Search Results: Authors starting with I from Raptis Rare Books

Vatican City: Typus Vaticanus, 1993. First edition of this work commemorating Pope John Paul II's historic visit to the the Western World. Octavo, original gilt stamped white roan with Papal arms on upper cover, with three attached silk bookmarks, text in English, Spanish and some prayers in Latin. Signed by Pope John Paul on the title page of the Denver service. During his reign, Pope John Paul II ("The Pilgrim Pope") made 104 foreign trips, more than all previous popes combined. The 1993 World Youth Day was held on August 10-15, 1993 in Denver, Colorado. It was the first World Youth Day held in either North America or an English-speaking nation. The event took place in the context of the pope's sixtieth apostolic journey, on which, before reaching Denver, he had stopped in Jamaica and Mexico. In fine condition. Housed in a custom slipcase. Books signed by him are rare.

The second longest-serving pope in modern history, Pope John Paul II served as Pope and sovereign of the Vatican City State from 1978 to 2005. Previously Cardinal Wojtyla, he adopted his predecessor, Pope John Paul I's name in tribute to him upon his election by the second Papal conclave of 1978. Born in Poland, Pope John Paul II was the first non-Italian pope since the Dutch Pope Adrian VI who served from 1522 to 1523; by the time of his death he had named most of the College of Cardinals, consecrated or co-consecrated a large number of the world's bishops, and ordained many priests.

New York: The Modern Library. One of the most influential playwrights of the nineteenth century, Norwegian playwright Henrik Ibsen remains the most frequently performed dramatist in the world after Shakespeare. His major works include Brand, Peer Gynt, An Enemy of the People, A Doll's House, Hedda Gabler, The Wild Duck, When We Dead Awaken, and The Master Builder.

St. Augustine: Jacksonville, St. Augustine and Indian River Railway Company, 1893. Scarce first edition of this early brochure for the state of Florida. Oblong octavo, original illustrated wrappers, gilt titles, with color illustrated frontispiece. Illustrated throughout with numerous plates from photographs. With text by Helen K. Ingram. Published in 1893, Florida: Beauties of the East Coast contains a selection of late 19th century photographs of the most iconic buildings and vistas of Florida's east coast including images of the Cordova Hotel in Saint Augustine, the orange groves of San Mateo, the lawns of Lake Worth, and the Saint James Hotel in Jacksonville.

London and New York: Frederick Warne and Co, 1889. Robert Louis Stevenson's first edition copy of the writings of one of his favorite prose writers, William Hazlitt. Octavo, original cloth with gilt titles to the spine and front panel, botanical gilt vignette to the front panel, tissue-guarded frontispiece of Hazlitt. Presentation copy, inscribed by the author to Robert Louis Stevenson on the half-title page, "To Robert Louis Stevenson Esq with Alex Ireland's cordial regards & remembrances Southport 9 Leicester St. October 2, 1889." With Stevenson's Vailima bookplate to the pastedown which is singed by Stevensons stepdaughter Isobel Strong. In good condition. An exceptional presentation. A great admirer of Hazlitt's prose style, Steveson frequently discussed with friedns his interest in writing Hazlitt's biography. But it is in his Walking Tours, that Stevenson gives his warmest expression of his admiration for the great romantic essayist: "I should wish to quote more for though we are… Read More

Toronto: Alred A. Knopf, 1998. First Canadian edition of Irving's powerful ninth novel. Octavo, original boards. Signed by John Irving on the title page. Fine in a fine dust jacket. Jacket design by Honi Werner. "A sprawling 19th-century production, chock full of bizarre coincidences, multiple plot lines, lengthy digressions, and stories within stories. . . . An engaging and often affecting fable, a fairy tale that manages to be old-fashioned and modern all at once" (The New York Times). The first third of the novel was adapted into the film The Door in the Floor in 2004 starring Jeff Bridges and Kim Basinger.

New York: Modern Library, 2003. First Modern Library edition of Irving's ninth novel. Octavo, original cloth. Signed by John Irving on the title page. Fine in a fine dust jacket. A sprawling 19th-century production, chock full of bizarre coincidences, multiple plot lines, lengthy digressions, and stories within stories. . . . An engaging and often affecting fable, a fairy tale that manages to be old-fashioned and modern all at once" (The New York Times). The first third of the novel was adapted into the film The Door in the Floor in 2004 starring Jeff Bridges and Kim Basinger.

New York: E.P. Dutton, 1981. Review copy of the first edition with the review information of the author's fifth novel. Octavo, original half cloth. Presentation copy, warmly inscribed by the author on the title page, "For Roger with my appreciation John Irving." Fine in a near fine price-clipped dust jacket. Jacket design by Terry Fehr. "Like Garp, [The Hotel New Hampshire] is a startlingly original family saga that combines macabre humor with Dickensian sentiment and outrage at cruelty, dogmatism and injustice" (Time).

New York: E.P. Dutton, 1978. First edition of Irving's fourth and breakthrough novel. Octavo, original half cloth. Boldly signed by John Irving in a contemporary hand on the half-title page, Near fine in a near fine dust jacket, small name to the front free endpaper. Jacket design by Leo Manso. An exceptional example. The World According To Garp is a comic and compassionate coming-of-age novel that established John Irving as one of the most imaginative writers of his generation. A worldwide bestseller since its publication in 1978, Irving's classic is filled with stories inside stories about the life of T.S. Garp, novelist and son of Jenny Fields. "There is something of Byron about John Irving. Not only is it that he woke after the publication of The World According To Garp to find himself famous, but the extremity of his opinions and the nervous violence of his language recall that intemperate noleman, and like Byron, he would certainly say that love is no sinecure" (Robertson… Read More

New York: Random House, 1994. First edition of "his most entertaining novel since Garp" (The New York Times Book Review). Octavo, original half cloth. Presentation copy, warmly inscribed by the author on the title page, "For Ted & Susie with my affection John Irving." Fine in a fine dust jacket. Jacket design by Honi Werner.

New York: Random House, 1972. First edition of Irving's second book. Octavo, original half cloth. Fine in a near fine dust jacket with light rubbing. Jacket design by Hal Seigal. An exceptional example. The main character of John Irving's second novel, written when the author was twenty-nine, is a perpetual graduate student with a birth defect in his urinary tract--and a man on the threshold of committing himself to a second marriage that bears remarkable resemblance to his first. "Three or four times as funny as most novels" (The New Yorker).

New York: E.P. Dutton, 1978. The World According To Garp is a comic and compassionate coming-of-age novel that established John Irving as one of the most imaginative writers of his generation. A worldwide bestseller since its publication in 1978, Irving's classic is filled with stories inside stories about the life of T.S. Garp, novelist and son of Jenny Fields. "There is something of Byron about John Irving. Not only is it that he woke after the publication of The World According To Garp to find himself famous, but the extremity of his opinions and the nervous violence of his language recall that intemperate noleman, and like Byron, he would certainly say that love is no sinecure" (Robertson Davies).

New York: Random House, 2005. First edition of the author's classic work. Octavo, original boards. Presentation copy, warmly inscribed by the author on the title page, "For Dana and Cheryl with my admiration and affection John Irving." Fine in a fine dust jacket. Jacket design by Royce M. Becker. Author photograph by Jane Sobel Klonsky. Tattoo art by Henk Schiffmacher. "As ever, Irving is at his best with the family relationships he creates. They are simultaneously touching and infuriating. It is with these relationships that Irving firmly grasps universal truths and puts a chokehold on his readers. Irving’s descriptions are distressing to read, but they force the reader to relate to the characters in a way they would not in most works of fiction" (Calgary Herald).

New York: William Morrow and Company, 1989. First edition of the author's seventh novel and what many consider his finest. Octavo, original half gray cloth. Presentation copy, warmly inscribed by the author on the title page, "For James with my appreciation. John Irving." Fine in a fine dust jacket. Jacket design by Honi Werner.

New York: Alred A. Knopf, 1998. First Canadian edition of Irving's powerful ninth novel. Octavo, original boards. Boldly signed by John Irving in a contemporary signature on the title page. Fine in a fine dust jacket. Jacket design by Honi Werner. Book design by Victoria Wong. "A sprawling 19th-century production, chock full of bizarre coincidences, multiple plot lines, lengthy digressions, and stories within stories. . . . An engaging and often affecting fable, a fairy tale that manages to be old-fashioned and modern all at once" (The New York Times). The first third of the novel was adapted into the film The Door in the Floor in 2004 starring Jeff Bridges and Kim Basinger.

New York: Arcade Publishing, 1996. First edition of this collection of short stories. Octavo, original half cloth. Association copy, inscribed by the author on the half-title page to author and fellow National Book Award-winning novelist Peter Matthiessen and his wife, "For Peter & Maria- directing your attention to the 2nd piece of the collection first, the memoir called "The Imaginary Girlfriend," but also wishing you a Merry Christmas (1995)- with love John Irving." Fine in a fine dust jacket. Jacket design by Jeffrey Fisher. Author photographs by Mary Ellen Mark and Isolde Ohlbaum. "Supple and energetic as a stylist, Mr. Irving also knows just how to create in the reader's mind a vivid impression of an existing world *and just how to populate it" (The New York Times Book Review).

New York: E.P. Dutton & Company, 1981. Uncorrected proof of the first edition of the author's fifth novel. Octavo, original wrappers. In near fine condition with the review information laid in. "Like Garp, [The Hotel New Hampshire] is a startlingly original family saga that combines macabre humor with Dickensian sentiment and outrage at cruelty, dogmatism and injustice" (Time).

Cambridge, MA: Boston Review, 1968. First edition of this early appearance by the author of The World According to Garp. Octavo, original wrappers. In near fine condition with a small crease to the bottom front panel. Signed twice by John Irving, once on the front free endpaper and at his contribution. An early appearance in print for John Irving, as his first novel came out months later in January, 1969.

New York: William Morrow and Company, 1989. First edition of the author's seventh novel and what many consider his finest. Octavo, original half gray cloth. Presentation copy, inscribed by the author on the title page, "For Carole John Irving." Fine in a fine dust jacket. Jacket design by Honi Werner.

New York: Random House, 1968. With the publication of Setting Free the Bears, the Saturday Review prophetically called Irving "astonishing A writer of uncommon imaginative power. Whatever he writes, it will be worth reading." "Setting Free the Bears is the most nourishing, satisfying comedy I have read in years. I admire the hell out of it" (Kurt Vonnegut Jr.).