Search Results: American History from Louise Aird

This is a first edition of the two-volume edition of the biography of Abraham Lincoln, written by the American poet, journalist and biographer Carl Sandburg (1878-1967). Sandburg wrote the biography in two sections:Abraham Lincoln: The Prairie Year (1926), and Abraham Lincoln: The War Years (1939). In 1940, he won the Pulitzer for the completed biography. In 1954, his publisher issued the two books in one volume. This is one of those books.

It is in superb condition.
762 pages with lots of photos.
There is a doodle on page 762. One dogear at page 17.
Almost no shelfwear.
There are some fingerprints on the cover and there is a little loosening to the cover at the back.
Other than that, it's perfect.

Written by the expert John Kirk, and following a 20-year study, this books presents a new way of looking at American furniture. It examines hundreds of pieces created in the US and Britain in the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries and illustrates how American craftsmen drew on their rich European heritage.

It's very useful for dealers, collectors, cabinetmakers, designers and art historians.

This is a stated first edition. 398 pages. 1500 photographs.It weighs just over 4 lbs.

This is ex-library, but it's a lovely book, in excellent condition. You can easily remove all of the library fittings.
The inside is in near-mint condition.

This is a stated first edition of The Art of the Golden West, a presentation of American art from the 16th century to the 1980s. It covers the entire Western saga, including Spanish, English and French explorations, the Gold Rush, the fur trade, the great migrations etc. There are hundreds of very high-quality images, many of which could be framed.

418 pages, 11" x 13 1/2" x 2"
Much of the price of this book is taken up by the postage cost--the book weighs 8 lbs.


This book has not been read. Both top corners of the dust jacket have a tiny bump.
Aside from that, it is in mint condition.
A pristine, lovely book.

The POW/MIA MYTH: How the White House & Hollywood Combined to Foster a National Fantasy

The Other Underclass: Puerto Ricans

See Table of Contents Scan
134 Pages
Pristine Condition but with mailing label attached

This is a pristine first edition of The Audacity of Hope: Thoughts on Reclaiming the American Dream, the second book written by Barack Obama. In it, Obama expounds on many of the subjects that became part of his 2008 campaign for the US presidency. It was a massive best-seller.
376 pages, unclipped dust jacket.
This book has not been read, or even opened.
It is in mint condition.
Note: If you are outside of North America, the quoted shipping price is for surface mail without tracking. For other options, please contact me.

Benjamin Franklin (1706-1790) was an American polymath and one of the Founding Fathers of the United States. Franklin was a leading writer, printer, political philosopher, politician, Freemason, postmaster, scientist, inventor, humorist, civic activist, statesman, and diplomat.
His autobiography is considered a masterpiece, and a key element in the understanding of American history.
This copy was first published in 1941 by Walter J Black, and then again for the Classics Club in 1969.
It is beige tweed boards with red and gold on the cover and spine. The tops of the pages are dyed red.
It has not been read, or even opened.
However, there is a 2" white smear on the spine. It may come off; 'not sure.
That is its only flaw. It is otherwise pristine.
Note: If you are outside of North America, the quoted shipping price is for surface mail without tracking. For other options, please contact me.

This is a pristine copy of Bloomington's C&A Shops, Our Lives Remembered.

It is the recollections of 24 residents of Mclean County IL, who talk about the impact of the Chicago & Alton Railroad Shops on their lives and community.
161 pages with loads of photographs.

It has not been read and is in mint condition.

This is a near-perfect copy of six collected novels by the great British military novelist C.S. Forester (1899-1966). This book is now approaching rare status. It includes The Ship, Mr. Midshipman Hornblower, The Earthly Paradise, The General, The Captain From Connecticut, and the African Queen. These books cover both world wars, the War of 1812, the Napoleonic Wars, Christopher Columbus' voyage of 1497, and the African Queen, made famous by the film starring Humphrey Bogart and Katherine Hepburn. They also introduce the reader to the famed Horatio Hornblower. This is a large book--861 pages. Minor wear to the edges of the dust jacket. The edges of the pages are darkening a little. One dogear. Otherwise pristine.

This is a first edition of Caesars of the Wilderness, written in 1987 by the Canadian journalist Peter C Newman. It is part two of his history of the Hudson's Bay Company; in this volume, we learn about the war for supremacy over the North American fur trade, and the territory ranging from San Francisco to the Beaufort Sea. The competition was between the Hudson's Bay's Fur Brigades, and their arch-rivals the Northwest Company, an incredible battle that remains the fiercest commercial feud in history. Note: Also listed here, I have a mint condition copy of part 1, Company of Adventurers, signed by the author (see last photos). If you want both, please message me.This is a beautiful book, elegantly designed with tons of photos, maps and drawings.450 pages.It has not been read, or even opened, until now.It is in mint condition.PLEASE NOTE: THE STATED EXPECTED SHIPPING DATE APPLIES ONLY WITHIN NORTH AMERICA. THE SHIPPING CHARGE APPLIES TO NORTH AMERICAN BUYERS, OR TO INTERNATIONAL BUYERS WHO… Read More

This is the 1990 British printing of Cars of the Thirties and Forties, a comprehensive directory of antique cars written by the British auto expert Michael Sedgwick (1926-1983). It was first published by Nordbok in 1979 and was a best-seller.It is 240 pages of antique cars--and their anatomies. Hundreds of gorgeous color photographs, with accompanying text about them and detailed illustrations of their construction and workings.It is 10 1/2" x 12" x 3/4". It weighs 3 1/2 lbs.This book has not been read and is in pristine condition.

This is a first edition (1990) of Classic North American Steam, by the Canadian train expert Nils Huxtable.

This stunning volume is a pictorial tribute to working steam in North America, beautifully illustrated and lovingly told.
-- Includes prime examples of accurate restorations that illustrate the development of steam locomotives while evoking the mood of this exciting period in North American History
-- Filled with discussions of the dedicated preservationists who have kept steam alive in an era when the cost of overhauling and maintenance has become an extravagance
-- More than 100 pristine, black-and-white photographs capture some of the most beautiful and historic steam locomotives in operation today.


128 pages, 10 1/2" x 14 1/2".

This book has not been read, or even opened.

It is in mint condition.

This is the soft-cover edition of Classic American Automobiles, a comprehensive survey of American cars, beginning with 1900 and ending at the Tintops c 1950.9" x 12".191 pages.Packed with photographs.The publisher used high-quality paper, so this book is a little heavy. It weighs about a pound.This book appears to be un-read.Aside from a little strip of missing paper at the top of the spine, it is in mint condition.

From 1978 to 1981, Time-Life Books published a series called 'The Seafarers'. It was 22 volumes, all written by experts in their fields, on different aspects of maritime history.
All are 175-185 pages, all bound in thick black leatherette, all beautifully illustrated with drawings, paintings and photographs.
Of the 22, I have 11 left (the list is below). All are listed here on Biblio. You can buy one, or as many as you like.
Mine are from the first printing. Unless otherwise noted, all are in mint condition.
This one is "The Clipper Ships", reviewed as an exciting page-turner. It covers the design, building and exploits of such notable clippers as the Sea Witch, the Flying Cloud, and the Cutty Sark. "To see a clipper knife through wind-swept seas on a sprint from New York to San Francisco or between London and Hong Kong was to witness the quintessence of sailing. In winds that would cause others to reef sail, clipper captains flew every possible scrap of canvas, until the masts quivered at breaking… Read More

This is a first edition of Command of the Sea: The History and Strategy of Maritime Empires, a fascinating book by the American naval warfare historian Clark G Reynolds (1939-2005).
From one review: "This is how the world works - as the Phoenicians transporting good across the Aegean, they brought ideas, religions, and parts of other societies with them...and all protected by the navies of those city-states with whom they traded. It worked then, it worked for the Brits, and it works for us now.A must-read for everyone involved in international politics and international trade."
This is a big thick book--642 pages.
This copy is in near-mint condition. Its only flaw is some yellowing to the dust jacket.
Otherwise perfect.
NOTE: The quoted delivery charge does NOT apply to this book--it's too heavy. If you'd like to buy it, please contact me with your location and I'll give you the proper price.

This is a third printing (1986) of Company of Adventurers, by the Canadian journalist Peter C Newman, who has signed the title page. It is the first of two volumes on the history of the Hudson's Bay Company which, for some time controlled the entire territory between San Francisco and the Beaufort Sea. This book illustrates how its merchant founders tamed the wilderness to build the world's largest private commercial empire. Also listed here, I have an unread first edition of Caesars of the Wilderness, part two of this story (see last photo). If you want both, please message me. This is a beautiful book, elegantly designed with tons of photos, maps and drawings. 413 pages. It has not been read, or even opened, until now. There is a tiny bit of shelfwear to the dust jacket. The book is in mint condition.PLEASE NOTE: THE STATED EXPECTED SHIPPING DATE APPLIES ONLY WITHIN NORTH AMERICA. THE SHIPPING CHARGE APPLIES TO NORTH AMERICAN BUYERS, OR TO INTERNATIONAL BUYERS WHO ACCEPT SURFACE MAIL.… Read More

This is a first edition of The Complete History of North American Railways, published in 1989.It covers the 150-year history of the North American rail system, from the pioneering days of the 19th century to the age of Amtrak, with special chapters covering the individual railroads and the major steam locomotives. It is a high-quality book, jammed with photographs, illustrations, maps and charts.

The Complete Guide to Antiques is a a comprehensive guide to antiques and collectables from around the world. The book is a collection of over 8000 antiques of every variety; each entry is illustrated with a color photograph, and includes information on dealer prices, date and origin which will assist you in identifying and valuing your own antiques, as well as helping you find and pay the right price for your purchases. 550 pages. Weight is 5 lbs.There's a little bit of wear to the dust jacket, and 2 dogears.Otherwise mint condition.

This is a copy of Constitution of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Firemen and Enginemen, Revised and Amended at the Thirty-Second Convention Held in Columbus, Ohio, June and July, 1931.The brotherhood was a fraternal benefit society and trade union founded in Port Jervis NY in 1873; in 1969, it became part of the United Transportation Union.This is a paper pocketbook, glued and then stapled. 3 3/4" x 5 1/4" x 3/8".391 pagesThere is minor wear to the spine and someone glued a square of paper to the top right of the title page. The cover is perfect. And the original owner evidently didn't read it--the inside is in mint condition.

This book was published by T Nelson & Sons--it is the UK edition, published in 1889.
The boards are a nice dark cherry red, with the title and a design etched into the cover.
The text and design on the spine are bright gold.
There are a couple of minor marks on the covers, and some dark colouring on the spine. Inside, the spine is tight.
There is an unusual lack of shelf wear to the edges of the covers, as if it was stored in a drawer.
Pages 320-323 have a 2" tear from the bottom and will have to be restored.
The pages are darkened, as you would expect from a book of this age, but it is perfectly readable. A lovely old book.
The Deerslayer, or The First War-Path (1841) was the last of James Fenimore Cooper's Leatherstocking Tales to be written. Its 1740-1745 time period makes it the first installment chronologically and in the lifetime of the hero Natty Bumppo. The novel's setting, on Otsego Lake in upstate New York, is the same as that of The Pioneers, the first of the Leatherstocking Tales to be… Read More

This is an unread first edition of The Dynamite Fiend, a 2005 book about one of the most devious criminals of the 19th century. Alexander Keith was a member of the Keith brewing family of Nova Scotia, and worked for the firm for a short time. But he was also a Confederate spy who helped orchestrate some of the most infamous terrorist plots of the Civil War. In peacetime, dogged by creditors and victims of his numerous frauds, Keith continued to scheme, scam and cheat, while his obsession with explosives became more intense. Finally, in 1875, a scheme to blow up an empty passenger ship for the insurance money backfired and 80 people were killed. The world called it 'the Crime of the Century'. In this book, American author Ann Larabee unfolds an engrossing tale of obsession and the lust for power and profit.
This is a first Canadian edition. The dust jacket is unclipped. It has no shelfwear and there is not a mark in it or on it.

Note: If you are outside of North America, the quoted shipping price is… Read More