Collection: American Literature

NY: Top Stories, 1986. Second printing. [24]pp.; illus. 8vo. Saddle-stapled in photo-illustrated wraps. Crease to bottom corner of rear cover, which also shows one small scuff; near fine. Short stories by the cult American writer exploring queer sexuality against the backdrop of New York City. The... More

NY: New Wave Publications, 1991. 53 leaves, printed rectos only; illus. Octavo; black plastic comb binding. Very good or better, with light toning and soiling to wraps. Signed, dated, and inscribed by Ayden on the title-page: "To Michael my comrade in arts. Best Erje Feb... More

NY: Farrar Straus Giroux, 1982. First edition. Octavo; 216pp; orange boards, black quarter-cloth; dust jacket. Mild shelfwear to board bottoms, some light waterspotting to textblock top, and a couple of minor spots of soiling to front endpaper. In a price-clipped jacket showing moderate rubbing. Very... More

NY: Doubleday, 1975. First edition. Octavo; 278pp.; speckled tan boards with black cloth backing. Purple remainder spray to bottom of textblock. Light shelfwear at spine ends. In an unclipped "$7.95" jacket with light rubbing at spine ends and tips, a touch of browning to flaps.... More

Urbana: University of Illinois Press, 1978. First edition. 136pp. Octavo; black textured-paper boards; silver spine titles; dust jacket. Light bump to heel of spine; faint foxing to textblock edges (quite innocuous). Else near fine in a near fine jacket with a three short closed tears... More

NY: Jewish Publication Society of America, 1941. First edition. 8vo. 394pp. Brown cloth; matching brown topstain; black spine titles & front panel motif; dust jacket. Light bumping at spine ends, very faint spotting to fore-edge of textblock and endpapers, else near fine. In an unpriced... More

Santa Rosa: Black Sparrow Press, 1990. First edition, trade paperback issue. 280pp. 8vo. Perfect-bound in printed wraps. Soft creases to rear corners; mild soiling to covers. Near fine. Though unstated, this copy from the library of New York School poet, librettist, and publisher Kenward Elmslie... More

Santa Rosa: Black Sparrow Press, 1993. First edition, trade paperback issue. 214pp. 8vo. Perfect-bound in printed wraps. Mild wear to bottom corners and base of spine, else about fine. Though unstated, this copy from the library of New York School poet, librettist, and publisher Kenward... More

NY: Atheneum, 1960. First edition. Octavo. 171pp. Black papered boards backed with pale yellow cloth; dark red spine lettering and topstain; dust jacket. A fine copy with a former owner's (attractive) bookplate on front pastedown. In a fine unclipped jacket with mild rubbing to rear... More

NY: Farrar Straus Giroux, 1979. Octavo. 240pp. Orange cloth boards, black spine lettering; dust jacket. Very fine in a like, unclipped jacket showing just a touch of wear at spine ends.  An immaculate first edition copy of the sole novel by the influential and controversial... More

NY: New Directions, 1949. Hardcover. 8vo. 318pp. First edition, first printing (no subsequent printings stated on copyright page). Spine ends and board corners lightly bumped/softened. Some light soiling to boards. As usual, the pastedowns and endpapers show some adhesive-based offsetting, though nothing too severe. A quite... More

NY: Harcourt, Brace & World, 1969. First edition. Octavo; 242pp; black cloth; bronze spine titles; dust jacket. Rear board corners very lightly bumped, a touch of soiling at bottom of textblock fore-edge. In a fine, unclipped "$5.95" jacket with light creasing at the top of... More

San Francisco: North Point Press, 1988. First edition. Octavo. 230pp. Red papered boards backed with blue quarter-cloth, gold spine lettering; in unclipped ("$17.95") dustjacket. Spine mildly cocked forward, else fine in a fine dust jacket. Signed by Carpenter on front fly-leaf. Collectible signed copy of... More

Uncommon proof/advance copy of Don Carpenter's debut novel. NY: Harcourt, Brace & World, 1966. First edition; advance proof/review copy. Signature-bound in tan wraps, printed on front and rear covers only (spine blank). Octavo. 308pp. Forward cocking, scalloping, and some reading creases to spine; binding remains... More

NY: New Directions, 1996. First edition. 168pp; 8vo; red cloth boards; dust jacket. Fine in a fine, unclipped jacket. With a laid-in bookplate signed by Davenport. A collection of short stories by the polymathic American writer and artist Guy Davenport (1927-2005). More

NY: Living Hand, 1976. No. 156 of 500 hand- numbered copies. 81pp. 8vo. Signature-bound in French flap wraps. Very good or better, with toning to spine, a few spots of light soiling to wraps. Signed and inscribed by Davis on front flyleaf: “For John -Lydia.”... More

Weston, CT: Magic Circle Press, 1977. 8vo. 165pp. Perfect-bound softcover in printed black and white wraps. First edition. Signed and lovingly inscribed by Duncan on the dedication page. Softening at corners, wear along hinges and at spine ends. Binding secure, text clean and unmarked. A novel... More

NY: Harper & Row, Publishers, 1968. First edition. 385pp. Octavo; orange boards backed with purple cloth; black topstain; dust jacket. Possibly a minimally marked ex-library copy: ffep with a stamp erasure, rear endpaper with adhesive stain; tape-ghosts to boards where jacket was once taped down.... More

Santa Barbara: Black Sparrow Press, 1983. Reprint edition; first thus. One of 500 cloth trade copies. Octavo; 265pp; decorative paper boards backed with maroon cloth, in original acetate jacket. Fine, with a few spots of nearly imperceptible foxing to textblock top. Near fine jacket lightly... More

NY: Harcourt, Brace & World, 1967. First edition. Octavo. 220pp. Blue cloth boards; black and gold spine lettering; dust jacket. Light bumping to top corners. Some faint, inoffensive foxing to textblock edges. Unclipped ("$4.50") jacket with a 1" closed tear at head of front panel,... More

NY: Farrar, Straus & Giroux, 1968. First edition. Octavo. 201pp. Blue cloth; red topstain; white spine titles; dust jacket. Light shelfwear, two small water spots to topstain, light toning to textblock. In an unclipped, "$4.50" jacket with light wear at spine ends, browning along the... More

NY: Basic Books, 1961. Omnibus edition. Octavo. Vii, 380, 301, 314pp. Red cloth boards; gilt spine titles; dust jacket. Near fine, with mild bumping/softening to board tips and spine ends, mild toning to textblock edges. In a very good unclipped jacket ("$7.95") with toning to... More

Signed first printing of Gaddis' fourth novel, winner of the 1994 National Book Award for Fiction. NY: Poseidon Press, 1994. Signed by Gaddis on the title page. First edition. Octavo (9.5 x 6.75 in.); 586pp.; brown boards with blue-quarter cloth spine, in dust jacket. Near... More

NY: Kraus, 1967. Hardcover. 8vo. 139pp. Second edition; a facsimile of the 1947 first issued by the Grolier Club. Two-tone grey cloth boards with gilt titles. Seven black and white plates. Lacking the slipcase if issued with one. Light wear at spine ends and tips,... More

Madras & NY: Hanuman Books, 1988. First edition. 16mo. Signature-bound in pink card wraps; dust jacket. 116pp. Toning and very faint foxing to textblock edges. Jacket toned and edgeworn, with a sticker-removal abrasion to rear cover, affecting publisher's name. Very good in like jacket. A... More