Resultados de búsqueda: 20th Century Literature from B & B Rare Books, Ltd., ABAA

New York: Albert & Charles Boni, 1930 First edition, second printing. Presentation copy; signed and inscribed by Albert Einstein in full to the front endpaper: "For Mrs. Kahn/ Albert Einstein/ Pasadena 1931." Original publisher's red cloth, front board lettered in black and ruled in gilt, spine lettered in gilt and black. About very good copy; spine faded, upper spine worn and lightly frayed, some scattered spots and small stains to covers. Housed in a custom leather clamshell box. Albert Einstein is a bibliography by Anton Reiser, a pseudonym for Rudolf Kayser, the husband of Einstein’s stepdaughter. Kayser, a German literary historian, gives an intimate view of the life of one of the greatest physicists who has ever lived. Einstein describes his familiarity with the author in his introduction of the book, writing, “The author of this book is one that knows me rather intimately in my endeavors, thoughts, beliefs- in bedroom slippers.” The book is divided into six… Leer más

Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 1912 First edition, usual second issue with title page preceding half-title page, in Crane’s “B” pictorial dust jacket, which was published a few weeks after the “A” typographic jacket. Publisher’s purple cloth with titles stamped in gilt to front board and spine; original dust jacket with illustration of man and woman dining by F. Graham Cootes to front panel, list of “New Fiction” to rear panel. Book with a touch of spotting to text block fore edge and endpapers, else fine; very good unclipped dust jacket with some wear to edges and spine ends, a bit of toning to spine, and a few small closed tears including two to top of rear panel. Overall, a beautiful book in an excellent example of its scarce dust jacket. Crane A5.a.i. Alexander's Bridge features the main character Bartley Alexander, a construction engineer who is famous for his bridges. Throughout the book, Alexander struggles to maintain two relationships-- one… Leer más

London: Fisher Unwin, 1895 First edition, first issue. Publisher's dark green cloth, spine lettered in gilt. A very good or better copy, spine lightly toned, upper spine worn with some fraying, bookplate of John C. Eckel to front pastedown. Overall, an attractive copy. Wise 1. Joseph Conrad's first novel Almayer's Folly, published in 1895, incorporated his experiences serving as a merchant marine for the French and British governments near the height of the British Empire. The book centers upon Kaspar Almayer, a poor Dutch businessman in Indonesia, his Malayan wife, and their daughter Nina. The story follows a series of Almayer's poor decisions that lead his wife to loath him, his daughter to abandon him, and to his eventual demise. Conrad's unconventional affinity for writing anti-heroes was influential to subsequent generations of authors and defined him as an early modernist. This copy of Almayer's Folly was owned by author John C. Eckel and bears his bookplate. Eckel,… Leer más

New York: Simon and Schuster, 1955 First American edition, first printing. Publisher's blue paper-covered boards, lettered in gilt and brown; original orange wraparound pictorial dust jacket, lettered in black and white, designed by Dick Dodge. Near fine book, with light toning to head of spine and top edges of boards, light spotting to front endpapers, and small closed tear to fore edge of p. 55; very good unclipped dust jacket with light spotting to rear panel and front flap, a few light nicks and small closed tears to edges, pen squiggle to right margin of rear panel, and a tiny chip to foot of spine. Overall, an attractive copy. In Bertie Wooster Sees it Through, Bertie grows a mustache, and Florence Craye, a woman whom he was formerly engaged to, loves it. The two go to a nightclub together, and when her new fiancé, "Stilton" Cheesewright, finds out he becomes enraged and comes to Brinkley Court, home of Bertie's Aunt Dahlia, to have it out with Bertie. Meanwhile,… Leer más

New York: Farrar, Straus, Cudahy, 1962 First edition, first printing. Publisher's black cloth-backed blue marbled boards, with spine lettered in gilt; in its original white dust jacket, printed in black, blue, and green, designed by Janet Halverson. Fine, with bright gilt and just a tiny spot of staining to bottom edge of text block; near fine unclipped dust jacket, with a touch of fading and rubbing to spine, and small square sticker residue to rear flap. Overall, an excellent and vibrant copy. Big Sur is Kerouac's account of his three visits to Beat poet Lawrence Ferlinghetti's cabin in Big Sur, California. Like many of his other works, the text is semi-autobiographical; Kerouac uses the characters Jack Duluoz and Cody Pomeray to represent himself and his friend Neal Cassidy, respectively. However, unlike in his previous novels, Kerouac presents Duluoz as a successful author rather than a nomadic bohemian. Throughout the text, Duluoz battles with depression, the pressure of fame, and… Leer más

New York: Gotham Book Mart, 1973 First edition, first printing. Signed by Gorey on title page. Publisher's light gray paper wrappers; in the original black paper dust jacket, white paper label with Gorey's illustration of a black armless doll laid onto the front wrapper. About fine book with just a tiny crease to rear wrapper; fine unclipped dust jacket. Overall, an attractive and crisp copy. The Black Doll is Gorey's screenplay for an unproduced silent film. Like many of his works, the plot is set in a Victorian-esque setting. It tells the story of the black doll, a "PRO," or priceless ritual object, from the ancient Asian city of Glub (or Blug), which is sought after by various groups of people. The black doll figure is a recurring figure in Gorey's books, and makes appearances in The Listing Attic (1954), The Willowdale Handcar (1962), The Tunnel Calamity (1984), and The Raging Tide (1987). Gorey, a film buff particularly inspired by the works of Louis Feuillade,… Leer más

Saint Paul: Graywolf Press, 1985 Introduction by Ralph Ellison. First edition, first printing. Presentation copy, inscribed by Ellison on the title page: "For Harold F. Mays / That admirable book-sleuth with / pleasure / Sincerely / Ralph Ellison." Additionally signed by Charles Wright on p. 310. Publisher's green cloth-backed black boards stamped in gilt, black endpapers; original black dust jacket designed by Tree Swenson, lettered in green and yellow, photo of writing pad taken by Paul Boyer to front panel. Fine book; fine unclipped dust jacket. Includes near fine typed promotional letter, with horizontal folding crease, light creasing, and a hint of toning to edges. Overall, a pristine signed copy with a very nice association. Buying Time celebrates the 20th anniversary of the Literature Program of the National Endowment for the Arts. It brings together works from twenty-five well-known writers who benefited from fellowships and awards and were given, according to the book's… Leer más

Paris: Les Éditions de Minuit, 1982 First edition, first printing. Presentation copy, signed and inscribed by Beckett to Mel Gussow on title page: "For Mel Gussow / With all good wishes / Sam Beckett / 24.6.83." Publisher's original white wrappers, front wrapper and spine lettered in blue and black. About fine, with just some light toning to spine and edges. Overall, an excellent association copy, from Mel Gussow's personal library. In Catastrophe, an imperious director and his assistant prepare a man, who stands on an 18" black block with his eyes looking down, for the last scene of a dramatic performance. After making dehumanizing adjustments to the man's appearance, like stripping him down to his pajamas, they do a run through of the scene, which ends with the director exclaiming "There's our catastrophe! In the bag." They do one more run through, but this time the man raises his eyes defiantly to the crowd. Catastrophe, often interpreted as a… Leer más

New York: Simon & Schuster, 1961 First edition, first printing. Publisher's light blue cloth, lettered in white to spine, top edge stained red; in the original red, white, and blue dust jacket designed by Paul Bacon. Near fine, with light toning to board edges, and some foxing to cloth and endpapers; good or better unclipped dust jacket, with unfaded spine, light soiling to front panel and spine, some rubbing to rear panel, small closed tears to spine ends, some small closed tears and creasing to panel edges, small chip to bottom edge of front panel, and some chipping to corners. Overall, a bright and pleasing copy. Considered one of the greatest novels of the 20th century, Catch-22 is a satirical text that tells the story of United States Air Force Captain John Yossarian during World War II. Heller coined the term "Catch-22," a paradoxical situation in which a given problem's solution is inherently denied by the nature of the problem. In this novel, the "catch-22" is… Leer más

London: Faber and Faber, 1984 First edition thus. Presentation copy, inscribed by Beckett to Mel Gussow on title page: "For Mel / from his friend / Sam / Paris / July 1985." Publisher's original green, white, and gray patterned wrappers, with illustration of Beckett by Sue Linney to front wrapper, lettered in black and green. Near fine, with a few light marks and creases to edges of wrappers, very mild toning to spine, and edges of pages lightly toned. Overall, a lovely presentation copy. This copy comes from Mel Gussow's personal library. This volume contains twenty-nine of Beckett's shorter plays, including classics like All That Fall, Krapp's Last Tape, Embers, Acts Without Words, and Catastrophe. These shorter works are exemplary of Beckett's signature minimalism. According to Britannica, "Beckett's later works tended toward extreme concentration and brevity…. Such brevity is merely an expression of Beckett's determination to pare his writing to… Leer más

Paris: Les Éditions de Minuit, 1980 Translated from the original English by the author. First French trade edition, first printing. Presentation copy, signed and inscribed by Beckett to Mel Gussow on title page: "For Mel Gussow / With all good wishes / Sam Beckett / Paris / July 1982." Publisher's original white wrappers, front wrapper and spine lettered in blue and black. Near fine, with light toning to spine and edges, and a small patch of light surface damage to rear wrapper. Overall, a fresh and clean copy. This copy comes from Mel Gussow's personal library. Compagnie (Company) is a semi-autobiographical prose piece that tells the story of an older man lying on his back in the dark as an ethereal, unidentified voice narrates an extended third person monologue. As with many of the author's prose and dramatic works, Compagnie is lauded for its deconstructive form. Beckett, an Irish author and native English speaker, moved to France and subsequently transitioned from… Leer más

London: Corvinus Press, 1937 First edition, limited issue of 203 copies of which only 150 were for sale. This copy is number 35, marking it one of 40 printed on handmade Medway paper and bound in vellum. Illustrated with reproductions of photographs by T. E. Lawrence. Publisher's full vellum, lettered in gilt to front board and spine, stamped in gilt with publisher's device to rear board, two white silk ties, top edge gilt, other edges untrimmed; housed in the original white protective slipcase. About fine with just a few scuffs to the spine and foxing to tissue guards, silk ties with a few loose threads; slipcase significantly worn and split to top edge. Overall, an exquisite copy of this rare, beautifully produced book. While on a short break from an archaeological dig in Syria, Lawrence embarked upon a lone walking tour of the area. This limited edition publication takes its text directly his travel diary. Lawrence was an archaeologist, diplomat, army officer, and writer, and earned… Leer más

New York: Harcourt, Brace and Company, 1929 First edition, first printing in second state dust jacket, price intact. Publisher's dark blue cloth, stamped in orange; original salmon dust jacket, front panel and spine ruled in black and red, lettered in black. Near fine book, with small mark to spine label, light spotting to fore edge of text block, previous owner’s bookplate to front pastedown, and previous owner’s inscription to front pastedown; very good dust jacket with light toning and some light marks to spine, a touch of soiling to front panel, chips to top right of front panel, lower corners, and fore edge of front panel, some chipping and light creasing along top edge of rear panel, small chip to spine affecting the “D” and “O” in “DODSWORTH,” and a bit of chipping to spine ends. Overall, a pleasing and presentable copy in its scarce original dust jacket. Pastore 15. One of Lewis's most acclaimed novels, Dodsworth tells the story of American… Leer más

Philadelphia: Chilton Books, 1965 First edition, first printing; in its first state dust jacket, with four lines at bottom of rear jacket flap. Publisher's light blue boards, with titles in white to spine, and gray endpapers with wavy design; in its original dust jacket with wraparound illustration by John Schoenherr, and map of Dune on rear panel. Very good book, with light toning to edges and spine ends, bottom right corner of front board lightly bumped, binding slightly cocked, and light soiling to fore edge of text block; very good unclipped dust jacket, with light toning to spine, light rubbing to folds, light wear and some shallow chipping to spine ends, minor creasing to bottom edge of front panel, some light spotting to rear panel, and small sticker to rear panel. Overall, an attractive copy in its very hard-to-find first state dust jacket. Dune is a science fiction epic set thousands of years in the future, where humanity is spread across the universe and ruled by an emperor. The story… Leer más

New York: The Alcestis Press, 1935 First edition, limited issue of 165 copies. Signed by Williams on the limitation page. Additionally inscribed by Williams on the front free endpaper: "Never give up / keep at it! / William Carlos Williams". Publisher's cream paper wrappers, lettered in black; in the original glassine dust jacket. Near fine, with some light toning and wear to the spine ends, a few faint scuffs to the endpapers, else bright and fresh; glassine with loss to most of the spine, with some chips to the panel edges, light toning to the extremities. An Early Martyr is a collection of thirty poems that includes "The Yachts," "Proletarian Portrait," "To a Poor Old Woman," "Flowers By the Sea," "To a Mexican Pig-Bank," "Solstice," "An Elegy for D.H. Lawrence," "The Catholic Bells," "The Dead Baby," "The Immemorial Wind," "To Be Hungry is to Be Great," and "You Have… Leer más

London: Faber & Faber, 1958 First Faber paperback edition, first printing. Presentation copy; signed and inscribed by Beckett on the title page to Goucher professor and director of the fall 1965 production of Endgame: "For/ George B. Dowell/ with all good wishes from/ Samuel Beckett/ Paris March 1965." Original publisher's orange paper wraps, lettered in black and white. A very good copy with some light wear and rubbing to the extremities, first leaf starting, else near fine. Scarce signed by Beckett.. Signed by Author. First Edition. Original Wraps. Near Fine.

New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1929 First edition, first printing with no disclaimer on p. [x]; in its first issue dust jacket with "Katherine Barclay" misspelling to front flap. Publisher's black cloth with gold paper labels lettered in black to front board and spine; in the original pictorial dust jacket with a drawing by Cleon. Very good or better, with light rubbing to bottom edges of boards and foot of spine, paper labels bright and fresh, light offsetting to endpapers, mild edgewear to front and rear free endpapers, a touch of soiling to bottom edges of endpapers, a hint of dampstaining to fore edge of rear free endpaper, and some tearing to bottom edges of pp. 105 - 134; unclipped dust jacket with light toning to spine and board edges, some creasing and a small closed tear to top edge of front panel, small closed tear to bottom of front panel, light chipping to spine ends (mostly head of spine), small patch of dampstaining to bottom of rear panel, a few very light… Leer más

New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1915 First edition, first printing. A near fine copy with only some minor wear to the lower edge; in an excellent example of the rare dust jacket with some mild wear, a tiny chip to the upper edge of the front panel, else near fine. An excellent copy in the exceptionally scarce dust jacket. Edith Wharton was living in France when the Great War broke out in August 1914. Wharton met with soldiers and described their first-hand accounts of the devastation the War had upon the villages along the Western Front. Wharton's reverence for France and advocation for American intervention in the War is apparent in her writing. Her essays on WWI, written as a travelogue, were published as articles in Scribner's Magazine and The Saturday Evening Post, and were subsequently published here as Fighting France in 1915.. First Edition. Hard Cover. Near Fine/Dust Jacket Included.

New York: The Dial Press, 1963 First edition, first printing. Publisher's cream cloth, lettered in red; in its original black dust jacket designed by Paul Bacon, lettered in red and orange, with photograph of Baldwin by Mottke Weissman to the rear panel. Near fine book, with light toning to spine, faint spot of thumbsoiling to p. 73; very good unclipped dust jacket, with light wear to spine ends, some light rubbing and creasing to edges, small closed tear to bottom of rear panel, and some light marks to panels and spine. Overall, a solid copy. This influential work by American writer and activist James Baldwin contains two essays, "My Dungeon Shook - Letter to my Nephew on the One Hundredth Anniversary of the Emancipation" and "Down at the Cross - Letter from a Region of My Mind." Written during the height of the civil rights movement of the 1950's and 60's, these two essays put forth Baldwin's perspective on the struggle for Black liberation in the United States.… Leer más

New York: Charles Scribner's Sons,, 1940 First edition, first printing, in the first state dust jacket lacking photographer's credit to rear panel. Publisher's beige cloth, stamped to front board in black with author's facsimile signature, stamped in red and black to spine; in the original black, red, white, and blue dust jacket with a photograph of the author taken by Lloyd Arnold to rear panel. Very good or better, with light toning to spine, light rubbing to red spine labels, some offsetting to endpapers, a couple of light spots of dampstaining to right of front free endpaper, and very light dampstaining to bottom edge of text block and bottom corners of most pages; very good unclipped dust jacket, with light rubbing to panels, light wear to spine ends, light edgewear including a couple of small closed tears to top edge of rear panel and one to bottom edge of front panel, tiny chip to bottom edge of front panel, light black mark to author's face on rear panel, and light… Leer más