ModernRare (Over 1,800 results)

Hardcover. Condition: Fine. Dust Jacket Condition: Fine. 1st Edition. 1st Printing. Signed. 266 pages. Published in 2006. The author's third nonfiction account. One of Sebastian Junger's finest achievements. The First Hardcover Edition. Precedes and should not be confused with all other subsequent editions. Published in a small and limited first print run as a hardcover original only. The First Edition is now scarce. Presents Sebastian Junger's "A Death In Belmont". His speculative and autobiographical narrative on the "Boston Strangler". "Bessie Goldberg was strangled to death in her home in Belmont, a Boston suburb, in March of 1963, right in the middle of the Boston Strangler's killing spree. Her death has not been associated with the other Strangler killings because Roy Smith, a black man who was working in Goldberg's house that day, was convicted of her murder on circumstantial evidence. But another man was working in Belmont that day: Albert DeSalvo, who later confessed to being the Boston Strangler. He was doing construction work in the home of Sebastian Junger's parents. Could DeSalvo have slipped away and killed Bessie Goldberg? This perplexing story gains an extra degree of creepiness from Junger's personal connection to it" (Publishers Weekly). An absolute "must-have" title for Sebastian Junger collectors. This copy is very prominently and beautifully signed, dated (shortly after publication) and inscribed ("lined") in black ink-pen on the title page by the author: "May 1, '06 Is that conceivably something you might do? Sebastian Junger". It is signed directly on the page itself, not on a tipped-in page. There is no recipient named. The inscription is the very last sentence of the book. The provocative - and chilling - line is a reference to the cunning, manipulative, and compulsive mind of a serial killer (who often comes across as someone who cannot help himself, feigns vulnerability, and even fakes illness). This title is a contemporary classic. As far as we know, this is the only such signed, post-publication dated, and inscribed ("lined") copy of the First Hardcover Edition/First Printing available online and is in especially fine condition: Clean, crisp, and bright. We believe that this is the best such signed copy available online. Please note: Copies available online have very serious flaws (because they were read) or are in multiple subsequent printings. This is surely an accessible and lovely alternative. A rare signed copy thus. One of the most brilliant writers of our time. A fine copy. ISBN 0393059804. Signed by Author.

Seller Inventory # 23817

Hardcover. Condition: Fine. Dust Jacket Condition: Fine. 1st Edition. 1st Printing. 250 pages. Published in 2006. Retrospective Monograph on subject. One of the most valuable erotic art books of the 20th century. The First Hardcover Edition. Precedes and should not be confused with all other subsequent editions, of which are there quite a few. Published in a small and limited first print run as a hardcover original only. The First Edition is now rare. A brilliant production by Taschen Verlag: Oversize-volume format. Red cloth boards with titles on cover and spine, as issued. Art by Tom Poulton. Edited with an Essay by Dian Hanson. Printed on pristine-white, thick coated stock paper by Taschen in Cologne, Germany to the highest standards. The reproduction quality is exemplary in every respect. In pictorial DJ with red printed "wraparound band" (NOT an actual band, but closely resembles one), imitating a vintage erotica title, and titles on the cover and spine, as issued. Presents "Tom Poulton: The Secret Art of An English Gentleman". The Real Thing. This is surely one of the most explicit and genuinely arousing erotic art ever made in the early 20th century, by a secretive Englishman - no less - and at a time of unforgiving Victorian repression. Accomplished draftsmen/painters of our time have asserted that the men and women depicted engaging in the most unabashed sex acts were real, not imaginary, people. The realism of the drawings is so specific, meticulous, and detailed as to suggest as much, unlike Classical and contemporary erotic art, which usually depict lapidary archetype-figures. These individuals did NOT necessarily pose for Poulton as paid "models". What is more likely is that the artist knew them, and indeed participated in some of the sex acts himself, as part of a secret society that needed the explosive - and also often tender - sexual release that each rendition lovingly depicts. Still, there is also an undeniable imaginative aspect, triggered by Poulton's and his subjects' actual experience or fantasy: Almost every drawing shows "in flagrante delicto", the thrill of being caught in the act by ANOTHER equally lustful, not just curious or voyeuristic, couple or group of people, who then presumably joined in, as committed for posterity by Poulton. In his most ecstatic and graphic images, orgies in which every imaginable, combinatory sex act is enacted, anticipate the orgiastic festivities of contemporary "adult entertainment". An absolute "must-have" title for Tom Poulton collectors. This title is a great erotic art book. This is one of few copies of the 2006 First Hardcover Edition/First Printing still available online and despite its imperfection (slight wear on DJ spine, but it's there) is still in fine condition overall: Every single internal page is clean, crisp, and bright. The cloth boards are sharp, NO bumping at all. Please note: Copies available online have very serious flaws (because they were pored over, repeatedly) or are subsequent editions. This is surely an accessible and lovely alternative. A rare copy thus. Lavishly illustrated with black-and-white plates. One of the most brilliant artists of the sex act of the 20th century. A fine copy. ISBN 3822830623.

Seller Inventory # 23816

Soft cover. Condition: As New. 1st Edition. 1st Printing. 768 pages. Published in 2015. Rare Riad Sattouf collectible set. Pristine copies of every volume of the graphic artist's autobiography, as published in English. The First American Editions. Precede and should not be confused with all other subsequent printings, of which there are many. Published in small and limited first print runs as Uniform Paperback Originals only. The Complete Set is now rare. Presents, as a four-volume set, Riad Sattouf's "L'Arabe du futur" in dazzling English translations by Sam Taylor. The author's unforgettable story, presented in four chronological volumes: 1978-1982; 1984-1985; 1985-1987; and 1987-1992. "In striking, virtuoso graphic style that captures both the immediacy of childhood and the fervor of political idealism, Riad Sattouf recounts his nomadic childhood growing up in rural France, Gaddafi's Libya, and Assad's Syria. But always under the roof of his father, a Syrian Pan-Arabist who drags his family along in his personal pursuit of grandiose dreams for the Arab Nation" (Publisher's blurb). "Very funny and very sad. The social commentary is more wistful and melancholy than sharp-edged. Subtly written and deftly illustrated, with psychological incisiveness and humor" (Kirkus Reviews). "A beautifully cartooned story that is both modern and timeless. Riad, delicate and wide-eyed, follows in the trail of his mismatched parents: His mother, a bookish French student, is as modest as his father is flamboyant. They hold fast to the vision of the Paradise that always lies just around the corner. And hold they do, though food is scarce, children kill dogs for sport, and with door locks banned, the Sattoufs come home one day to discover another family occupying their apartment. The ultimate outsider, Riad, with his flowing blond hair, is called the ultimate insult: Jewish. A Master Cartoonist in a work destined to stand alongside 'Maus' and 'Persepolis' " (Gene Luen Yang). An absolute "must-have" title for Riad Sattouf collectors. This title is a masterpiece. As far as we know, this is the only Complete Set of the First Editions/First Printings (American) available online and is in uniformly fine condition: Clean, crisp, and bright, pristine beauties. A rare set thus. One of the most brilliant graphic artists of our time. A fine collectible set. ISBN 1627793445. no.

Seller Inventory # 23821

Soft cover. Condition: Fine. 1st Edition. 1st Printing. Signed. 650 pages. Published in 2000. The author's third novel. Michael Chabon's masterpiece. The First British Edition. Precedes and should not be confused with all other subsequent editions. Published in a small and limited first print run as a softcover original only. The First Edition Thus is now rare. Features a stunningly beautiful Cover Design by Photonica, which rivals Marc Burckhardt's celebrated DJ design for the First American Edition, the true first. Presents, in a lovely "Paperback Original" format, Michael Chabon's "The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay". A timeless achievement: The author's eloquent and moving tribute to the innate ability of the refugee/exile to survive and to prevail, to escape from, outwit, and outlast the inimical forces of History in all of the latter's injustice, cruelty, and arbitrariness. "The young star of American letters" (Washington Post Cover Blurb). An absolute "must-have" title for Michael Chabon collectors. This copy is very prominently and beautifully signed in black ink-pen on the title page by Michael Chabon. It is signed directly on the page itself, not on a tipped-in page. In addition, the author also boldly drew in his signature-key, the novel's cunning "freedom" motif, which has now become an integral part of Chabon's signature for the novel. This title is a great book. This is one of very few such signed copies of the First British Edition/First Printing (2000/2001) still available online and despite its imperfection (creasing on the fragile spine and browning of page edges) is still in fine condition overall: Clean, crisp, and bright. It is priced accordingly. A rare signed copy thus. Selected by The New Yorker Magazine as one of "Twenty Writers for the 21st Century". Winner of the Pulitzer Prize in 2001 for "The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay". One of the most brilliant writers of our time. A fine copy. (SEE ALSO OTHER MICHAEL CHABON TITLES IN OUR CATALOG) ISBN 184115492X. Signed by Author.

Seller Inventory # 23819

Soft cover. Condition: As New. 1st Edition. 1st Printing. 285 pages. Published in 2022. Retrospective collection of essays. One of the most valuable American literary collections of the 20th century. Advance Uncorrected Proof. Precedes and should not be confused with the regular trade edition. Published in a tiny one-time-only print run as a softcover original only for the exclusive use of the publisher and editor. The Uncorrected Proof has the same ISBN as the trade edition. It is now rare. Presents, in its earliest-printing format, "The Uncollected Essays of Elizabeth Hardwick". Now collected essays on the widest variety of relevant and important subjects by a fully engaged mind: Music, art, pop culture, literature, politics, contemporary events, and everything else in-between. As Uncorrected Proofs go, this one is actually identical to the regular trade edition that it considerably precedes. "The thirty-five pieces that Alex Andriesse has gathered here - none previously featured in volumes of Hardwick's work - make it clear that her powers extended far beyond literary criticism, encompassing a vast range of subjects, from New York City to Faye Dunaway, from Wagner's 'Parsifal' to Leonardo da Vinci's inventions, and from the pleasures of summertime to grits souffle. In these often surprising, always well-wrought essays, we see Hardwick's passion for people and places, her politics, her thoughts on feminism, and her ability, especially from the 1970's on, to write well about seemingly anything" (Publisher's blurb). The brief, three-page piece on the young Susan Sontag, which first appeared in Vogue Magazine, is the best short essay on her, and as always with literary appreciations, acutely revealing of Hardwick, too. An absolute "must-have" title for Elizabeth Hardwick collectors. This title is a great collection. As far as we know, this is the only copy of the Uncorrected Proof available online and is in especially fine condition: Clean, crisp, and bright. A rare copy thus. One of the finest American writers of the 20th century. A fine copy. (SEE ALSO OTHER ELIZABETH HARDWICK TITLES IN OUR CATALOG) ISBN 1681376237.

Seller Inventory # 23820

Soft cover. Condition: As New. 1st Edition. 1st Printing. 129 pages. Published in 2023. New And Definitive Translation of the author's first and only novel. One of the greatest novels of the 20th century, in a completely new translation that supersedes its predecessors, which were themselves estimable achievements. The First Edition. It should be pointed out that this is NOT a Reissued Edition because this is a new translation that appears in published form for the very first time. Precedes and should not be confused with all other subsequent printings, of which there are many. Published in a small and limited first print run as a softcover original only that sold out shortly after publication. The First Edition is now rare. Presents, in its universally acclaimed new translation, Juan Rulfo's "Pedro Paramo". A major literary event of our time. It is, no more and no less than, THE story of a physical journey ("outwardness") and psychological self-discovery ("inwardness") that seamlessly parallel each other - is the novel's greatest achievement, and is indeed EVERY great Western novel's achievement. Rulfo was a major influence and inspiration to some of the greatest writers who came after him and jumpstarted the so-called "boom" in Latin-American literature, heralded as such by Gabriel Garcia Marquez, who explains why in his Foreword Essay. The latter piece appears in English translation for the very first time in book form. Carlos Fuentes, Jose Donoso, Mario Vargas Llosa, and Roberto Bolano, among so many others, have all acknowledged, which writers seldom do, their unrepayable debt to Juan Rulfo. The only other Founding Father of modern Latin-American literature, also according to Garcia Marquez, is the slippery and erudite Cuban genius, Alejo Carpentier. It should be noted (because it seldom is by critics and readers) that Juan Rulfo's Surrealist masterpiece has also been an enduring influence and inspiration to artists, photographers, and other creative minds, Josephine Sacabo being one of the most prominent. Her justifiably celebrated photographs amount to a visual "journey"-narrative, directly inspired by Rulfo's novel, and gathered together in a sublime Artist Book as "The Unreachable World of Susana San Juan: Homage To Juan Rulfo" (2002). She is especially notable because she has managed to appropriate for her art - as ALL original art is appropriation - the male protagonist's quest for his Lost Father. An absolute "must-have" title for Juan Rulfo collectors. This title is a great book. As far as we know, this is the only copy of the First Edition/First Printing (2023) available online and is in especially fine condition: Clean, crisp, and bright. Please note: ALL other copies available online are subsequent printings. This is surely an accessible and lovely alternative. A rare copy thus. One of the greatest writers of the 20th century. A fine copy. ISBN 080216093X. no.

Seller Inventory # 23818

Hardcover. Condition: As New. 1st Edition. 1st Printing. Signed. 2 pages. Published in 2009. Rare Dmitri Hvorostovsky collectible item. A pristine copy of his landmark 2009 Delos Classics recording of art songs by Piotyr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, signed by Dmitri Hvorostovsky. The very first release on CD. Precedes and should not be confused with all other subsequent releases, of which there are many. The first release is now scarce. Presents Dmitri Hvorostovsky's "Tchaikovsky Romances". Twenty-four art songs, "romances", on two discs. "Hvorostovsky, whose powerful and magnificently varied voice, rich and broad in compass, and his honest, solid grasp of the poetic values underlying these songs, make him the ideal Tchaikovsky song interpreter" (Publisher's blurb). "I have heard many beautiful voices, but none more beautiful than Dmitri's. He possesses a voice with a quality of velvet that is both a joy to hear and immediately recognizable. Dmitri's technique is impeccable: He has the best breath control I've ever encountered. He is a consummate musician. Add to this his charisma and committed portrayals, and you have a complete singing artist. I expect Dmitri's artistry to go on undiminished, in the tradition of other great baritones, forever" (Renee Fleming). Perhaps there was a premonitory reason that he was so prodigious, finding and attaining his true voice in his early 20's (when most opera singers mature in their 30's at the earliest). The most beloved Classical Music singer-performer of our time, Dmitri Hvorostovsky died on November 22, 2017 at the age of 55, at the absolute peak of his phenomenal career, and after a prolonged, courageous, and heartbreaking struggle with brain cancer. "Words cannot express my anguish that one of the greatest voices of our time has been silenced" (Placido Domingo). An absolute "must-have" collectible, not just memorabilia, item for Dmitri Hvorostovsky collectors. This copy of the Delos Classics CD of "Tchaikovsky Romances" is very boldly and beautifully signed in metallic-silver pen-marker in front by Dmitri Hvorostovsky. It is signed directly on the cover itself. During his regular visits to the city (his American career was launched by The Lyric Opera of Chicago), this charismatic artist signed generously, such as on this copy. This title is a CD classic. As far as we know, this is the only such signed copy available online and is in especially fine condition: Clean, crisp, and bright. The only other signed copy is also from us. A rare signed copy thus. The greatest baritone of our time. A fine copy. (SEE ALSO OTHER DMITRI HVOROSTOVSKY TITLES IN OUR CATALOG). Signed by Author.

Seller Inventory # 23812

Hardcover. Condition: As New. 1st Edition. 1st Printing. Signed. 48 pages. Published in 2003. Landmark collection of comics stories. The Third Volume - and the best - in the "Little Lit" Series. The First Hardcover Edition. Precedes and should not be confused with all other subsequent editions. Published in a small and limited first print run as a hardcover original only. The First Edition is now scarce. A stunningly beautiful production by Art Spiegelman and Francoise Mouly: Oversize volume format. Pictorial hard boards with colorful titles on the cover and spine, as issued. Contributions by various artists and writers. Printed on pristine-white, archival stock paper to the highest standards. The reproduction quality is exemplary in every respect. Without DJ, as issued. Presents "Little Lit: It Was A Dark And Silly Night: Comics by Lemony Snicket, William Joyce, Neil Gaiman And More!". A timeless treat for all ages and for the ages: Stories by some of the best comic artists around. "We planted a seed in some of the most fertile minds of the planet. We asked them to start a story with the words: 'It Was A Dark And Silly Night'. We wanted to know, 'What happened next? ' What grew from the seed is this generous, chock-full, over-the-top jungle of silly comic book stories that show how rich the human imagination is. Neil Gaiman and Gahan Wilson imagine a dark and silly night where kids throw the greatest party ever in a graveyard!" (Art Spiegelman). Features the work of Lemony Snicket, Neil Gaiman, William Joyce, Kaz, Art Spiegelman, J. Otto Seibold, Vivian Walsh, Gahan Wilson, Barbara McClintock, Richard Sala, Martin Handford, R. Sikoryak, Patrick McDonnell, Tony Millionaire, Carlos Nine, Basil Wolverton, and Joost Swarte. An absolute "must-have" title for comics/graphic art collectors. This copy is very boldly and beautifully signed and inscribed in black pen-marker on the title page by three of the artists: "With dark and silly wishes, Art Spiegelman, Neil Gaiman, and Francoise Mouly". It is signed directly on the page itself, not on a tipped-in page. There is no recipient named. This signed copy is dazzling, not just special: Spiegelman got carried away and drew an imposing giant, who fills up the page, with a graveyard tombstone in the background on which Neil Gaiman signed his name. This title is a contemporary graphic art classic. As far as we know, this is the only such signed and inscribed copy (with Original Drawing) of the First Hardcover Edition/First Printing available online and is in especially fine condition: Clean, crisp, and bright. We have not yet seen a more beautiful signed copy. A rare signed copy thus. Some of the greatest graphic artists and writers of our time. A fine collectible copy. (SEE ALSO OTHER ART SPIEGELMAN TITLES IN OUR CATALOG) ISBN 0060286288. Signed by Author.

Seller Inventory # 23813

Hardcover. Condition: Fine. Dust Jacket Condition: Fine. 1st Edition. 1st Printing. Signed. 296 pages. Published in 1997. The author/graphic artist's "Maus" masterpiece, presented in one stupendous volume. One of the greatest books of the 20th century. The First Hardcover Complete Edition. Precedes and should not be confused with all other subsequent editions, of which there are many. Published in a small and limited first print run as a hardcover original only. The First Complete Edition is now rare. Presents Art Spiegelman's "The Complete Maus". The Definitive Edition of his two-volume graphic art masterpiece. "Maus I: My Father Bleeds History" was originally published in 1986. It definitively - almost insolently - answered the seemingly unanswerable, nagging question, "Is it possible to create literature or a work of art after - let alone about - the Holocaust?". Whose underlying premise was actually, "Is it permissible?". Art Spiegelman's answer was an "un-serious" comics book ABOUT the Holocaust. Unthinkable, unprecedented, and unrepeatable. Not quite because he then doubled down and followed it up with "Maus II: And Here My Troubles Began". Unbelievable but by now, unsurpassable. "The story of Vladek Spiegelman, a Jewish survivor of Hitler's Europe, and his son, a cartoonist, who tries to come to terms with his father's terrifying story, and History itself. Its form, the cartoon - the Nazis are cats, the Jews mice - succeeds perfectly in shocking us out of any lingering sense of familiarity with the events described, approaching as it does, the unspeakable through the diminutive" (Publisher's blurb). "A brutally moving work of art" (The Washington Post). An absolute "must-have" title for Art Spiegelman collectors. This copy is very boldly and beautifully signed in black ink-pen on the opposite page facing the half-title page ("en face") by Art Spiegelman. It is signed directly on the page itself, not on a tipped-in page. This title is a great book. As far as we know, this is the only such signed copy of the First Hardcover Complete Edition/First Printing available online and is in especially fine condition: Clean, crisp, and bright. Please note: Almost ALL other copies of the Complete Edition available online are in innumerable subsequent printings. It does NOT matter if Spiegelman, always accommodating and generous, drew a mouse or any other enhancement on a copy if it is not the true First Edition. First Edition = First Printing, NO exceptions, despite what other dealers say or don't say. Copies of various "Maus" editions available online command many hundreds to thousands of dollars more. This is surely an accessible and lovely alternative. A very rare signed copy thus. "Maus" is the Winner of the Guggenheim Grant, the Pulitzer Prize, and innumerable global honors since its publication in 1986. One of the greatest graphic artists of the 20th century and our time. A fine collectible copy. (SEE ALSO OTHER ART SPIEGELMAN TITLES IN OUR CATALOG) ISBN 0679406417. Signed by Author.

Seller Inventory # 23814

Hardcover. Condition: As New. 1st Edition. 1st Printing. Signed. 48 pages. Published in 2023. Retrospective collection of landscape and place photographs. One of the most beautiful art photography books of our time. Published in a small and limited first print run as a hardcover original only. An austerely elegant production by Robert Adams, Gerhard Steidl, and Joshua Chuang: Regular-sized volume format. Pictorial cloth boards with titles embossed on the cover and spine, as issued. Photographs by Robert Adams. Except for a brief Introductory Note by Adams, there is no text. Printed on pristine-white, thick uncoated stock paper by Steidl in Gottingen, Germany to the highest standards. The reproduction quality is outstanding in every respect. In publisher's original slipcase. Without DJ, as issued. Re-presents, in its Revised, Expanded, and perhaps definitive format, Robert Adams' "Eden". Images of Eden, Colorado, named not after the Biblical place, but a former railroad official. The Garden of Mister Eden is made up of railroad tracks, gas tanks, metal sheds, military salvage lots, and the Westland Truck Stop. Captured in the blinding desert light, these are stark photographs that somehow implant themselves in one's memory. Robert Adams has published indispensable books about the radical (and irreversible) transformation of the American West for more than forty years (his work is the inspiration for Richard Avedon's "In The American West"). A MacArthur Genius Grant Laureate, one of very few photographers so honored, Adams is regarded by critics and admirers as the greatest American landscape and place photographer since Ansel Adams, with whom he shares the same surname, and nothing else. Indeed, Robert Adams is the ultimate anti-Ansel Adams photographer, an artist who evokes our inner desolation - and implicitly rejects Ansel's lush Romanticism - by exposing instead the detritus of modern civilization. An absolute "must-have" title for Robert Adams collectors. This copy is very boldly and beautifully signed in pencil on the cream-color Card (that is affixed to the title page) by Robert Adams. This title is a great art photography book. This is one of very few such pre-signed copies of the Steidl First Hardcover Edition/First Printing (2023) still available online and is in especially fine condition: Clean, crisp, and bright. Please note: Adams pre-signed a very limited number of copies through the publisher only. As such, these signed copies are instantly collectible and will increase in value, as ALL of Adams' signed books have. This is surely an accessible and lovely alternative. A rare signed copy thus. Lavishly illustrated with tonal plates. Robert Adams' "What We Bought: The New West" was selected as one of the greatest photography books in "The Photobook". One of the greatest photographers of our time. A fine collectible copy. (SEE ALSO OTHER ROBERT ADAMS TITLE IN OUR CATALOG) ISBN 3958296815. Signed by Author.

Seller Inventory # 23815

Soft cover. Condition: Fine. 1st Edition. 1st Printing. 114 pages. Published in 1974. Rare VIVA Magazine, Shep Messing, and Jim French collectible item. A fine copy of VIVA Magazine's December 1974 Issue. The Landmark Second Issue. The first and only edition. Published in a small and limited print run as a softcover original only that sold out upon publication. There is no ISBN. The Magazine Issue is now rare. Presents VIVA Magazine's Second Issue. The single most - perhaps, the only - collectible Issue of the short-lived magazine. That's because it features Shep Messing, the ruggedly handsome and sexy American football actor, in terrific full-frontal nudes, including a semi-erect shot. This was a rare coup for VIVA Magazine because Shep Messing was also coveted and sought after by Playgirl. But VIVA got to him first by paying him more, a lot more, reportedly $5000, which was an incredible sum and record for a male nude model at the time and as a matter of fact, even by today's standards. There was a very good reason for that: Shep Messing is probably known to and remembered mostly by older, mostly male football fans today. But in his time, he was it, one of the most celebrated and highest-paid athletes, who pioneered the celebrity endorsement of All-American brands. Appearing in VIVA was a radical and daring departure from his super-clean mainstream image that Messing cultivated but must have felt constrained by: That it was not who he really was. So it is surely ironic that he will probably be remembered for his equally pioneering VIVA exposure that most, if not all, athletes today would shy away from and shun. VIVA Magazine billed itself as "The International Magazine For Women", as if Vogue and Harper's Bazaar did not exist, in its abortive attempt to compete against Playgirl Magazine. As this Issue alone will show, it was actually superior to Playgirl in terms of design, production values, and editorial content, channeling its Penthouse Magazine legacy credentials. Perhaps it was too "classy" for its intended audience, women and gay men, who wanted their male nudes grittier instead of the glossy, Penthouse-inspired look that VIVA promoted. The Issue also has a magnificent "Beautiful Bodies" multi-page photospread by Jim French, which includes, coincidentally, a lovely nude image of Tony Stephano - he is NOT identified -, the Foxylady Magazine breakthrough model, among other beauties. An absolute "must-have" title for VIVA Magazine, Shep Messing, and Jim French collectors. This title is a classic erotic art photography Issue. This is one of very few copies still available online and despite its age, is in fine condition overall: Clean, crisp, and bright. It is the single most beautiful copy we have ever seen. Please note: Copies available online are in very poor condition. This is surely an accessible and lovely alternative. A rare copy thus. Lavishly illustrated with color plates. A fine copy. (SEE ALSO FOXYLADY AND PLAYGIRL MAGAZINE ISSUES IN OUR CATALOG). no.

Seller Inventory # 23810

Soft cover. Condition: Fine. 1st Edition. 1st Printing. 112 pages. Published in 1975. Rare Foxylady Magazine and Tony Stephano collectible item. A fine copy of Foxylady Magazine's February 1975 Issue. The Landmark Second Issue. The first and only edition. Published in a small and limited print run as a softcover original only that sold out upon publication. There is no ISBN. The Magazine Issue is now rare. Presents Foxylady Magazine's Second Issue. The single most - perhaps, the only - collectible Issue of the short-lived magazine, which lasted for about one year, in 1975. That's because it features Tony Stephano, the irresistibly handsome and sexy Hollywood actor, on the Cover and in terrific full-frontal nudes. This was a rare coup for Foxylady Magazine because Tony Stephano was also coveted and sought after by Playgirl, against which it tried to compete by also branding itself as "Entertainment For Women". Just as VIVA Magazine also attempted, and just as in vain. But just this once, Foxylady outfoxed Playgirl, by paying Stephano more, in what was reportedly a record sum for a male nude model at the time and as a matter of fact, even by today's standards. Tony Stephano was already an established actor when he agreed to pose for Foxylady Magazine, and therefore commanded a hefty premium price that Playgirl could not possibly match (given its $1000 flat fee at the time, according to one of its models, Sam Jones/"Andrew Cooper III" of "Flash Gordon" fame). The Issue also features a young, handsome, and extremely well-endowed model named "Andrei", from Chicago, the magazine's HQ. An absolute "must-have" title for Foxylady Magazine and Tony Stephano collectors. This title is a classic erotic art photography Issue. As far as we know, this is the only copy of the Magazine Issue available online and is in fine condition overall: Every single internal page is clean, crisp, and bright. It is the single most beautiful copy we have ever seen. Please note: Copies that occasionally turn up online are in very poor condition (because they were pored over repeatedly). This is surely an accessible and lovely alternative. A rare copy thus. Lavishly illustrated with color plates. A fine copy. (SEE ALSO VIVA AND PLAYGIRL MAGAZINE ISSUES IN OUR CATALOG). no.

Seller Inventory # 23809

Soft cover. Condition: Fine. 1st Edition. 1st Printing. 170 pages. Published in 1978. Rare High Times Magazine, Truman Capote, Andy Warhol, and Peter Beard collectible item. A near-fine copy of the legendary and enduring magazine's December 1978 Double Holiday Issue. The first and only edition. Published in a small and limited one-time-only print run as a softcover magazine only. There is no ISBN. The Magazine Issue is now very rare. Presents High Times Magazine's Holiday Double Issue. Features Truman Capote (as older stand-in for kids) and Andy Warhol (as Santa Claus) on the Cover and a lovely Special Feature within. The latter is "A Christmas Carol", with lyrics by Truman Capote and original design by Andy Warhol. Capote insists he does not want anything for himself for Christmas. But he has a very long Wish List for personalities, celebrities, and nemeses for Santa, notably a sex-change operation of Jacqueline Kennedy and an ambassadorship for Gore Vidal to Paraguay, where Capote hopes he stays forever. This marks not only their very first - and only - appearance in High Times Magazine, but their very first - and only - Magazine Cover Appearance together anywhere. The Issue also has a rare, fascinating, and illuminating Interview with Peter Beard, the late great photographer/artist/writer/bohemian/pioneering environmentalist, then largely unknown to the American public, but one of the living heroes of High Times Magazine, the enduring advocacy magazine by "High Society". High, that is, on marijuana, whose acceptance has finally come in our time. An absolute "must-have" title for High Times Magazine, Truman Capote, Andy Warhol, and Peter Beard collectors. This title is a great Issue. It is very prominently and beautifully facsimile-signed (pre-printed) on their Contribution by Truman Capote and Andy Warhol, something they have never done before. As far as we know, this is the only copy of the High Times Magazine Holiday Double Issue available online and despite its imperfection (slight wear on cover, but it's there) is still in near-fine condition overall: Well-preserved, clean, crisp, and bright. It is the single most beautiful copy we have ever seen. Now protected in its own plastic sheet for posterity. A rare copy thus. Lavishly illustrated with photographic plates. A fine copy. no.

Seller Inventory # 23811

Hardcover. Condition: As New. Dust Jacket Condition: As New. 1st Edition. 1st Printing. 417 pages. Published in 2014. New Special Edition of the author's masterpiece. One of the greatest books of the 20th century. The 2014 First Deluxe Slipcased Edition. Precedes and should not be confused with all other subsequent printings, of which there are innumerable. Published in a small and limited first print run as a Slipcased Facsimile Edition that sold out upon publication. The First Edition Thus is now itself rare. Re-presents, in a lovely Deluxe Edition, Gabriel Garcia Marquez's "Cien Anos de Soledad" in the magisterial English translation by Gregory Rabassa. A touchstone of English translation of Latin-American literature that the author himself hailed, effusively and gratefully, as superior to his original. "The greatest revelation in the Spanish language since 'Don Quixote' of Cervantes" (Pablo Neruda). "The first piece of literature since the 'Book of Genesis' that should be required reading for the entire human race. Garcia Marquez has done nothing less than to create in the reader a sense of all that is profound, meaningful, and meaningless in life" (William Kennedy). An absolute "must-have" title for Gabriel Garcia Marquez collectors. This title is one of the greatest novels ever written. This is one of very few copies of the 2014 First Deluxe Slipcased Edition/First Printing still available online, is still in the publisher's original shrinkwrap, and is in especially fine condition: Clean, crisp, and bright. Please note: Precedes and should NOT be confused with all other subsequent printings. Copies of the 1970 First Hardcover Edition command several thousands of dollars, regardless of condition, rightly so. Copies of this Special Edition available online have serious flaws (because of shoddy handling on the publisher's part or because they were read) yet command between $300 and $400. This is surely an accessible and lovely alternative. A rare copy thus. Winner of the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1982. One of the greatest writers of the 20th century. A fine collectible copy. (SEE ALSO OTHER GABRIEL GARCIA MARQUEZ TITLES IN OUR CATALOG) ISBN 0062380443. no.

Seller Inventory # 23808

Hardcover. Condition: Fine. Dust Jacket Condition: Fine. 1st Edition. 1st Printing. Signed. 260 pages. Published in 2019. The author's fifth novel. The eagerly-anticipated sequel to Andre Aciman's "Call Me By Your Name" (2007). The First Hardcover Edition. Precedes and should not be confused with all other subsequent editions, particularly copies that are signed on a tipped-in page. Published in a regular first print run as a hardcover original only. Presents Andre Aciman's "Find Me". "Rebound" love, the marital "placebo"/"I really care about you" love, and the elusive Real Thing, true love, described in ecstatic yet elegiac prose, as the only serious American novelist on romantic love of our time could pull it off. Despite its expansive range, it is about the same length (260 pages) as "Call Me By Your Name", quickened even more by substantial dialogue. The novel is in four intertwined set pieces of unequal length, inspired by and patterned after Aciman's beloved Bach and Classical music: "Tempo", the longest section, about Elio's father, who was un-named - and who died - in the original novel, but is resurrected and is known here as Samuel/Sami; "Cadenza", about a more mature yet no less vulnerable Elio, embarked on a new, accelerated romance that also opens him up to his Jewish roots; "Capriccio", about married, domesticated Oliver wrestling with his irrepressible bisexual longings; and a brief, perfect coda, "Da Capo". The theme of each section is The Search, for one's true love, for personal redemption, and for the truth about one's life: I need you to find me, but I also need to find myself. "Da Capo" is demanding because it represents Aciman's attempt to emulate music, the music of Bach no less, as it is written in two contrapuntal voices, Oliver's and Elio's, weaving in and out of each other, without breaks, with no crutch afforded the reader whatsoever, who must read each and every music-like line carefully to follow it. A tour-de-force, it contains Aciman's most thrilling virtuoso-writing ever about the bliss and exalted state of romantic love when, at last, it too is found. If you loved "Call Me By Your Name", whether the novel or its great film adaptation, you have to read "Find Me", which is even more challenging and rewarding. An absolute "must-have" title for Andre Aciman collectors. This copy is very boldly and beautifully signed in blue ink-pen on the half-title page by Andre Aciman. It is signed directly on the page itself, not on a tipped-in page, as copies available online are. It comes with a rare copy of the lovely, page-long Souvenir Excerpt from "Find Me" (that was issued by 92nd Street NYC to celebrate the novel's release). This title is a contemporary classic. As far as we know, this is the only such signed copy (with Souvenir Material) of the First Hardcover Edition/First Printing available online and is in especially fine condition: Clean, crisp, and bright. A rare signed copy thus. Andre Aciman's "Call Me By Your Name" is regarded as a classic by Colm Toibin. One of the greatest writers of our time. A fine copy. (SEE ALSO OTHER ANDRE ACIMAN TITLES IN OUR CATALOG) ISBN 0374155011. Signed by Author.

Seller Inventory # 23805

Hardcover. Condition: Fine. Dust Jacket Condition: Fine. 1st Edition. 1st Printing. 147 pages. Published in 1995. The author's seventh novel to be translated into English. One of Gabriel Garcia Marquez's finest achievements. The first appearance of the title in English and in the United Kingdom. Precedes and should not be confused with all other subsequent editions, of which there are many. Published in a regular first print run as a hardcover original only. The First Edition is now scarce. Presents Gabriel Garcia Marquez's "Del amor y otros demonios" in a felicitous English translation by Edith Grossman. An unsettling and indelible account of a doomed love affair between a seductive young woman and a priest, a coupling that seems to be something of a Latin-American specialty, pointing to the larger theme of the encounter and collision between Indigenous sensuality and erotic desire versus oppressive European refinement and restraint. The American Edition has a different DJ design (by the legendary and infallible Chip Kidd) from the British, and comes in a format that is considerably larger than the latter. However, it should also be noted that this British Edition has a dazzling DJ design, showcasing "La Rosa" by Luis Gonzalez Palma, one of the greatest contemporary portrait-photographs of our time, and as such, is possibly superior to the American despite its slightly smaller dimensions - and more important, is Garcia Marquez's preferred Cover Image. "The agelessness of the human story is told by one of this century's most evocative writers" (Anne Tyler). After many years of various physical illnesses and dementia, Gabriel Garcia Marquez died on April 17, 2014 at the age of 87. "A great man has died, one whose works gave the literature of our language great reach and prestige" (Mario Vargas Llosa). An absolute "must-have" title for Gabriel Garcia Marquez collectors. This title is a great book. This is one of few copies of the First Hardcover Edition/First Printing (British) still available online and is in especially fine condition: Clean, crisp, and bright. Please note: Copies available online have serious flaws or are in multiple subsequent printings. This is surely an accessible and lovely alternative. A scarce copy thus. Winner of the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1982. One of the greatest writers of the 20th century. A fine copy. (SEE ALSO OTHER GABRIEL GARCIA MARQUEZ TITLES IN OUR CATALOG) ISBN 039428108X. no.

Seller Inventory # 23807

Hardcover. Condition: As New. Dust Jacket Condition: As New. 1st Edition. 1st Printing. Signed. 265 pages. Published in 2008. Retrospective collection of photographs. The most sumptuously beautiful book on the photographic art and achievement of Cy Twombly. The First Hardcover Edition. Precedes and should not be confused with all other subsequent editions. Published in a small and limited first print run as a hardcover edition only. A magnificent production by Schirmer/Mosel: Oversize-volume format. A tall and thick book. Pictorial silk cloth boards with titles on cover and spine, as issued. Photographs by Cy Twombly. Essay by Laszlo Glozer, which is brilliant. Printed on pristine-white, thick uncoated ("matte") stock paper by EBS in Verona, Italy to the highest standards. The reproduction quality is outstanding in every respect. In matching pictorial DJ, with titles on the cover and spine, and very large flaps, as issued. Presents Cy Twombly's "Photographs 1951-2007". The one indispensable retrospective volume on his five-decade-plus yet determinedly intimate photographic oeuvre: The essential fulfillment, not merely a continuation or revival, of the great, meditative Pictorialist tradition. The latter's immanent strength is given renewed energy and relevance by the artist's sheer grit and genius for our restless, unhappy time. His work is unlike the outward-looking tendency of even the most introspective professional photographers, which Twombly is decidedly not. He is a painter and does not - could simply not - take photographs like Robert Frank, Avedon, Irving Penn, or Martin Parr today, all of whom, despite their wildly divergent personal styles, deliver crisp, sharp, even hard-edged imagery that have developed, defined, and perfected photography's lapidary "look" aesthetic. Instead, Twombly's photographic images - shots of his chaotic working studio, details of statuary, unfinished sculptures from his collection, blurred landscapes, vaguely erotic flowers - are esoteric, in the most uncompromising, even elitist sense. A special dry-print process (the legendary Atelier Fresson patented technique) bathes these images with a velvety-soft, velvety-smooth, translucent quality. The effect: "They resonate with echoes of the glorious past at the same time that they are contemporary, and make use of the best techniques that the present has to offer, resulting in works of the most luminous and delicate beauty. On the stage of today's art, they touch long-lost chords" (Publisher's blurb). Twombly is an iconic yet profoundly anomalous figure, an artist who is both somehow engaged in and imperturbably detached from contemporary, so-called "urgent issues and concerns": "He wants to produce an effect, but at the same time, he couldn't care less" (Roland Barthes). "If I try to imagine the art of our time without his exceedingly human presence in it, I feel a global chill" (Peter Schjeldahl). An absolute "must-have" title for Cy Twombly collectors. This copy is very boldly and beautifully signed in black ink-pen on top of the title page by Cy Twombly. It is signed directly on the page itself, not on a tipped-in page. This title is a great art and photography book. As far as we know, this is the only such signed copy of the First Hardcover Edition/First Printing available online and is in especially fine condition: Clean, crisp, and bright. Please note: Signed Cy Twomblys are rare because he had lived in Rome since 1957, coming to Lexington, Virginia for occasional visits only as his health and schedule permitted. A rare signed copy thus. Lavishly illustrated with color plates. One of the greatest artists of the 20th century and our time. A fine collectible copy. ISBN 3829603681. Signed by Author.

Seller Inventory # 23804

Hardcover. Condition: Fine. Dust Jacket Condition: Fine. 1st Edition. 1st Printing. Signed. 208 pages. Published in 1956. Full Screenplay of the author's film adaptation. The most controversial film of Tennessee Williams' controversial career. The First Hardcover Edition. Precedes and should not be confused with all other subsequent editions, of which there are several. Published in a small and limited first print run by New Directions as a hardcover original only. There is no ISBN. The First Edition is now rare. Presents, in its true First Edition format, Tennessee Williams' "Baby Doll". Condemned, and eventually banned in many states, as NO other Tennessee Williams outing ever was. The right-wing hysteria was over both implied and perceived pedophilia. Specifically, that the sexualized, "barely legal" Baby Doll - who is never given a proper name - is permanently caged in a crib while asleep ostensibly because her bankrupt husband has no other furniture. Which begs the question, How did he come to own a crib? Baby Doll dutifully explains in due course. Second, that the scenes between his rival, "The Sicilian" cotton gin owner, and Baby Doll, were framed and filmed in such a way that he appears to be caressing and fondling her "below what's visible on screen". If you can trust the Roman Catholic Church's luridly over-active imagination on that. Giving credit where credit is due, Elia Kazan was indeed mainly responsible for the immense critical and financial success of Tennessee Williams' theatre and film careers. He prodded - and worked closely with - Williams to adapt for film two of the playwright's promising one-act plays, "27 Wagons Full of Cotton" and "The Long Stay Cut Short, Or The Unsatisfactory Supper". The texts of both plays appear in their entirety in this volume, inviting - and rewarding - comparison and contrast with their inspired, transcendent adaptation as "Baby Doll". The role of Silva Vaccaro ("The Sicilian") marks Eli Wallach's brilliant film debut. At first, Wallach hesitated, as he felt that his training for dramatic stage acting was incompatible with film. He went on to have a long and distinguished career as a great film character actor. Carroll Baker's career-defining performance was nominated for an Oscar, vindicating Williams' risk-taking decision to choose her over Marilyn Monroe. She will be remembered as "Baby Doll" for posterity. An absolute "must-have" title for Tennessee Williams collectors. This copy is very boldly and beautifully signed in black ink-pen on top of the title page by Tennessee Williams. It is signed directly on the page itself, not on a tipped-in page. This was Charles John Muto's personal copy, whose elegant bookplate is neatly pasted on the inside front cover, discreetly hidden from view by the front DJ flap. Muto was one of Tennessee Williams' earliest and most steadfast supporters, and obtained the signature in person. This title is a great book. As far as we know, this is the only such signed copy of the First Hardcover Edition/First Printing available online and despite its imperfection (slight wear and one scrape on the DJ corner) is still in fine condition overall: Clean, crisp, and bright. Worth noting is that this copy is NOT price-clipped, which most copies available online are. Please note: Tennessee Williams did NOT tour to promote the book. So signed copies will always be rare. Copies available online have very serious flaws, not just price-clipped, or are in multiple subsequent printings. This is surely an accessible and lovely alternative. A rare signed copy thus. The greatest American playwright of the 20th century. A fine collectible copy. (SEE ALSO OTHER TENNESSEE WILLIAMS TITLES IN OUR CATALOG). Signed by Author.

Seller Inventory # 23803

Soft cover. Condition: Fine. 1st Edition. 1st Printing. Signed. 1 pages. Published in 1966. Rare Truman Capote collectible piece. A fine copy of the original, actual advertisement, NOT a contemporary digital copy print, of the author appearing on behalf of U. S. News And World Report, signed by Truman Capote. The advertisement is "blow-up" oversize, at 10 X 14 inches. Features the author in a closeup portrait-photograph: A pensive-looking Truman Capote, post-"In Cold Blood" triumph, at the height of his global renown. There is very minimal text printed at the bottom. As such, it is designed for and is eminently suitable for framing. Printed on archival stock paper in the United States. The reproduction quality is exemplary in every respect: It has lost almost none of its sepia-toned clarity and warmth when it first appeared. Without DJ, as issued. Presents "Truman Capote: U. S. New And World Report Advertisement". Marks the very first appearance of Truman Capote on behalf of the legendary publication. The text underneath Capote's vast portrait simply states: "We spare our readers unimportant news. We spare our advertisers unimportant readers". Meaning, the publication and Capote matter as serious subjects. Furthermore, that Truman Capote is an important reader himself, worth reaching by advertisers. For all of his private and public troubles, Truman Capote mattered throughout his literary and public life - and posthumously, too. ALL of his books, not just "In Cold Blood", are in innumerable subsequent printings, and have remained in print uninterruptedly. This is surely and mainly because "In Cold Blood" is the most important and influential book of its kind ever written in the 20th century. Capote himself called it the "first nonfiction novel". Norman Mailer, on the one hand, and Joan Didion, on the other, emulated its ground-breaking techniques to write their own masterpieces. An absolute "must-have" collectible, not just memorabilia, piece for Truman Capote collectors. This copy of the U. S. News And World Report Advertisement is very prominently, neatly, and beautifully signed in blue fountain pen on recto (underneath his portrait) by Truman Capote. It is signed directly on the advertisement itself, not on a tipped-in page or bookplate. This piece is highly collectible. As far as we know, this is the only such signed copy of it available online and is in remarkably well-preserved condition: Clean, crisp, and bright. Keep in mind that this is ephemera, most copies of which have vanished. It is the only signed copy we have ever found or will ever find. A rare, one-of-a-kind signed copy thus. Truman Capote's "In Cold Blood" is regarded by Harold Bloom as the author's canonical masterpiece. One of the greatest writers of the 20th century. A fine collectible copy. (SEE ALSO OTHER TRUMAN CAPOTE TITLES IN OUR CATALOG). Signed by Author.

Seller Inventory # 23802

Soft cover. Condition: Fine. 1st Edition. 1st Printing. Signed. 665 pages. Published in 2010. The author's breakthrough second novel. One of the best novels of and for our time. The true First Edition. Precedes and should not be confused with all other subsequent editions, including the single-volume edition that was originally intended for the British Export Market only. Published in a small and limited first print run as a slipcased three-volume softcover original only. The First Edition is now scarce. The book is ingeniously conceived and produced as such, mimicking children's and young adult's serialized novels, in keeping with its subject. Presents, in its true First Edition format, Paul Murray's "Skippy Dies". With each consecutive volume individually subtitled: Volume One, "Hopeland"; Volume Two, "Heartland"; and Volume Three, "Ghostland And Afterland". Murray daringly abolishes conventional suspense starting with his very title. Now, death is NOT a suitable subject for teenagers, much less grownups, these days. But here it is, Paul Murray's challenge to established narrative formulas - not just in books, but in ALL other media, especially film - whose underlying "message" is, and will always be: "The Hero Never Dies". Instead: "Why does Skippy, a fourteen-year-old boy at Dublin's venerable Seabrook College, end up dead on the floor of the local doughnut shop? Could it have something to do with his friend Ruprecht Van Doren, an overweight genius who is determined to open a portal into a parallel universe using ten-dimensional string theory? Could it involve Carl, the teenage drug dealer and borderline psychotic, who is Skippy's rival in love? Why Skippy dies and what happens next is the subject of this dazzling and uproarious novel. A heartfelt, hilarious portrait of the pain, joy, and occasional beauty of adolescence, and a tragic depiction of a world always happy to sacrifice its weakest members" (Publisher's blurb). An absolute "must-have" title for Paul Murray collectors. This copy is very prominently, neatly, and beautifully signed in black ink-pen on the title page of Volume One by Paul Murray. It is signed directly on the page itself, not on a tipped-in page. This title is a great book. This is one of few such signed copies of the Slipcased First Edition/First Printing still available online and is in especially fine condition: Clean, crisp, and bright. Please note: Precedes and should NOT be confused with the single-volume edition. A rare signed copy thus. Longlisted for the Booker Prize in 2010 for "Skippy Dies". One of the most brilliant writers of our time. A fine collectible copy. ISBN 0241141826. Signed by Author.

Seller Inventory # 23800

Hardcover. Condition: As New. 1st Edition. 1st Printing. Signed. 256 pages. Published in 2017. Archive of the author's private diaries, presented as an Artist Book. One of the most brilliantly conceived and realized Artist Books of our time: A portrait of David Sedaris as Surrealist collage artist and collector. The First Hardcover Edition. Precedes and should not be confused with all other subsequent editions. Published in a small and limited first print run as a hardcover original only. Edited and assembled by Jeffrey Jenkins in close collaboration with David Sedaris. The production values are outstanding in every respect. Without DJ, as issued. Presents "David Sedaris Diaries: A Visual Compendium". In effect, the corollary volume/art book to his literary collections. "A remarkable illustrated volume of artwork and images selected from the diaries David Sedaris has been creating for four decades. In this richly illustrated book, readers will for the first time experience the diaries David Sedaris has kept for nearly 40 years in the elaborate, three-dimensional, collaged style of the originals. A celebration of the unexpected in the everyday, the beautiful, and the grotesque, this visual compendium offers unique insight into the author's view of the world and stands as a striking and collectible volume in itself. Compiled and edited by Sedaris' longtime friend Jeffrey Jenkins, and including interactive components, postcards, and never-before-seen photos and artwork, this is a necessary addition to any Sedaris collection, and will enthrall the author's fans for many years to come" (Publisher's blurb). That should be the case, of course, and will happen eventually, with the help of this beautifully produced and sumptuous volume. But it is also probably going to be a challenge to some Sedaris fans, who are primarily reader/listeners, of a very specific kind: Satire, humor, family lore. Literary types are not necessarily artist types, and vice versa. This volume, however, will richly reward those who keep an open mind. An absolute "must-have" title for David Sedaris collectors. This copy is very boldly and beautifully signed in black pen-marker on the title page by David Sedaris. It is signed directly on the page itself, not on a tipped-in page. He also added an uncannily realistic rendition of Snoopy, the iconic Peanuts thinking dog, above his signature. This title is a great Artist Book. As far as we know, this is the only such signed copy (with Original Drawing) of the First Hardcover Edition/First Printing available online and is in especially fine condition: Clean, crisp, and bright. Please note: Copies available online have serious flaws (due to the publisher mishandling and poor packing of a weighty book) or are remainder-marked. This is surely an accessible and lovely alternative. A rare signed copy thus. Lavishly illustrated with a cornucopia of visual materials. One of the most brilliant American writers of our time. A fine collectible copy. (SEE ALSO OTHER DAVID SEDARIS TITLES IN OUR CATALOG) ISBN 0316431710. Signed by Author.

Seller Inventory # 23799

Hardcover. Condition: As New. Dust Jacket Condition: As New. 1st Edition. 1st Printing. Signed. 375 pages. Published in 2002. The author's "Dante" novel. Nick Tosches' finest achievement as a literary novelist and obsessive Dante scholar. Review Copy. Review Material laid-in. It is lavish, at ten pages long, making it one of the most detailed Review Materials we have ever seen. The First Hardcover Edition. Precedes and should not be confused with all other subsequent editions. Published in a regular first print run as a hardcover original only. Presents Nick Tosches' "In The Hand of Dante". His version of the irresolvable tension between The Sacred and The Profane. "Tosches boldly casts himself as the protagonist in his novel, an outrageously ambitious book in which he procures a purloined version of the original manuscript of 'The Divine Comedy' while tracing Dante's journey as Dante struggled to complete his penultimate work. The initial chapters find Tosches looking back and questioning the results of his own fascinating life and career, with a brief but devastating aside about the decline of publishing. But Tosches suddenly emerges from his nostalgia when a former character named Louie (a gangster from 'Cut Numbers') gets his hands on a stolen copy of Dante's manuscript and asks Tosches to authenticate it. That sends the author on a whirlwind tour to Arizona, Chicago, Paris, and London as he tries to verify the work and determine its worth on the open market. The author's admiration for Dante as a creative force results in a number of compelling passages" (Publishers Weekly). "Synthesizing history and biography with contemporary murder and mayhem to create an exotic meal of a book, albeit one for strong stomachs, the book alternates between two different worlds: 14th-century Italy, where Dante Alighieri searches for the perfect inspiration to complete his masterwork, and 21st-century New York, where murderous thugs seek to profit from the recently unearthed manuscript, thought to be lost to the ages. What makes the novel special is Tosches himself, who examines his own life, weary philosophy, and creative inspiration. As with every Tosches book, a reader's willingness to embrace the Dark Side, and all that it entails, is essential. Behind the grunge lies a fascinating study of the power of writing" (Marc Kloszewski). As a true believer in the novel - as a "barge" that can load up and keep afloat anything and everything within its pages - but direly depends upon the particular novelist's grit and genius, Nick Tosches' contemporary kindred spirit and practitioner is the former poet Michael Ondaatje, who abandoned his original calling in favor of the novel for precisely the genre's comprehensive reach, weight, and depth. An absolute "must-have" title for Nick Tosches collectors. This is a Review Copy. The lavish, ten-page-long Review Material is laid-in. It is very prominently and beautifully signed, placed, and dated (shortly after publication) in purple pen-marker on the title page by the author: "Nick Tosches Boston 9/02". It is signed directly on the page itself, not on a tipped-in page. This title is a great cult classic, and will become canonical. As far as we know, this is the only such signed, post-publication dated, and placed Review Copy of the First Hardcover Edition/First Printing available online and is in especially fine condition: Clean, crisp, and bright. It is the single most beautiful signed copy we have ever seen. A rare signed copy thus. One of the most brilliant writers of the 20th century and our time. A fine collectible copy. (SEE ALSO OTHER NICK TOSCHES TITLES IN OUR CATALOG) ISBN 0316895245. Signed by Author.

Seller Inventory # 23801

Hardcover. Condition: As New. 1st Edition. 1st Printing. Signed. 86 pages. Published in 2018. Exhibition Catalog. One of the most beautiful books on the painterly art and achievement of Stanley Whitney. The first and only edition. Published in a small and limited print run as a hardcover original only. A brilliant production by Lisson Gallery NYC: Oversize-volume format. Pristine-white softer cloth boards with red titles embossed on the cover and spine, as issued. Art by Stanley Whitney. Text by Andrianna Campbell, which is illuminating. Printed on pristine-white, thick coated stock paper in the United Kingdom to the highest standards. The reproduction quality is exemplary in every respect. Without DJ, as issued. Published on the occasion of the landmark retrospective exhibition of the same name held at Lisson Gallery New York City in 2018. Presents Stanley Whitney's "In The Color". Beguiling, vivid, and sensuous work that adapts the Mondrian Grid to suit his singular purpose and to stunning, iridescent effect. "An investigation into Stanley Whitney's profound relationship to color and its spatial effects throughout his career. Color inspires and informs the work of New York artist Stanley Whitney, whose paintings explore the many possibilities created by the tessellation and juxtaposition of irregular rectangles in varying shades of strength and subtlety. Within the composition of these adjacent nodes, a structure that fluctuates between freedom and constraint, between endless open fields and controlled boundaries is ultimately a play between complementing and competing areas of color" (Publisher's blurb). Stanley Whitney works at the rigorous, high standard and level of execution that are worthy of comparison with the greatest colorists in the Western tradition: Matisse, on the one hand, and Howard Hodgkin, on the other, to name only two of his great predecessors. Still, while Whitney himself emphasizes his artistic debt and intimate connection to Western painting, it is surely not accidental that his passionate engagement with color - as well as form, that is to say, "in the color", not merely in color - also owes to his African-American heritage, immanently accessible to him as a given strength: His is "lively" art refined and elevated to an exalted, near-pure abstraction. An absolute "must-have" title for Stanley Whitney collectors. This copy is very boldly and beautifully signed in black pen-marker on the title page by Stanley Whitney. It is signed directly on the page itself, not on a tipped-in page. This title is a contemporary classic. As far as we know, this is the only such signed copy of the Exhibition Catalog available online and is in especially fine condition: Clean, crisp, and bright. A rare signed copy thus. Lavishly illustrated with color plates. One of the most brilliant artists of our time. A fine collectible copy. ISBN 0947830723. Signed by Author.

Seller Inventory # 23798

Hardcover. Condition: As New. Dust Jacket Condition: As New. 1st Edition. 1st Printing. Signed. 225 pages. Published in 1999. The author's "Apocalypse" novel. One of David Plante's finest achievements. The First Hardcover Edition. Precedes and should not be confused with all other subsequent editions. Published in a small and limited first print run as a hardcover original only. Presents David Plante's "The Age of Terror". His most ambitious, and fittingly, most openly Catholic, novel. Dedicated to fellow novelist, Mary Gordon. "Set in the seamy world of the Russian sex slave trade, this is the harrowing story of Joe, a disillusioned young American expatriate and lapsed Catholic, who searches for life's meaning in the Soviet Union on the eve of its disintegration. Plante plays brilliantly with our assumptions of both the United States and Russia, and ultimately proclaims a universal theme of sacredness and redemption" (Publisher's blurb). An absolute "must-have" title for David Plante collectors. This copy is very prominently and beautifully signed, dated (shortly after publication), and inscribed in black ink-pen on the title page by the author: "With all bright wishes on [followed by arrow pointing to the title] The Age of Terror [followed by another arrow pointing to] from the, alas, grownup David Plante April 2001". It is signed directly on the page itself, not on a tipped-in page. The recipient, who is named, was one of the author's close personal friends. This title is a contemporary classic. This is the only such signed, post-publication dated, and inscribed copy of the First Hardcover Edition/First Printing available online and is in especially fine condition: Clean, crisp, and bright. Please note: David Plante is an anomalous character: An expatriate most of his adult writing life, he was both reclusive and sociable at the same time. He did NOT do public signings. Signed copies of his books come pre-signed from his publishers or signed and inscribed for friends, colleagues, and fellow artists and writers. A rare signed copy thus. One of the most brilliant writers of the 20th century and our time. A fine copy. (SEE ALSO OTHER DAVID PLANTE TITLES IN OUR CATALOG) ISBN 0312198248. Signed by Author.

Seller Inventory # 23795

Hardcover. Condition: Fine. Dust Jacket Condition: Fine. 1st Edition. 1st Printing. 320 pages. Published in 2016. The author's breakthrough novel, and masterpiece. One of the greatest novels of the 20th century. The first appearance of the title in English and in the United Kingdom. Precedes and should not be confused with all other subsequent editions, particularly the American Edition, which was published one year later. Published in a small and limited first print run as a hardcover original only. The First Edition is now scarce. Presents, in its First Edition format, Gerard Reve's "De Avonden" in a felicitous and acclaimed translation by Sam Garrett. Better (very) late than never: First published in 1947, during the bleak postwar years, or about seventy years ago (as of 2016 release date), here, at long last, the masterwork that the Dutch have been telling us about. "Twenty-three-year-old Frits - office worker, daydreamer, teller of inappropriate jokes - finds life absurd and inexplicable. He lives with his parents, who drive him mad. He has terrible, disturbing dreams of death and destruction. Sometimes, he talks to a toy rabbit. This is the story of ten evenings in Frits' life at the end of December, as he drinks, smokes, sees friends, aimlessly wanders the gloomy city street, and tries to make sense of the minutes, hours, and days that stretch before him. Takes the tiny, quotidian triumphs and heartbreaks of our everyday lives and turns them into a work of profound beauty" (Publisher's blurb). Complements, even expands upon - but does not surpass - the somewhat brighter, wittier, and heartbreakingly beautiful "Amsterdam Stories" of Nescio, the Dutch Master who likewise proposed that the only substantial and appropriate response to modern life is dedicated non-conformism, as a vocation in and of itself. An absolute "must-have" title for Gerard Reve collectors. This title is a great book. It comes with a fine copy of Gerard Reve's "Childhood: Two Novellas" as a bonus and necessary supplement. This is one of very few copies of the First Hardcover Edition/First Printing (British) still available online and is in especially fine condition: Clean, crisp, and bright. Please note: Precedes and should NOT be confused with the American Edition, which was published one year later. A rare copy thus. One of the greatest writers of the 20th century. A fine set. ISBN 1782271783. no.

Seller Inventory # 23797

Hardcover. Condition: Fine. Dust Jacket Condition: Fine. 1st Edition. 1st Printing. Signed. 244 pages. Published in 2005. The author's concise biography on subject. One of the best books on Ludwig Van Beethoven ever written in and for our time. The First Hardcover Edition. Precedes and should not be confused with all other subsequent editions. Published in a small and limited first print run as a hardcover original only, and as part of the indispensable "Eminent Lives" Series. The First Edition is now scarce. Presents Edmund Morris' "Beethoven: The Universal Composer". That is, the very first composer in the history of Western civilization to compose with all of Mankind, with all of his fellow human beings, in mind. For layman and professional musician alike, this is one of the most engaging, moving, and simply brilliant books ever written on its monumental subject - and succinctly at that, not a word wasted. "Above all, a study of genius in action, of one of the few giants of Western culture" (Publisher's blurb). "His book is a perfect marriage - or should one say, duet - of subject and author, every word as masterly as the notes of the artist it illuminates" (Christopher Buckley). "This is not just criticism, but poetry in itself, with the additional, and inestimable, merit of being true" (Washington Post). An absolute "must-have" title for Ludwig Van Beethoven and Edmund Morris collectors. This copy is very prominently and beautifully signed, dated (in the month and year of publication), and inscribed in black ink-pen on the title page by the author: "With best wishes, Edmund Morris. Oct. 2005". It is signed directly on the page itself, not on a tipped-in page. The recipient, who is named, is personally known to the author and cannot be named here at their request. This copy comes with a lovely 4 X 6 inch Bookplate (that is neatly pasted on the front free endpaper), also very boldly and beautifully signed in black pen-marker by Jonas Kauffmann, the greatest tenor of our time, and a Beethoven specialist. This title is a contemporary classic. As far as we know, this is the only such signed, publication-month dated, and inscribed copy (with Signed Bookplate) of the First Hardcover Edition/First Printing available online and is in especially fine condition: Clean, crisp, and bright. Please note: Copies available online have serious flaws (because they were avidly read) or are in multiple subsequent printings. This is surely an accessible and lovely alternative. A rare double-signed copy thus. One of the finest writers of our time on the second greatest composer of all time. A fine collectible copy. ISBN 0060759747. Signed by Author.

Seller Inventory # 23796

Hardcover. Condition: Fine. Dust Jacket Condition: Fine. 1st Edition. 1st Printing. Signed. 140 pages. Published in 1984. Full text of the author/playwright's play. One of Reynolds Price's finest achievements. Review Copy. Review Materials laid-in. The First Hardcover Edition. Precedes and should not be confused with all other subsequent editions. Published in a small and limited first print run as a hardcover original only. Presents Reynolds Price's "Private Contentment: A Play". Which title is ironic: Severe public and private traumas collide in the life of a young man about to be dispatched to war. Premiered by American Playhouse on April 27, 1982, and broadcast live on television by PBS, it marks the auspicious and acclaimed performance of the young Peter Gallagher in the lead role of Logan Melton. The extraordinarily handsome and gifted actor is shown on the DJ Cover, which reproduces the official portrait-photograph by Stathis Orphanos, the legendary photographer and private-label literary publisher. "The present text will provide a parallel experience. With the added advantage of a chance to consider the strength of Price's dramatic architecture and dialogue" (Publisher's blurb). The recording of the PBS broadcast is obtainable, with some difficulty, on VHS tape online, and is collectible in its own right for obvious reasons. An absolute "must-have" title for Reynolds Price and Peter Gallagher collectors. This is a Review Copy. The lovely and elaborate Review Materials are all laid-in. It is very prominently, neatly, and beautifully signed in black ink-pen on the title page by Reynolds Price. It is signed directly on the page itself, not on a tipped-in page. It comes with a pale-yellow 6 X 4 inch Souvenir Card (that is neatly pasted on the front free endpaper), also very boldly and beautifully signed in black ink-pen by Peter Gallagher. This title is a late-modern classic. As far as we know, this is the only such double-signed Review Copy of the First Hardcover Edition/First Printing available online and is in especially fine condition: Clean, crisp, and bright. A rare signed copy thus. One of the greatest writers of the 20th century and our time. A fine copy. ISBN 0689114559. Signed by Author.

Seller Inventory # 23794

Soft cover. Condition: Fine. 1st Edition. 1st Printing. Signed. 120 pages. Published in 1980. Rare Truman Capote, Edmund White, and Robert Mapplethorpe collectible item. A near-fine copy of the After Dark Magazine September 1980 Landmark Issue, signed by Edmund White. The first and only edition. Published in a small and limited print run as a softcover original only. There is no ISBN. The First Edition is now rare. Presents Edmund White's "Truman Capote: Sweating Mirrors". Marks the very first - and only - appearance of the Essay in published form. As such, it is the precursor to Edmund White's full-fledged Essay on Truman Capote, published in 2011 as part of "Sacred Monsters", forty-one years later. The immediate subject at hand is the publication of Capote's "Music For Chameleons", which belied, albeit temporarily, the author's "writer's block" as a result of the ostracism he endured from the "Answered Prayers/La Cote Basque" scandal. As "Music For Chameleons" abundanty established, Capote continued to write, often very well, although he never finished "Answered Prayers". White's Essay-Profile is elegantly poised: Respectful, admiring, and almost deferential yet never obsequious to the (difficult and erratic) Capote, the older, great gay writer to White's considerably younger self. There is a magnificent and memorable portrait-photograph of the two writers seated - tellingly, a bit apart from each other - in Capote's luxurious UN Plaza living room apartment, by the young Robert Mapplethorpe. The portrait has not re-appeared in any other published form. An absolute "must-have" title for Truman Capote, Edmund White, and Robert Mapplethorpe collectors. This copy of After Dark Magazine is very prominently and beautifully signed in black ink-pen on his Contribution by Edmund White. It is signed directly on the page itself, not on a tipped-in page. This Magazine Issue is now highly collectible. As far as we know, this is the only such signed copy of the Issue available online and is in fine condition overall. A rare signed copy thus. Winner of the National Book Critics Circle Award in 1994 for "Genet: A Biography". Anointed by Vladimir Nabokov as his American successor. One of the finest writers of our time. A near-fine copy. (SEE ALSO OTHER EDMUND WHITE AND TRUMAN CAPOTE TITLES IN OUR CATALOG). Signed by Author.

Seller Inventory # 23792

Soft cover. Condition: Fine. 1st Edition. 1st Printing. Signed. 130 pages. Published in 1986. Rare Jean Genet and Edmund White collectible item. A near-fine copy of the Advocate Magazine November 25, 1986 Landmark Issue, signed by Edmund White. The first and only edition. Published in a small and limited print run as a softcover original only. There is no ISBN. The First Edition is now rare. Presents Edmund White's "Jean Genet: Literature's Dark Angel Occupied A World Where The Perverse Became The Rule". Marks the very first - and only - appearance of the Essay in published form. As such, it is the precursor to Edmund White's full-fledged biography of Jean Genet, published in 1993, seven years later. As one will glean from this lucent piece, Edmund White's most notable accomplishment on Genet is that he has written a meticulous, even dense yet readable account, a refreshing antidote to Jean-Paul Sartre's profoundly philosophical but truly unreadable biography, "Saint Genet". According to many critics, there is no 20th-century writer whose prose style is as commanding, as authoritative, and as original as Jean Genet's, with the exception of Marcel Proust and Franz Kafka. That Genet was largely self-taught makes his achievement all the more astonishing. It is just as fascinating that he and Proust, the unparalleled French literary artists of the 20th century, should both be homosexual. White, also homosexual, examines this seeming coincidence, its continuity and discontinuity in the constellation of such great French prose stylists as Andre Gide, Jean Cocteau, and Michel Tournier, the philosopher Michel Foucault, and the cultural critic Roland Barthes, all truly seminal figures, all gay. Homosexuals are dominant in a major European culture, and yet there are never more than 5% to 10% of them, if that, in any given society, including France, according to social scientists. The odds would seem to be against them, and therein lies the paradox that became Jean Genet's unique place in literature, as he was much more openly "gay" than any of his compatriot geniuses. An absolute "must-have" title for Jean Genet and Edmund White collectors. This copy of Advocate Magazine is very prominently and beautifully signed in black ink-pen on his Contribution by Edmund White. It is signed directly on the page itself, not on a tipped-in page. This Magazine Issue is now highly collectible. As far as we know, this is the only such signed copy of the Issue available online and is in fine condition overall. A rare signed copy thus. Winner of the National Book Critics Circle Award in 1994 for "Genet: A Biography". Anointed by Vladimir Nabokov as his American successor. One of the finest writers of our time. A near-fine copy. (SEE ALSO OTHER EDMUND WHITE AND JEAN GENET TITLES IN OUR CATALOG). Signed by Author.

Seller Inventory # 23791

Soft cover. Condition: Fine. 1st Edition. 1st Printing. Signed. 72 pages. Published in 2005. Rare Milton Babbitt collectible item. A fine copy of the Souvenir Program of the Boston Symphony Orchestra 2004/2005 Season Souvenir Program, signed by Milton Babbitt. Pictorial softcovers, as issued. Without DJ, as issued. A rare signature by the late great American composer, obtained on the occasion of the world premiere performance of his "Concerti For Orchestra" by the Boston Symphony Orchestra. Commissioned by BSO, conducted by Music Director James Levine, with the composer in attendance on January 13, 2005. There is a brilliant and illuminating five-page Essay by musicologist Robert Kirzinger - written in consultation with the composer - on the piece and Milton Babbitt's place in contemporary music, if he may deservedly say so himself, accompanied with illustrations. Plus, a lovely group portrait of Babbitt with James Levine and fellow greats Elliott Carter, Charles Wuorinen, and Leon Kirchner, some of whose works were also commissioned and first performed by BSO. A great memento/souvenir of a magnificent historic performance. An absolute "must-have" collectible, not just memorabilia, item for Milton Babbitt collectors. This copy of the Souvenir Program is very prominently, neatly, and beautifully signed and inscribed in black ink-pen on the Program Schedule page by Milton Babbitt. It is signed directly on the page itself, not on a tipped-in page. The recipient, who is named, attended the performance, is a lifelong BSO patron, and cannot be named here at his request. As far as we know, this is the only such signed and inscribed copy of this historic program available online and is in especially fine condition: Clean, crisp, and bright. Please note: Milton Babbitt did NOT do public signings. He signed for private individuals only. A very rare signed copy thus. One of the greatest composers of the 20th century and our time. A fine copy. Signed by Author.

Seller Inventory # 23793