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London: Michael Joseph, 1965. 256 pp. Approximately 6 1/4 x 9 1/4". 1st Edition, first printing. Illustrated dust jacket in very good condition with some chipping and subtle pen mark on cover, not price-clipped; Green cloth over boards, gilt title on spine very crisp, minor foxing and darkening to the fore-edges, dark shadow on page prior to half-title due to old bookmark, otherwise in near fine condition.
Born Richard Stanley Francis (1920 - 2010), Dick Francis was a British crime writer whose novels were mostly centered on horse racing in England (he was a former steeplechase jockey himself). This book is Dick Francis' 3rd novel, with Daniel Roke, Australian horse breeder temporarily turned UK investigator.
Hornblower and the Hotspur
London: Michael Joseph, 1962. 283 pp. 5 1/2 x 8"; Illustrated dustjacket, designed by David Cobb, in near fine condition with minimal edgewear and small enclosed tear at top of back cover, price of 18s net intact; Dark blue cloth over boards with gilt lettering on spine, in fine condition.
Cecil Louis Troughton Smith (1899 - 1966), pen name for C. S. Forester, was and English novelist best known for his 12-book fictional series about the Napoleonic Wars as seen through the eyes of the Royal Navy Office, Horatio Hornblower. Later books filled in the gaps in the early years of the story. This is the last full book, as the final book "Hornblower and the Crisis" was unfinished and published posthumously.
Instant Lives
New York: Saturday Review Press/Dutton, 1974. Approximately 6 x 9 1/2". First Edition. Illustrated dust jacket and book illustrations by Edward Gorey, some extremely minor edge wear, slightly toned, not price-clipped, store sticker on inside front flap, in very good+ condition. Orange paper boards with tan cloth on spine, orange stamped lettering on spine, illustrated, very clean, in fine condition. (Toledano B58b)
Howard Moss (1922 - 1987) was an American poet, critic, and dramatist. He is credited with discovering a number of major American poets while being the poetry editor of The New Yorker. This book contains many vignettes about famous people but told in an amusing way - sometimes as biographies or made up stories in the type of language that author might have used. Dust jacket and 25 illustrations by Edward Gorey (1925 - 2000), an American artist and writer, best known for his eccentric imagery and stories, often set in Victorian and Edwardian settings.
Judge Not
Austin, TX: Amistad Press, 1981. (20) pp. Approximately 3/4 x 7/8". LIMITED EDITION of 300 copies. Blue cloth over boards, printed dust jacket, original packaging, fine condition. (Bradbury, Amistad Press 37)
Reprinted with permission from an Ann Landers column, dated 9/14/77. A lovely poem with the advice of not judging people.
Levi's Vintage Clothing, Spring 2000
[San Francisco]: Levi Strauss & Co., 2000. 10 x 13"; Limited edition of 500 copies, this being #251. Dust jacket constructed of distressed denim cloth with holes, loose threads, etc., light soiling, some wear to the Red Tab in onside flap (which may be part of the design), otherwise in very good condition. Light blue boards with quarter bound dark blue cloth, Red Tab logo label on front cover, some light cover soiling, color photographs throughout, in very good condition.
A disparate group of global artists were brought together by a common theme - the freedom of self-expression. Contributors include Patricio Grose Forrester, Dexta, Richard Fearless, Tomoo Gokita, Keith Williams, Alexander aka Akay, Brian Hassett and Ben Saffer. Brian Hassett, poet and songwriter, has worked and toured with numerous Beat icons and has written prose for Levi's Vintage Clothing echoing the spirit of the Beat age. A laid-in card describes the publication and contributors. Only 1 WorldCat listing at this time (3/21).
Licence Renewed
London: Jonathan Cape, 1981. Approximately 5 1/4 x 8". Pictorial jacket is in near fine condition, with only a tiny bit of wear at the bottom of the spine, not price-clipped. Black cloth over boards with crisp gilt lettering on spine, slight bumping to spine bottom, some slight foxing to page edges, otherwise in near-fine condition. Overall, a lovely copy of this first edition of the first James Bond continuation novel by John Gardner.
John Edmund Gardner (1926 - 2007), was a British novelist who not only wrote fourteen original James Bond novels, but also wrote the novel versions of two Bond films. The exciting plot of this book, from the jacket, involves the deranged Dr. Anton Murik, a terrorist named Franco, and a beautiful woman, of course, named Lavender Peacock.
London Almanack for the Year of Christ 1818
(London): (Printed for the Company of Stationers), 1818. Unpaginated. Approximately 1 1/4 x 2 1/4". Original red morocco slipcase with onlays in cream and green, gilt-tooled throughout, in fine condition; Pink outer wraps, most likely replacing a cover that usually matched the slipcase, first page called "Common Notes", all edges gilt, a good copy.
These miniature booklets have been published from the late 17th century until the Victorian era, and give monthly information for eclipses, phases of the moon, saints days, as well as lists of Royals and Lord Mayors, bank transfer days and other banking rates. In this copy, there is a folding view of the Royal Dramatic College.
London Almanack for the Year of Christ 1868
(London): (Printed for the Company of Stationers), (1867). Unpaginated. Approximately 1 1/2 x 2 1/4". Original red morocco with onlays in cream and green, gilt-tooled throughout, some parts of covers and spine missing, all edges gilt, gift inscription on rear endpaper, matching slipcase partly faded and a few chips to edges, else a very good copy.
These miniature booklets have been published from the late 17th century until the Victorian era, and give monthly information for eclipses, phases of the moon, saints days, as well as lists of Royals and Lord Mayors, bank transfer days and other banking rates. In this copy, there is a folding view of the Royal Dramatic College.
Medea: Freely adapted from the Medea of Euripides
New York: Random House, 1946. 107 pp. Approximately 6 x 9 1/2". First Edition, first printing. Dust jacket has some darkening to the spine and sun fading on both covers, some chipped and rough edges with a missing small piece at the top of the spine, otherwise in very good condition; Orange paper over black cloth boards,copper lettering crisp on spine, Paul Elder & Co. Bookstore label on rear pastedown endpaper, first printing indicated by the missing word "least" on line 21 of p. 99, in near fine condition.
Medea is a Greek play by Euripides (first produced in 431 BC) that poet Robinson Jeffers has modernized. For instance, he replaces the Greek chorus by three women who represent women in their youth, middle age, and elder years. The play centers around a deeply flawed but strong and powerful heroine with themes of racism, sexism, political power, and justice. Robinson Jeffers (1887 - 1962) was an American poet best known for his work about the central California coast.
Mine
New York: Pocket Books, 1990. 442 pp. 6 1/4 x 9 1/2". First Edition, first printing. Illustrated dust jacket with original price of $18.95, in fine condition; Red paper over boards and black cloth spine with silver lettering, slight foxing on top fore-edge, signed by the author on the title page, in near fine condition.
Robert McCammon (1952 - ), is a well-known fantasy/horror writer, having been a recipient of the Horror Writers of America, Inc.'s Bram Stoker Award and nominated for the 1988 World Fantasy Award for Best Novel. This novel is about a woman who steals a baby, the mother who tries to hunt her down and an FBI man who also has a grudge to settle. From the jacket: "A novel of psychological terror and unrelenting suspense set against the backrop of America today".