Catalog 92, I-L
208. IRVING, John. A Son of the Circus. (Toronto): Knopf (1994). The first Canadian edition of his most recent novel, signed by the author on a publisher's bookplate tipped to the half title. Irving has declined to sign books in recent years, and signed copies of this title, in any form, are quite uncommon. Fine in a fine dust jacket.
209. JOHNSON, Denis. Angels. NY: Knopf, 1983. The author's fourth book and first novel, a tale of drifters that is reminiscent of the fiction noir of Robert Stone. Remainder stripe bottom page edges; else fine in a fine dust jacket.
210. JOHNSON, Denis. The Stars at Noon. NY: Knopf, 1986. His third novel. Fine in a fine dust jacket.
211. JOHNSON, Ronald. The Book of the Green Man. NY: Norton (1967). Poetry, the author's third book, this being the hardcover issue. Inscribed by the author: "For ____ _______/ - my only classic'/ poem,/ Ron Johnson." Laid in is a slip from Johnson's previous publisher, Jonathan Williams, identifying the dedicatee of an earlier book. Near fine in a near fine dust jacket.
212. JOHNSON, Ronald. Valley of the Many-Colored Grasses. NY: Norton (1969). The softcover issue of this collection of poems, inscribed by the author. Light rubbing, else fine in wrappers. Together with a typed letter signed by the author laid in. Light sunning and wear to the edges of the page, folded once; near fine. Although the letter seems to have been provided to the recipient at the same time as the copy of the book, content suggests that the letter [c. 1970s] was written well after the book's publication date.
213. JOHNSON, Ronald. Eyes & Objects. Highlands: Jargon Society, 1976. A catalog for an exhibition, published by Jonathan Williams, who published Johnson's earlier book, A Line of Poetry, a Row of Trees. Square octavo, one of 1000 copies in wrappers. Inscribed by the author. Fine.
214. JONES, Thom. The Pugilist at Rest. Boston: Little Brown (1993). A highly praised collection of stories that was nominated for the National Book Award. A stunning collection, which at times turns a phrase in such a way that a whole world is suddenly revealed that was previously invisible. Reminiscent of Robert Stone and Robert Olen Butler--that is, realistic writing with a hard edge that cuts readily into larger issues. Fine in a fine dust jacket.
215. KENEALLY, Thomas. The Place at Whitton. NY: Walker and Co. (1964). The first American edition of the first novel by the Australian author of Schindler's List. Acidic pages darkening somewhat; else fine in a near fine dust jacket with light wear at the spine extremities. Signed by the author in 1995.
216. KEROUAC, Jack. Satori in Paris. NY: Grove (1966). The hardcover issue of the first edition of this short novel, one of Kerouac's last. Signed "Jack Kerouac" and additionally inscribed: "To Nicky/ my sweet/ brother-in-law/ Sgt. Nicholas/ Sampatakis," after which Kerouac has drawn a cross. Near fine in a dust jacket with one 3 1/2" edge tear coming across the title from the upper right corner of the front panel, with some associated creasing. An excellent family association on one of Kerouac's last books, and one of the ones that most clearly distills the essence of Kerouac's appreciation of Buddhism, and its correlation to the spontaneous prose that he both practiced and advocated, as well as to the freewheeling, unencumbered approach to life that he described and attempted to live. Signed first editions of Kerouac's books have become increasingly scarce in recent years, particularly those with good associations.
217. KESEY, Ken. Sailor Song. (n.p.): Viking (1992). The advance reading copy of the first novel in nearly 30 years by the author of One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest and Sometimes a Great Notion. Fine in wrappers and boldly signed by the author.
218. KESEY, Ken. Last Go-Round. (NY): Viking (1994). Co-written with his friend and former Merry Prankster, Ken Babbs. A humorous, well-received novel of a black cowboy and rodeo star at the turn of the century, based on a true story, and combining history, humor, legend and contemporary political and ethical awareness, somewhat in the manner of Larry McMurtry's novels of the Old West, such as Lonesome Dove. Fine in a fine dust jacket and signed by both authors.
219. KIDDER, Tracy. Old Friends. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1993. The fifth book by the Pulitzer Prize and National Book Award-winning author of The Soul of a New Machine. This is a portrait of a nursing home seen through the eyes of two of its residents. Fine in a fine dust jacket and signed by the author.
220. KINGSOLVER, Barbara. Pigs in Heaven. (NY): HarperCollins (1993). Her third novel, which continues the story of the characters of The Bean Trees. Fine in a fine dust jacket and signed by the author.
221. KINGSOLVER, Barbara. Watershed. (n.p.): Bella Luna Books, 1995. A broadside poem, in Spanish and in English, taken from Another America. One of 250 copies signed by the author. Approximately 13 1/2" x 11". Fine.
222. KINSELLA, W.P. Born Indian. (Canada): (Oberon) (1981). His fourth book, a collection of Indian stories set on the Hobbema Reserve of two of his earlier books. This is the issue in wrappers (there was a simultaneous hardcover). Fine, and signed by the author.
223. KINSELLA, W.P. The Dixon Cornbelt League. (Toronto): HarperCollins (1993). The true first edition of this collection of baseball stories by the author of Shoeless Joe and The Iowa Baseball Confederacy, among others. Fine in a fine dust jacket and signed by the author.
224. KINSELLA, W.P. and KNIGHT, Ann. Even at this Distance. Nova Scotia: Pottersfield Press, 1994. Their second collection of jointly published poetry. Fine in wrappers and signed by both authors. No indication of there having been a hardcover edition.
225. -. Another copy. Signed by Kinsella. Fine.
226. KINSELLA, W.P. The Winter Helen Dropped By. (Toronto): HarperCollins (1995). A novel, loosely connected to his earlier book, Box Socials. Fine in a fine dust jacket and signed by the author.
227. (KINSELLA, W.P.). Diamonds Forever. (Toronto): HarperCollins (1997). A small volume printing humorous quotations on the subject of baseball by many of the great figures of the game, edited and signed by Kinsella. Fine in a fine dust jacket.
228. KLEIN, Joe. "Anonymous." Primary Colors. NY: Random House (1996). The uncorrected proof copy of this pseudonymous, anonymous novel that was closely based on the Presidential campaign of Bill Clinton and caused considerable controversy when it was published, for the somewhat unflattering portraits of the President and First Lady, as well as other members of their contingent. A highly readable, and funny, roman a clef, the question of the identity of the book's author became the hot issue among Washington insiders as soon as the book was published and continued unabated until a sleuthing reporter from the Washington Post identified Klein by the handwriting on a marked set of galleys. The subsequent scandal became an issue of "journalistic ethics"--Klein was a columnist for Newsweek at the time and had flatly denied writing the book, as had his superiors at the magazine--and resulted in Klein leaving Newsweek and taking a position at The New Yorker. The first printing, while not small, was immediately sold out and the book was reprinted numerous times, becoming a huge bestseller. While copies of the first edition are scarce, the proof is decidedly more so, and this is the only copy we have seen that is signed by the author: "Best wishes/ Anonymous/ JK." Fine in wrappers.
229. KUNDERA, Milan. Life is Elsewhere. NY: Knopf, 1974. The first American edition of the second novel by the author of The Joke and The Unbearable Lightness of Being. Winner of the French Medicis Award as the best foreign novel published that year in France. Small label removal shadow front pastedown and a small bit of faint staining to the spine base; else fine in a very near fine dust jacket with slight wear at the crown.
230. (Latin American Literature). ASTURIAS, Miguel Angel. Mulata. NY: Delacorte/Lawrence (1967). Second printing of the American edition of this novel by the Guatemalan Nobel Prize winner. Inscribed by the author in the month after publication to Seymour Lawrence, his publisher, who was instrumental in getting his books published in the U.S. The inscription refers to Lawrence and his wife as "my dear friends" and mentions the book as a "souvenir of the great days in Stockholm," presumably referring to the Nobel ceremony there. Fine in a very good, spine-tanned dust jacket with one small chip at the upper front panel. Books inscribed by Asturias are uncommon, particularly with such an association.
231. (Latin American Literature). DONOSO, José. The Obscene Bird of Night. NY: Knopf, 1973. A review copy of the first American edition of the most famous book by this expatriate Chilean novelist. Donoso moved from Chile to Spain, where he wrote the novella that Spanish avant garde filmmaker Luis Bu¤uel made into the classic film The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie. Warmly and effusively inscribed by the author, covering the entire front free endpaper: "For ____/ _______/ in awe/ and with/ perfect affection/ Un abrazo/ José Donoso." Fine in a fine dust jacket, with review slip and photo laid in. Donoso's signature is quite uncommon, and this is a near-perfect copy of his most famous novel.
232. -. Same title, the uncorrected proof copy. With a lengthy inscription by the author covering most of both sides of the half-title page, and reading in part: "This is a secret, but this is not the book as I wrote it. The Spanish is about 50 p.p. longer..." and with further remarks on the cutting of the book for American publication. Price and publication date written on front cover; slight spine-fading; else fine in wrappers with review material laid in.
233. (Latin American Literature). FUENTES, Carlos. Terra Nostra. NY: FSG (1976). A review copy of the first American edition of his magnum opus, a massive experimental novel that has been called "the most important novel published in Latin American in the 1970's." Warmly inscribed by the author, covering the entire front free endpaper. Fine in a fine dust jacket with a micro tear at the crown. With review slip, photo and promotional information laid in.
234. -. Same title, the uncorrected proof copy, in two volumes. Inscribed in Volume I by the author with caricatures of self and recipient. Minor edge staining to volume one, else fine in wrappers.
235. (Latin American Literature). PAZ, Octavio. In Light of India. NY: Harcourt Brace (1997). Uncorrected proof copy of the first American edition of this volume of reflections on India by the 1990 Nobel Prize winner, who served as Mexico's Ambassador to India in the 1960's. Fine in wrappers.
236. (Latin American Literature). VARGAS LLOSA, Mario. The Time of the Hero. NY: Grove (1966). The first American edition of his first book published here. Inscribed by the author in 1975, with the author's Peruvian address written at the bottom of the inscription. Tiny spot on the front flyleaf; else fine in a very near fine, lightly edge-worn dust jacket.
237. LE CARRÉ, John. The Honourable Schoolboy. London: Hodder & Stoughton (1977). The second book in LeCarré's celebrated Karla trilogy, widely considered the pinnacle of the Cold War spy novel. Page edges foxed and abraded, thus only a good copy in a very good dust jacket worn at the corners, the extremities and mid-spine.
238. LE CARRÉ, John. Smiley's People. London: Hodder & Stoughton (1980). The uncorrected proof copy of the third and final book in the trilogy, collectively entitled "The Quest for Karla." Acidic pages darkening and some darkening to covers; very good in dust jacket. Uncommon in proof form.
239. LE CARRÉ, John. A Perfect Spy. London: Hodder & Stoughton (1986). Uncorrected proof copy. Light stain to lower edges; about very good in a very good, edgeworn dust jacket with internal dampstaining. Again, uncommon in proof form.
240. LE CARRÉ, John. The Russia House. London: Hodder & Stoughton (1989). The advance reading copy. Stained, edgeworn, splitting at rear fold. Good, in wrappers.
241. LE CARRÉ, John. The Night Manager. London: Hodder & Stoughton (1993). The first British edition of his first post-Cold War novel, a novel of arms smugglers. Fine in a fine dust jacket and signed by the author.
242. LE CARRÉ, John. The Tailor of Panama. (NY: Knopf, 1996). Bound 8 1/2" x 11" sheets of the first American edition of his latest novel, continuing his exploration of the nature of spying and intelligence in the post-Cold War era. Tapebound; fine in vinyl and acetate covers. There was another issue in cardstock covers that included the typescript of a speech Le Carré gave at a sales conference two months prior to publication. One mild corner turn rear cover; else fine. Precedes the bound proofs that were issued for this title.
243. (LEE, Harper). KELLY, Riley Nicholas. In Search of Light. NY: Exposition Press (1969). Vanity press poetry. Near fine in a very good, price-clipped dust jacket, the front panel of which features a blurb by Harper Lee. A class action suit brought several years ago against a number of the vanity presses by the authors they had published determined that most copies of most of the books issued by these publishers were simply warehoused for a predetermined length of time and then destroyed, with the majority of copies that ever received distribution coming out of the author's allotment. Thus, for most vanity press works--regardless of how many were originally printed--the number of copies that ever made it into the marketplace probably numbers in the low dozens. That fact, combined with the fact that Harper Lee, the author of To Kill a Mockingbird, has published so little since her one Pulitzer Prize-winning, bestselling novel, make this a rare occurrence in print by the author of one of the best-loved American novels of all time.
244. LETHEM, Jonathan. Gun, with Occasional Music. NY: Harcourt Brace (1994). The author's first book, a comic take-off on the hard-boiled mystery genre that became an underground classic. Fine in a fine dust jacket that is designed to appear worn and ragged.
245. LONG, David. Blue Spruce. NY: Scribner (1995). A review copy of his fourth book, a collection of short stories. Fine in a fine dust jacket, with review slip, promotional material and a three-page interview with the author laid in. Signed by the author.
246. -. Same title, the advance reading excerpt, consisting of three of the stories from the finished book. Signed by the author. Fine in wrappers.
247. LOPEZ, Barry Holstun. Of Wolves and Men. NY: Scribner (1978). His award-winning third book, winner of the John Burroughs Medal as the best work of natural history published that year, and a nominee for the National Book Award. A remarkable and unlikely bestseller: the book was reprinted numerous times, brought into a new edition by the publisher (in a smaller format), picked up by the Book of the Month Club, and became a significant commercial success in a trade paperback edition as well. It attempts to explore the wolf both in the objective world and in the subjective ways that humans have seen and imagined it throughout history. This is a very near fine copy in a very near fine dust jacket mildly sunned at the spine and edges.
248. LOPEZ, Barry Holstun. Winter Count. NY: Scribner's (1981). The author's fifth book, a collection of stories that take on the aspect of personal essays or philosophical reflection, tinged with a reverence for life that is as much the subject of the writing as any particular character or tale. Fine in a near fine dust jacket with the usual spine-fading.
249. LOPEZ, Barry. Apologia. Eugene: Lone Goose Press, 1997. A limited edition of a story that first appeared in Witness magazine and then in Harper's. With twenty-three 11 3/4" x 11" woodblock images by Robin Eschner, hinged in a continuous presentation almost 22 feet long, encompassing the text. An elaborate production, involving a number of individuals prominent in the book arts, in addition to Lopez and Eschner: Charles Hobson, the designer, whose work is included in the collections of the Whitney Museum, the National Gallery of Art, among others; Sandy Tilcock, the publisher and boxmaker; Susan Acker, the letterpress printer; Nora Pauwells, the relief edition printer; and John DeMerritt, the binder, who is President of the Hand Bookbinders of California. Of a total edition of 66 copies, this is one of 50 numbered copies signed by the author and including a unique tire-tread print from Lopez's Toyota 4-Runner, the vehicle used in the journey from Oregon to Indiana that is described in the story. Fine, in a clamshell box.