnelli is a Knight of the French Legion of Honour.- $250
- $250
Passport to Paris
"April in Paris" DUKE, Vernon. Passport to Paris. Boston: Little, Brown and Company, [1955]. First edition. Octavo (8 3/8 x 5 5/8 inches; 213 x 143 mm.). [x], [1]-502 pp. Eight pages of photographs between pp. 146 & 147. Publisher's green cloth over boards, front cover with publisher's blind stamp, spine ruled and lettered in silver. A very good copy in the original price-clipped pictorial dust jacket, small crease on front panel, small closed tear on rear panel repaired with tape. "Vernon Duke calls himself a musical Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, and here are his memoirs. Passport to Paris is the story of a symphonic- vs. -stagestruck composer - born Vladimir Dukelsky in a small railroad station in Russia - who wrote a Diaghilev ballet, symphonic music praised by the critics, as well as numerous Broadway hits, including the score to Cabin in the Sky, and the ever-popular tune "April in Paris." Paris is the pivot on which these confessions turn - the full-blown Paris of Christian Bérard and Jean Cocteau and "Les Six," of the Ballet Russe under its incomparable impresario, Diaghilev. Vladimir Dukelsky fell in love with Paris. He writes vividly and longingly of his life there - of his plush and penniless days; his friendships and quarrels with Prokofiev, the Sitwells, Serge and Natalya Koussevitsky and a host of other luminaries.(jacket, front flap). Vernon Duke (1903-1969) was a Russian-born American composer and songwriter who also wrote under his birth name, Vladimir Dukelsky. He is best known for "Taking a Chance on Love," with lyrics by Ted Fetter and John Latouche (1940), "I Can't Get Started," with lyrics by Ira Gershwin (1936), "April in Paris," with lyrics by E. Y. ("Yip") Harburg (1932), and "What Is There To Say," for the Ziegfeld Follies of 1934, also with Harburg. He wrote the words and music for "Autumn in New York" (1934) for the revue Thumbs Up! In his book, American Popular Song, The Great Innovators 1900-1950, composer Alec Wilder praises this song, writing, "The verse may be the most ambitious I've ever seen." Duke also collaborated with lyricists Johnny Mercer, Ogden Nash, and Sammy Cahn.
Changing
One of Three Hundred Copies Signed by Liv Ullmann ULLMANN, Liv. Changing. New York: Afred A. Knopf, 1977. First Signed Limited Edition. Octavo (8 1/4 x 5 5/8 inches; 210 x 143 mm.). [x], [1]-241, [5] pp. Publishers silver boards, front cover decorated in white, spine lettered in white, decorative endpapers, top edge stained gray. A fine copy in the original printed dust jacket and slipcase. "Of the first edition of Changing three hundred copies have been printed on special paper and specially bound. Each copy is signed and numbered. [signed] "Liv Ullmann" No. "87". "Not precisely autobiographical, these are Liv Ullmann's pensive, discerning recollections - with flashbacks and closeups - of the conflicts and joys of motherhood, the odd perquisites of a demanding profession, her early marriage and the liaison with director Ingmar Bergman. Whether musing on Henry Kissinger or catching Hugh Hefner snoozing through his own porn movie, she writes openly, gracefully, often with that dreamy, respectful little girl or rebellious teen-ager hovering nearby. Aware of the child in herself, she delights in daughter Linn and their time together, yet knows that the telephone - or an airplane flight - will ultimately intrude. Ullmann maintains an honest perspective, even remembering the most trying situations, and chiefly regrets time spent seeking love and approbation. An exceptionally poised view of vulnerability and resilience." Liv Johanne Ullmann (1938-) is a Norwegian actress. Recognized as one of the greatest European actresses of all time, Ullmann is known as the muse and frequent partner of filmmaker Ingmar Bergman. She acted in many of his films, including Persona (1966), Cries and Whispers (1972), Scenes from a Marriage (1973), The Passion of Anna (1969), and Autumn Sonata (1978). Present Indicative
First American Edition of Noël Coward's Autobiography Inscribed by Him on the Front Free Endpaper COWARD, Noël. Present Indicative. New York: Doubleday Doran and Company, Inc., [1937]. First American edition. Octavo (7 7/8 x 5 1/2 inches; 200 x 140 mm.). viii, [1]-371, [1, blank] pp. Illustrated throughout with thirty-one photogravure plates. Publishers blue boards, spine decoratively lettered in gilt. A very good copy in the original printed dust jacket, spine creased and a little worn at extremities. Inscribed on front free endpaper "For Max Lamb with my best wishes Noël Coward" Present Indicative is a 1937 autobiography by Noël Coward. The book was highly acclaimed and became a best seller. It was followed by Future Indefinite. A third volume, Past Conditional, was never completed. "I was photographed naked on a cushion very early in life, an insane, toothless smile slitting my face and pleats of fat overlapping me like an ill-fitting overcoat. Later, at the age of two, I was photographed again. This time in a lace dress, leaning against a garden roller and laughing hysterically. If these photographs can be found they will adorn this book." (part one). Sir Noël Peirce Coward (1899-1973) was an English playwright, composer, director, actor, and singer, known for his wit, flamboyance, and what Time magazine called "a sense of personal style, a combination of cheek and chic, pose and poise" South Pacific. A Musical Play
With an Inscribed Photograph of Mary Martin as Nellie Forbush [MARTIN, Mary]. RODGERS, Richard. HAMMERSTEIN, Oscar. South Pacific. A Musical Play. Music by Richard Rodgers. Lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein, 2nd, and Joshua Logan. Adapted from James A. Michener's Pulitzer Prize-Winning Tales of the South Pacific. New York: Random House, [1949]. First edition, first printing, second state (without Logan credit on copyright page). With an Inscribed Photograph of Mary Martin as Nellie Forbush pasted to front free endpaper. Small octavo (8 x 5 3/8 inches; 203 x 137 mm.). [xii], [1]-170 pp. Photogravure frontispiece and two photogravure plates. Publisher's light gray cloth, front cover with palm tree in green and brown, spine blocked in brown and green and lettered in white. A fine copy in the original pictorial dust jacket, spine slightly faded. With a fine 7 x 5 1/8 inch black and white photograph pasted to the front free endpaper inscribed "To Paul / With best / wishes / Mary Martin. South Pacific is a musical composed by Richard Rodgers, with lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II and book by Hammerstein and Joshua Logan. The work premiered in 1949 on Broadway and was an immediate hit, running for 1,925 performances. The plot is based on James A. Michener's Pulitzer Prize-winning 1947 book Tales of the South Pacific and combines elements of several of those stories. Rodgers and Hammerstein believed they could write a musical based on Michener's work that would be financially successful and, at the same time, send a strong progressive message on racism. The original Broadway production enjoyed immense critical and box-office success, became the second-longest running Broadway musical to that point (behind Rodgers and Hammerstein's earlier Oklahoma! (1943)), and has remained popular ever since. After they signed Ezio Pinza and Mary Martin as the leads, Rodgers and Hammerstein wrote several of the songs with the particular talents of their stars in mind. The piece won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama in 1950. Especially in the Southern U.S., its racial theme provoked controversy, for which its authors were unapologetic. Several of its songs, including "Bali Ha'i", "I'm Gonna Wash That Man Right Outa My Hair", "Some Enchanted Evening", "There Is Nothing Like a Dame", "Happy Talk", "Younger Than Springtime", and "I'm in Love with a Wonderful Guy", have become popular standards. Mary Virginia Martin (1913 -1990) was an American actress and singer. A muse of Rodgers and Hammerstein, she originated many leading roles on stage over her career, including Nellie Forbush in South Pacific (1949), the title character in Peter Pan (1954), and Maria von Trapp in The Sound of Music (1959). She was named a Kennedy Center Honoree in 1989. She was the mother of actor Larry Hagman. Vision for America, A.
One of 100 Copies Signed by the 38th President of The United States Gerald R. Ford FORD, Gerald R. A Vision for America. Northridge, California: Lord John Press, 1980. First edition, limited to 500 copies signed by the 38th President of The United States, Gerald R. Ford. Large octavo (9 7/8 x 6 3/8 inches; 251 x 162 mm.). [16] pp. Title-page printed in blue and gilt, portrait frontispiece. Limited to 100 numbered copies signed by the author (this being no. 25). Publisher's full blue calf, front cover and spine lettered in gilt. A fine copy housed in the original blue card slipcase. The text of Ford's address to the Republican National Convention, Joe Louis Arena, Detroit, Michigan, July 14, 1980. Gerald Rudolph Ford Jr. (1913-2006) was an American politician who served as the 38th president of the United States from 1974 to 1977. He previously served as the leader of the Republican Party in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1965 to 1973, and as the 40th vice president under President Richard Nixon from 1973 to 1974. Ford succeeded to the presidency when Nixon resigned in 1974, but was defeated for election to a full term in 1976. Ford is the only person to become U.S. president without winning an election for president or vice president. Fellini’s Films
With a Fine Black & White Inscribed Photograph of Federico Fellini FELLINI, Federico. Fellini's Films. The four hundred most memorable stills from Federico Fellini's fifteen and a half films. Edited by Christian Strich. With a Foreword by Georges Simenon. New York: G.P. Putnam's Sons, [1977]. First edition. Large quarto (13 x 10 5/8 inches; 330 x 270 mm.). [1-344] pp. Illustrated throughout in color and black & white. Publishers red cloth over boards, front cover and spine lettered in black, black endpapers. Pictorial dust jacket. Jacket with three inch tape repair to front panel, crease to rear panel, light chipping to extremities. A fine copy in a very good dust jacket. Affixed to the front free endpaper is a 9 14/ x 7 1/8 inch black & white photograph of Fellini inscribed "To Paul R. Palmer. Good luck! Federico Fellini June 73". Federico Fellini (1920-1993) was an Italian filmmaker. He is known for his distinctive style, which blends fantasy and baroque images with earthiness. He is recognized as one of the greatest and most influential filmmakers of all time. His films have ranked highly in critical polls such as that of Cahiers du Cinéma and Sight & Sound, which lists his 1963 film 8 1 2 as the 10th-greatest film. Fellini's best-known films include I vitelloni (1953), La Strada (1954), Nights of Cabiria (1957), La Dolce Vita (1960), 8½ (1963), Juliet of the Spirits (1965), Fellini Satyricon (1969), Roma (1972), Amarcord (1973), and Fellini's Casanova (1976). Harold Arlen. Happy with the Blues
'Somewhere Over the Rainbow.' With a Signed Photograph of the Composer Harold Arlen [ARLEN, Harold]. JABLONSKI, Edward. Harold Arlen. Happy with the Blues. Garden City, New York: Doubleday & Company, Inc., 1961. With a signed photograph of Harold Arlen dated "aug. - 14 - 72" pasted to the half-title. First edition. Octavo (9 1/8 x 6 inches; 232 x 152 mm.). [1-11], 12-286 pp. Illustrated with black & white photographs. Publishers black cloth over boards, front cover and spine lettered in gilt and blue, pictorial endpapers, pictorial dust jacket. A near fine copy in a price-clipped printed dust jacket with a couple of neat tape repairs on lower edge. Affixed to the half-title is a black & white photograph signed "Harold Arlen - Aug - 14-72" Harold Arlen, born Hyman Arluck; (1905-1986) was an American composer of popular music, who composed over five hundred songs, a number of which have become known worldwide. In addition to composing the songs for the 1939 film The Wizard of Oz (lyrics by Yip Harburg), including "Over the Rainbow", which won him the Oscar for Best Original Song, he was nominated as composer for eight other Oscar awards. Arlen was a highly regarded contributor to the Great American Songbook. "Over the Rainbow" was voted the 20th century's Number 1 song by the RIAA and the NEA. New Moon, The
Inscribed by Sigmund Romberg [ROMBERG, Sigmund]. The New Moon A Musical Romance. Produced by Laurence Schwab and Frank Mandel. Music by Sigmund Romberg. Book and Lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein 2nd, Frank Mandel and Laurence Schwab. New York: Harms Inc., 1928. Inscribed on front blank "To Gus with kindest regards from Romberg New York Dec 24/28" First edition. Large quarto (12 x 9 inches; 305 x 229 mm.). [iv], [1]-277, [1, blank] pp. Publishers brown morocco, front cover and spine lettered in gilt, marbled endpapers, top edge gilt. Spine very slightly faded. A very good copy inscribed by Sigmund Romberg. Sigmund Romberg (1887-1951) was a prominent Hungarian-American composer celebrated for his contributions to musical theater and operetta. Among his most renowned works are "The Student Prince" (1924), "The Desert Song" (1926), and "The New Moon" (1928). During the early stages of his career, Romberg collaborated with the Shubert brothers, composing music for their musicals and revues. Notably, he crafted several pieces for the famed entertainer Al Jolson. Additionally, Romberg adapted numerous European operettas for American audiences while working with the Shuberts. Two noteworthy successes from this period include "Maytime" (1917) and "Blossom Time" (1921). Romberg's three major operettas from the mid-1920s, mentioned previously, adhere to the traditional style of Viennese operetta. However, his other compositions from this era often incorporate elements of American musical theater styles. Beyond the stage, Romberg also lent his musical talents to film scores, showcasing his versatility and lasting impact on the entertainment industry. Films of Fredric March, The
Signed on the front free endpaper "Frederic March - 1971" MARCH, Fredric. QUIRK, Lawrence J. The Films of Fredric March. New York: The Citadel Press, [1971]. First edition. Large quarto (11 x 9 1/2 inches; 280 x 240 mm.). [1]-255,[1, blank] pp. Illustrated throughout in black & white. Publisher's black cloth over boards, spine lettered in green. A fine copy in a near fine pictorial dust jacket. Signed on the front free endpaper "Frederic March - 1971". Fredric March, born Ernest Frederick McIntyre Bickel (1897-1975) was an American actor, regarded as one of Hollywood's most celebrated stars of the 1930s and 1940s. As a performer he was known for his versatility. He received numerous accolades including two Academy Awards, a Golden Globe Award, and two Tony Awards as well as nominations for three BAFTA Awards and three Emmy Awards. South Pacific. A Musical Play
MARTIN, Mary; RODGERS, Richard HAMMERSTEIN, Oscar With a Signed Photograph of Mary Martin [MARTIN, Mary]. RODGERS, Richard. HAMMERSTEIN, Oscar. South Pacific. A Musical Play. Music by Richard Rodgers. Lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein, 2nd, and Joshua Logan. Adapted from James A. Michener's Pulitzer Prize-Winning Tales of the South Pacific. New York: Random House, [1949]. First edition, first printing, second state (without Logan credit on copyright page). With a Signed Photograph of Mary Martin pasted to front paste-down. Small octavo (8 x 5 3/8 inches; 203 x 137 mm.). [xii], [1]-170 pp. Photogravure frontispiece and two photogravure plates. Publisher's light gray cloth, front cover with palm tree in green and brown, spine blocked in brown and green and lettered in white. A near fine copy. With a fine 8 x 5 inch black and white photograph pasted to the front paste-down, signed by Mary Martin. South Pacific is a musical composed by Richard Rodgers, with lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II and book by Hammerstein and Joshua Logan. The work premiered in 1949 on Broadway and was an immediate hit, running for 1,925 performances. The plot is based on James A. Michener's Pulitzer Prize-winning 1947 book Tales of the South Pacific and combines elements of several of those stories. Rodgers and Hammerstein believed they could write a musical based on Michener's work that would be financially successful and, at the same time, send a strong progressive message on racism. The original Broadway production enjoyed immense critical and box-office success, became the second-longest running Broadway musical to that point (behind Rodgers and Hammerstein's earlier Oklahoma! (1943)), and has remained popular ever since. After they signed Ezio Pinza and Mary Martin as the leads, Rodgers and Hammerstein wrote several of the songs with the particular talents of their stars in mind. The piece won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama in 1950. Especially in the Southern U.S., its racial theme provoked controversy, for which its authors were unapologetic. Several of its songs, including "Bali Ha'i", "I'm Gonna Wash That Man Right Outa My Hair", "Some Enchanted Evening", "There Is Nothing Like a Dame", "Happy Talk", "Younger Than Springtime", and "I'm in Love with a Wonderful Guy", have become popular standards. Mary Virginia Martin (1913 -1990) was an American actress and singer. A muse of Rodgers and Hammerstein, she originated many leading roles on stage over her career, including Nellie Forbush in South Pacific (1949), the title character in Peter Pan (1954), and Maria von Trapp in The Sound of Music (1959). She was named a Kennedy Center Honoree in 1989. She was the mother of actor Larry Hagman.- $200
- $200
Dancing in the Dark
DIETZ, Howard With an Inscribed Photograph of Howard Dietz DIETZ, Howard. Dancing in the Dark. Words by Howard Dietz. New York: Quadrangle, [1974]. With a signed photograph of Howard Dietz inscribed "To Paul R. Palmer. Howard Dietz" pasted to the front free endpaper. First edition. Octavo (9 1/4 x 6 inches; 235 x 152 mm.). [xiv], [1]-370 pp. Illustrated throughout with black & white photogravures. Publisher's blue boards, spine lettered in silver, printed dust jacket. A fine copy. "Dancing in the Dark" is a popular American song, with music by Arthur Schwartz and lyrics by Howard Dietz, that was introduced by John Barker with Tilly Losch dancing in the 1931 revue The Band Wagon. The song was first recorded by Bing Crosby on August 19, 1931 with Studio Orchestra directed by Victor Young, staying on the pop charts for six weeks, peaking at #3, and helping to make it a lasting standard. Howard Dietz (1896-1983) was an American publicist, lyricist, and librettist, best remembered for his songwriting collaboration with Arthur Schwartz.- $200
- $200
Thousand Days, A.
KENNEDY, John F.; SCHLESINGER, Arthur 'John F. Kennedy in the White House' One of a Thousand Copies Signed by Arthur Schlesinger [KENNEDY, John F.]. SCHLESINGER, Arthur M. A Thousand Days. John F. Kennedy in the White House. Cambridge, Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 1965. First Edition. Limited to 1,000 copies signed by Arthur Schlesinger Jr. Octavo (8 7/16 x 5 5/8 inches; 215 x 143 mm.). [xiv], [1]-1087, [1, blank] pp. This edition is limited to one thousand copies, signed by the author, of which nine hundred and eighty-five are for sale. This is number "615" [signed] "Arthur M. Schlesinger, Jr." Publisher's red leather, covers bordered in blind, front cover and spine with black leather labels lettered in gilt, marbled endpapers, top edge gilt. A fine copy in the original red cloth slipcase with black label on spine lettered in gilt. Arthur Meier Schlesinger Jr. (1917-2007) was an American historian, social critic, and public intellectual. The son of the influential historian Arthur M. Schlesinger Sr. and a specialist in American history, much of Schlesinger's work explored the history of 20th-century American liberalism. He served as special assistant to President John F. Kennedy throughout his presidency - from the long and grueling campaign to Kennedy's tragic and unexpected assassination by Lee Harvey Oswald. In A Thousand Days, Schlesinger combines intimate knowledge as one of President Kennedy's inner circle with sweeping research and historic context to provide a look at one of the most legendary presidential administrations in American history.- $450
- $450
Memoirs of Herbert Hoover, The 1874-1920; 1920-1933 & 1929-1941
HOOVER, Herbert A Wonderful Association - Each Volume Inscribed to Ida Koverman She helped to lead the vanguard that won the White House for Herbert Hoover in 1928 HOOVER, Herbert. The Memoirs of Herbert Hoover. Years of Adventure 1874-1920 [&] The Cabinet and the Presidency 1920-1933 [&] The Great Depression 1929-1941. New York: The Macmillan Company, 1951, 1952 & 1952. Each volume inscribed on front free endpaper "To my good friend Ida Koverman from Herbert Hoover. Second impression of volume 1, first editions of volumes 2 & 3. Three octavo volumes (9 1/8 x 6 1/8 inches; 232 x 155 mm.). xii, 496; xiv, 405, [1, blank]; xvi, 503, [1, blank] pp. The three volumes containing 26 black & white photogravure plates. Publishers blue cloth, front covers with signature in gilt, spines lettered in gilt, pale blue endpapers. Original dust jackets, a little worn, volumes 2 & 3 price-clipped. A near fine set in good dust jackets. Herbert Clark Hoover (1874 -1964) was an American politician and humanitarian who served as the 31st president of the United States from 1929 to 1933. A member of the Republican Party, he held office during the onset of the Great Depression. A wealthy mining engineer before his presidency, Hoover led the wartime Commission for Relief in Belgium, served as the director of the U.S. Food Administration, and served as the U.S. secretary of commerce. Ida Koverman (1876-1954). One of the most powerful individuals in Hollywood was not a studio head but the executive assistant to Louis B. Mayer of MGM. Ida began her career in the jewelry business and became an executive in the New York City offices of Consolidated Gold Fields of South Africa. Here she had her early encounters with Herbert Hoover. Always active in Republican politics, she worked as executive secretary for the presidential campaigns of Calvin Coolidge in 1924 and Herbert Hoover in 1928.Koverman had a steady correspondence with Hoover sometimes asking for favors for Hollywood stars and other times using him to advance certain Republican candidates.After moving to California, Ida Koverman worked as the executive secretary of the Los Angeles County Central Committee of the state Republican Party. Working alongside engineer-entrepreneur Ralph Arnold, and allying with like-minded women leaders, she helped to lead the vanguard that won the White House for Herbert Hoover in 1928.- $2,500
- $2,500
The White House Years
EISENHOWER, Dwight D. Both Volumes Signed by "Ike" EISENHOWER, Dwight D. The White House Years. Mandate for Change 1953-1956 [&] Waging Peace 1956-1961. Garden City, New York: Doubleday & Company, Inc., 1963 & 1965. One of 1,500 numbered copies numbered, signed in each volume by Dwight Eisenhower. Two octavo volumes (9 3/8 x 6 3/8 inches; 238 x 162 mm.).[xx], [1]-650; [xxiv], [1]-741, 1, blank] pp. Illustrated with photographs and maps. Each volume limited to 1,500 numbered copies (numbers 939 & 234 respectively). Each volume with a tipped-in leaf with the ink signature of Dwight D. Eisenhower. Publishers gray buckram, front covers with the President's 'Seal' stamped in gilt, spines blocked in green and lettered in gilt, pictorial 'map' endpapers, foredges uncut. Original glassine wrappers, housed in the publisher's cardboard slipcases, front panels wo=ith dark green labels lettered in gilt. A very fine set. Dwight David Eisenhower (1890-1969), nicknamed Ike, was an American military officer and statesman who served as the 34th president of the United States from 1953 to 1961. During World War II, he was Supreme Commander of the Allied Expeditionary Force in Europe and achieved the five-star rank as General of the Army. Eisenhower planned and supervised two of the most consequential military campaigns of World War II: Operation Torch in the North Africa campaign in 1942-1943 and the invasion of Normandy in 1944.- $3,000
- $3,000
Songs by George Harrison
HARRISON, George Signed by George Harrison HARRISON, George. [WEST, Keith, illustrator]. Songs by George Harrison. Guildford, Surrey: Genesis Publications Limited, 1987. First edition, first printing, #1,946 of 2,500 copies signed in gold ink by the former Beatle on the limitation leaf. Small quarto (9 11/16 x 6 7/8 inches; 250 x 175 mm.). [1-12], 13-175, [5] pp. With numerous color plates and watercolor illustrations by artist Keith West. With a foreword by Jeff Lynne (ELO, Travelling Wilburys), a middleword by Elton John, and a backword by George Harrison. The lyrics are illustrated in color (including two folding and four 'mounted and tipped-in') by the New Zealand botanical artist Keith West, who impressed Harrison with his wealth of fantastical imagery. Publishers half black morocco over black cloth. Front cover with blind-stamped guitar, rear cover with blind-stamped keyboard. Spine with two raised bands decoratively lettered in gilt, black endpapers with small Keith West bookplate, all edges gilt. Housed in the original black cloth over board clamshell case lettered in gilt on front panel and spine, complete with CD in tray. as issued. Fine. "This edition is limited to two thousand five hundred signed copies of which this is copy number '1946' [signed] 'George Harrison'" (limitation leaf). The CD includes the following tracks: Sat Singing (Recorded March 1980); Lay His Head (Recorded April 1980); For You Blue (Recorded live in Washington DC, December 1974) and Flying Hour (Recorded March 1978). George Harrison MBE (1943-2001) was an English musician, singer and songwriter who achieved international fame as the lead guitarist of the Beatles. Sometimes called "the quiet Beatle", Harrison embraced Indian culture and helped broaden the scope of popular music through his incorporation of Indian instrumentation and Hindu-aligned spirituality in the Beatles' work. Although the majority of the band's songs were written by John Lennon and Paul McCartney, most Beatles albums from 1965 onwards contained at least two Harrison compositions. His songs for the group include "Taxman", "Within You Without You", "While My Guitar Gently Weeps", "Here Comes the Sun" and "Something". Harrison's earliest musical influences included George Formby and Django Reinhardt; subsequent influences were Carl Perkins, Chet Atkins and Chuck Berry.- $2,850
- $2,850
Films of Jean Harlow, The
HARLOW, Jean; CONWAY, Michael; RICCI, Mark "To Paul R. Palmer Cordially Jean Harlow" [HARLOW, Jean]. CONWAY, Michael [&] RICCI, Mark. The Films of Jean Harlow. New York: The Citadel Press, [1965]. First edition. Large quarto (11 x 8 3/8 inches; 280 x 212 mm.). [1]-159, [1, blank] pp. Illustrated throughout in black & white. Publisher's white cloth over boards, front cover and spine lettered in black. A near fine copy in a very good original pictorial dust jacket. With a fine 10 x 8 inch black & white photograph of the starlet Jean Harlow pasted to the front free endpaper. Inscribed in black ink "To Paul R. Palmer Cordially Jean Harlow". The inscription is most probably in the hand of Jean Harlow's mother - as was much of her correspondence and autographed photos. Jean Harlow (born Harlean Harlow Carpenter; 1911-1937) was an American actress. Known for her portrayal of "bad girl" characters, she was the leading sex symbol of the early 1930s and one of the defining figures of the pre-Code era of American cinema. Often nicknamed the "Blonde Bombshell" and the "Platinum Blonde", Harlow was popular for her "Laughing Vamp" screen persona. Harlow was in the film industry for only nine years, but she became one of Hollywood's biggest movie stars, whose image in the public eye has endured. In 1999, the American Film Institute ranked Harlow number 22 on its greatest female screen legends of classical Hollywood cinema list.- $850
- $850
Films of Frank Capra, The
CAPRA, Frank; SCHERLE, Victor LEVY, William T. Inscribed by Frank Capra CAPRA, Frank. The Films of Frank Capra. By Victor Scherle and William Turner Levy. Introduction by The Hon. William O. Douglas. Secaucus, N.J.: The Citadel Press, [1977]. First edition. Large quarto (11 x 8 1/2 inches; 280 x 216 mm.). [x], 278 pp. Illustrated throughout in black & white. Publisher's blue cloth over yellow boards. A fine copy in a near-fine, price-clipped pictorial dust jacket. Inscribed in brown ink on the front free endpaper "To [Walter?] affectionally - Frank" Frank Russell Capra (1897-1991) was an Italian-American film director, producer, and screenwriter who was the creative force behind some of the major award-winning films of the 1930s and 1940s. He directed It's a Wonderful Life in 1946.- $250
- $250
Profiles in Courage
KENNEDY, John F. "A Man Does What He Must" John F. Kennedy's Pulitzer Prize Winning Work KENNEDY, John F. Profiles in Courage. New York: Harper & Brothers, [1956]. First edition, first printing with code "M-E" (December 1955) on verso of title-page. Octavo ( 8 3/8 x 5 5/8 inches; 233 x 143 mm.). xxii, 266 pp. Eight pages of illustrations between pp. 10 & 11. Newspaper cutting loosely inserted between p. 54 (blank) and p. 55 with light stain from cutting. Publishers quarter black cloth over blue boards, spine lettered in gilt, original dust jacket with $3.50 on front flap. Small 1/4 inch closed tear on lower edge of front panel of dust jacket. A near fine copy. John F. Kennedy (1917-1963), then a U.S. senator, won the Pulitzer Prize for the work. Profiles in Courage is a 1956 volume of short biographies describing acts of bravery and integrity by eight United States senators. The book profiles senators who defied the opinions of their party and constituents to do what they felt was right and suffered severe criticism and losses in popularity as a result. It begins with a quote from Edmund Burke on the courage of the English statesman Charles James Fox, in his 1783 "attack upon the tyranny of the East India Company" in the House of Commons, and focuses on mid-19th-century antebellum America and the efforts of senators to delay the American Civil War. Profiles in Courage was widely celebrated and became a bestseller. It includes a foreword by Allan Nevins.- $750
- $750
Masters, The
[GOLF]. PALMER, Arnold Jack Nicklaus With Four Presentation Photographs - Two Signed by Arnold Palmer & Two Signed by Jack Nicklaus [GOLF]. PALMER, Arnold. NICKLAUS, Jack. BISHER, James Furman. The Masters. Augusta Revisited. An Intimate View by Furman Bisher. Birmingham [Alabama]: Oxmoor House, Inc., [1976]. First edition. Large quarto (11 x 9 1/2 inches; 280 x 241 mm.).[vi], 186 pp. Illustrated in color & black & white throughout. Publisher's green cloth over boards, front cover titled in blind, spine lettered in gilt, pictorial endpapers. A fine copy in a near fine pictorial dust jacket. Loosely inserted are four signed black & white photographs: two of Arnold Palmer (same photo), and two of Jack Nicklaus - each one inscribed to Paul [Sherlock]. Paul Sherlock V.P. Hospitality and Lodging at Arnold Palmer's Bay Hill Club & Lodge. Also a copy of Time Magazine January 10, 1949 featuring Ben Hogan (1912-1997). James Furman Bisher (1918-2012) was a newspaper sports writer and columnist for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution in Atlanta, He was the author of eleven books including, "Arnold Palmer - Birth of a Legend." In recognition of his 56th Masters Tournament coverage, and his 50 years with the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, the newspaper published a special "Fifty Years of Furman" edition in 2000.- $1,250
- $1,250
