Search Results: Titles starting with D from Captain Ahab's Rare Books

New York: William Morrow & Company, 1937. First Edition. A pleasing copy of the first Doug Selby novel, one of nine Gardner would write in between his Perry Mason and Cool & Lam series between 1937-1949. Mundell, p.42; Hubin, p.158. First Printing. Octavo (19.75cm); black cloth, with titles stamped in red on spine and front cover; red topstain; dustjacket; [vi],[2],3-295,[3]pp. Inscribed by the author on the front endpaper: "To George W. Nilssen / with kindred regards from yours / Erle Stanley Gardner / Nov.1950." The recipient has marked one passage in ink in the margin of p.5, and on the upper rear pastedown noting when he first read the book. Offsetting to endpapers, with some residue from an old-style jacket protector along the lower edges of same; Very Good+ or better. Dustjacket is unclipped (priced $2.00), spine-sunned and lightly shelfworn, with a few tiny nicks, small tears, and attendant creases, three of them neatly tape-mended on verso; Very Good+. Folded and tipped onto a preliminary… Read More

Toronto: Coach House Press, 1967. First Edition. First Printing, one of 500 numbered copies, this being copy no.137. Octavo (22.75cm); dark brown paper-covered boards; dustjacket; [10],11-77,[3]pp. Slight lean, decorative bookplate to front endpaper, with some faint dust-soil to text edges; Very Good+. Dustjacket is unclipped (priced $3.50), lightly edgeworn, with some very faint spotting on verso; Very Good+. The Booker Prize-winning author's first book and first collection of poems.

Santa Barbara: Black Sparrow Press, 1977. First Edition. Handsome edition of this short story by the National Book Award-winning author. Morrow & Cooney 266a. Limited Issue, one of 170 numbered copies signed by the author, this being copy no.81. Quarto (28cm); decorative paper-covered boards and patterned cloth backstrip, with title label applied to spine; publisher's original acetate dustjacket; 34,[2]pp. HInt of dust-soil along upper board edges, else very Near Fine in a VG+ dustjacket, lightly shelfworn and a bit dusty.

Tokyo & New York: Kodansha International, 1994. First American Edition. First Printing. Octavo (24.25cm); black paper and cloth-covered boards, with titles stamped in yellow on spine; dustjacket; [vi],393,[1]pp. Scattered foxing to text edges, else Near Fine in a Fine, unclipped dustjacket (priced $22.00). The author's fourth book and third novel to be translated into English, originally published as Dansu Dansu Dansu by Kodansha in 1988. Rubin 11.

Los Angeles: Black Sparrow Press, 1973. First Edition. Deluxe Issue, one of five copies specially bound and designated for author, publisher, and a few individuals within the inner circle of the press, this one marked "Binder's Copy" and is signed by the author on the colophon. Octavo (24.5cm); decorative paper-covered boards and patterned cloth backstrip, with title label mounted to spine; publisher's original acetate dustjacket; [12],13-137,[4]pp, with an original holograph poem by the author tipped in following the copyright page. Fine, in a lightly rubbed, Near Fine dustjacket. The most limited state of this landmark collection of feminist verse. Morrow & Cooney 163c.

London: Rupert Hart-Davis, 1957. First U.K. Edition. An association copy of the highest quality, inscribed to Bradbury's long-time friend, mentor, and literary agent Forrest Ackerman. It was Ackerman who introduced a teenage Bradbury to the Los Angeles Science Fiction Society, published Bradbury's first story in his fanzine Imagination, and who would urge Bradbury to pursue his writing, lending him money to publish his own fanzine, Futuria Fantasia. Barron, Fantasy Literature, 4A-44. First Impression. Octavo (20.5cm); maroon paper-covered boards, with titles stamped in silver on spine; dustjacket; [6],7-183,[1]pp. With a contemporary inscription to Forrest J. Ackerman on the front endpaper: "For Forry! Merry Christmas 1957! From his friend Ray Bradbury!" Faint scratch to upper edge of textblock, tiny bump to base of spine, else a fresh, very Near Fine copy. Dustjacket is unclipped (priced 16s net), gently spine-sunned, with some trivial wear to extremities, and Ackerman's tiny "A" sticker at upper… Read More

Garden City, NY: Doubleday & Company, Inc, 1957. First Edition. The author's second novel, "a bucolic evocation of of Bradbury's youth through rose-colored glasses. Though not strictly fantastic, this poetic blend of nostalgia and ever-so-slightly macabre happenings defines the author's view of the past as a country of the bizarre and the wonderful, and is central to Bradbury's fantasy world" (Barron, Fantasy Literature, 4A-44). A superb association copy, inscribed by Bradbury to his long-time friend and fine press publisher Herb Yellin (1935-2014), who between the 1970's through the early 2000's published many of Bradbury's books and broadsides. First Printing. Octavo (21.5cm); yellow cloth, with titles stamped in gilt and light blue on spine; yellow topstain; dustjacket; [10],11-281,[5]pp. Inscribed by the author to his fine press publisher Herb Yellin on the front endpaper: "For Herb - This "Dandelion Wine" from the vintner himself - Ray Bradbury." Spine ends a little pushed, upper right corner of… Read More

New York: Random House, 1934. First American Edition. Saroyan's first book, a collection of 26 short stories produced in small numbers. An important copy, showing a young Saroyan's early admiration for Valenti Angelo, the renown Italian-American illustrator and printmaker. Their friendship would evolve, and the two would ultimately collaborate on at least two different projects - 'The Fiscal Hoboes' (1949) and 'The Simple Songs of Katchick Minasian' (1950). A warm inscription in the year of publication, linking two important literary Californians. First Printing, one of 2,000 copies. Octavo (23.5cm); black and gray cloth, with gold foil wraparound title band printed in black on spine and front cover; terracotta topstain; 270pp. Inscribed by Saroyan on front endpaper in the year of publication: "To "Val" Valenti Angelo, a painter whose work I sincerely admire: With good wishes / William Saroyan / Dec. 1934." Mild sunning to upper board edges, endpapers and text edges tanned (as is nearly always the… Read More

Sauk City, WI: Arkham House, 1947. First Edition. Bradbury's first book, a colllection of 27 stories, "mostly supernatural but with a few contes cruels, including the consummately repulsive taphephobic fantasy "Interim"...The collection stands at the head of a tradition in modern American horror fiction which combined stylistic deftness with a determination to deal forthrightly with the previously unthinkable - a tradition boldly carried forward by writers like Charles Beaumont and Fritz Leiber" (Barron, Horror Literature 3-34). First Printing, one of 3,000 copies. Octavo (19.75cm); black cloth, with titles stamped in gilt on spine; dustjacket; [viii],[3],4-313,[3]pp. Signed by Bradbury (ca.late 1980s) on the front endpaper. Tiny booksellers ticket to rear pastedown, else Fine in a Near Fine dustjacket, unclipped (priced $3.00), with some trivial wear to spine ends and extremities, and a hint of dustiness to rear panel - a pretty copy, without the usual heavy wear and sunning to spine.

New York: Ace Books, 1970. First Edition. First Printing, a paperback original. Octavo (17.75cm); illustrated wrappers; yellow edge-staining; 108; [5] ads; 143pp. Some pinpoint wear to extremities, else Fine and unread.

West Kingston, RI: Donald M. Grant, 1984. Second Edition. The Gunslinger begins the quest by Roland, the gunslinger, to track and confront the "man in black," who knows, perhaps, the secret of the "Dark Tower." As he travels across the barren landscape of King's alternate world, sometimes alone, sometimes with a boy named Jake, Roland recalls fragments of his own past. He finally confronts the man in black, who reads his future with a Tarot deck" (Barron, Horror Literature: A Reader's Guide 4-164). Among King's most widely-read works, successfully merging elements of the spaghetti western and epic fantasy. Basis for Nikolaj Arcel's 2017 film adaptation (The Dark Tower), starring Idris Elba and Matthew McConaughey. An association copy of the highest caliber. To the casual reader, the connection between King and John D. MacDonald (1916-1986) may not be immediately apparent, but despite a 31 year age difference, there was a strong friendship between the two men, and depth of mutual admiration. Prior… Read More

San Francisco: The Arion Press, 2006. Limited Edition. One of 400 numbered copies specially bound and signed by the author and illustrator, this being copy no.200. Quarto (29cm); full blue-gray cloth-covered boards, with titles stamped in black on spine and pictorial label inset on front cover; [ii],[4],5-169,[5]pp; illustrated with 14 one-, two-, and three-panel foldout plates by Mark Ulriksen. A Fine copy. An attractive edition of Hano's acclaimed eyewitness account of Game 1 of the 1954 World Series, first published by Crowell in 1955. Arion No.76.

Cleveland: 7 Flowers Press, 1967. First Edition. Scarce, collaborative work by these two prominent Cleveland poets. Contents consist of a series of letters from Wagner to levy, all written from Niagara Falls, and all deeply steeped in Buddhist/Egyptian/Jewish mystical language. With a lengthy introduction by T.L. Kryss, and a preface by levy, whose artwork is mounted on the front cover (no two copies are alike). Taylor & Horvath P-137. One of 150 copies. Quarto (28cm); white and yellow mimeographed leaves, side-stapled into blue-gray card wrappers, with an original ink painting by d.a. levy mounted to front cover; [20]pp. Gentle sunning to wrapper extremities, some faint creasing, else Near Fine.

Sutton West & Santa Barbara: The Paget Press, 1986. First Edition. Scarce edition of this delightful short story, fully illustrated by the author. The present copy bound in a cloth variant not noted by the bibliographer, and, though not called for, the author has added a drawing of his signature smoking man with a bottle next to his signature, opposite the colophon. Krumhansl 99c. Deluxe Issue, one of 26 lettered copies signed by the author, this being copy 'M'. Octavo; 3/4 white illustrated paper over magenta cloth backstrip, with paint-splatter pattern in black, silver, and gold and printed title label applied to spine; publisher's original acetate dustjacket; [34pp]; illus. Fine in a lightly shelfworn, else Fine dustjacket.

Garden City: Doubleday & Company, Inc, 1951. First American Edition. The author's best-known work, a catastrophe novel about Londoners stricken with blindness due to a cosmic phenomenon, and wave of large, intelligent, carnivorous plants taking over the city. An attractive copy of a science fiction highspot, making all of the important lists, and basis for several film adaptations. First Printing, preceding (and textually different from) the British edition published by Michael Joseph the same year. Octavo (20.5cm); blue-gray cloth, with titles stamped in green on spine; dustjacket; 222pp. Hint of offset to front endpaper, else Fine in a Near Fine dustjacket, unclipped (priced $2.50), with light rubbing to spine ends and corners.

Los Angeles: Black Sparrow Press, 1969. First Edition. Bukowski's first full-length book of poetry published by Black Sparrow Press, an important collection, and something of a retrospective of his work to date. Many of these poems dealt with his grief over the death of Jane Cooney Baker, his first wife, to whom he was married briefly in 1952. Krumhansl 32a; Morrow & Cooney 76a. First Printing, wrappered issue, one of 1,243 copies. Octavo (23.5cm); beige card wrappers, with titles printed in green blue, orange and red; [12],13-153,[7]pp. This copy bears a full-page inscription on the front endpaper from poet and publisher Ron Padgett, posing as Charles Bukowski, to his close friend, poet Kenward Elmslie (1929-2022): "Happy Birthday Kenward / "and carried them in his hands like apricots" p.17 / love, Charles Bukowski / 1970." The quote is from Bukowski's poem "freedom," in which a drunk man cuts off his own balls with a butcher knife, "carried them in his hands like apricots / and flushed them down… Read More

[North Pomfret, VT]: Elysium Press, 1997. First Edition. An exquisitely produced volume gathering the collected correspondence between Bowles and Rorem, spanning the years 1949-1995. "For more than fifty years, the writer/composer Paul Bowles and Ned Rorem have exchanged letters on a wide variety of subjects that encompass much of the artistic and literary scene of the post-War period...Dear Paul Dear Ned chronicles this friendship inmore than one hundred thirty letters, and includes an insightful Foreword by the authors' mutual friend, Gavin Lambert" (from the prospectus). Deluxe Issue, one of 26 lettered copies specially bound and signed by all contributors, this being copy 'H'. Octavo (25.5cm); royal blue cloth, with title labels mounted to spine and front cover; publisher's matching clamshell case; [vii],viii-xiv,15-141,[3]pp, with four photographic plates tipped-in. Fine in a Fine case, with a Fine copy of the original prospectus laid in.

Northridge, CA: Lord John Press, 1987. First Trade Edition. Attractive, fine press printing of Bradbury's poetry. During their decades-long friendship and correspondence, the two men were diligent about inscribing and exchanging books with each other. Safire deeply admired Bradbury's writing, notably reviewing Zen and the Art of Writing: Essays on Creativity for his New York Times column "On Language," and frequently citing Bradbury's work when discussing rules for good writing. First Printing. Small quarto (26cm); gray patterned paper-covered boards, with titles stamped in black on spine; [48]pp; illus. Inscribed by Bradbury to author, journalist, and presidential speechwriter William Safire on the title page: "For Bill Safire - with continued admiration - from Ray Bradbury / 7/27/87." Hint of sunning to spine, touch of wear to headband, else Near Fine. Laid into this copy is a brief ALS to Safire on Bradbury's stationary: "Dear Bill - Much thanks for "Freedom" / Looks great! Enclosed: My latest!… Read More

New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1939. First Edition. First and only novel by Wills (1905-1998), the legendary Californian who for nine years held the top position in women's tennis (1927-1933, 1935, 1938), winning 31 Grand Slam tournament titles during her career and being heralded by The New York Times as "arguably the most dominant tennis player of the 20th century." A tennis-themed mystery featuring a five-time women's champion who drops dead on the court. Hubin, p.440. First Printing. Octavo (19.25cm); teal cloth, with titling and decorations stamped in dark purple on spine and front cover; purple topstain; dustjacket; [6], 317, [1]pp. Light wear to upper and lower board edges and base of spine, offsetting from binders glue to pastedowns and endpapers, with a small spot of discoloration to topstain; Near Fine. Dustjacket is unclipped (priced $2.00), with light shelfwear to rear panel; a bright, very Near Fine example.

New York: The Mystery League, Inc, 1931. First American Edition. Attractive copy of this Haycraft-Queen Cornerstone title and early serial killer novel that author Vincent Starrett magnanimously cited as "one of the ten greatest detective novels ever written." Hubin, p.28; Pronzini & Muller, p.52. First Printing. Octavo (19.25cm); black cloth, with titling and publisher's logo stamped in green on spine and front cover; patterned endpapers; dustjacket; [8],9-284,[4]pp. Slight forward lean, spine ends gently nudged, with minute wear to lower right corner of front board; content clean; Near Fine. In the uncommon trial dustjacket, lacking text on the flaps and rear panel, and retaining the finished cover art, though with the spine lettering and skull printed in orange instead of teal; lightly edgeworn, spine lettering a little sunned, with dust-soil to rear panel, and a few tiny nicks and tears; Very Good+. Publisher's promotional bookmark laid in.