Products
The Reluctant Dragon
New York: Holt, Rinehart and Winston, 1983. Approximately 8 1/4 x 10 1/2". LIMITED EDITION of 350 copies, this being #44. Green cloth over boards with brown cloth spine, brown slipcase, signed on the colophon by the illustrator, Michael Hague, includes a reproduction of a specially commissioned pen and ink drawing, all in fine condition.
Kenneth Grahame (1859 - 1932) was a British writer, best known for his novel, "The Wind in the Willows". This charmingly illustrated short story, is seen as an original idea that a dragon does not have to be seen as a threat, but can be a sympathetic character. This story was originally published in 1898 as a chapter in Grahame's book, "Dream Days".
The Rita and Tim Hildebrandt Fantasy Cookbook: Real Recipes You Can Cook in Your Own Home
New York: Bobbs-Merrill Co., 1983. 195 pp. Approximately 8 x 10". First Edition, first printing. Wraparound dustjacket is beutifully illustrated on the front cover but is missing a small chunk on the top of the spine and a large section on the rear cover, good condition only. Green cloth binding with 8 illustrations in color and many black and white line drawings, maps and decorations, some punctures to cover (an overly friendly cat?), but text block is clean. Overall, very good condition.
Greg and Tim Hildebrandt (twin brothers born in 1939) began painting professionally in 1959 as the Brothers Hildebrandt. They are best known for their popular The Lord of the Rings calendar illustrations,painting the first bilingual Star Wars film poster, illustrating comics for Marvel Comics and DC Comics, original oil paintings for a limited edition of Terry Brooks's The Sword of Shannara, and their Magic: The Gathering and Harry Potter illustrations for Wizards of the Coast. Tim Hildebrandt illustrated children's books, two Dungeons & Dragons calendars, and the poster for the film The Secret of NIMH.
The Robber Bride
New York: Nan A. Talese / Doubleday, 1993. 6 1/2 x 9 1/2". 466pp. First American edition, first printing. Dust jacket in good condition only, with crease on the spine and minor wear, not price clipped. Grey cloth quarter-wrapped over boards, slightly cocked, minor wear, otherwise very good condition.
This is Atwood's 8th novel, and is full of her usual wit. The story centers on three women and the influence on them by the fourth classmate, Zenia, the evil maurader. This book comes with the publisher's "Book Group Companion".
The Short Reign of Pippin IV
New York: Viking Press, 1957. 188 pp. Approximately 5 1/4 x 8". First Edition, first state of dust jacket. Illustrated dust jacket in very good condition with minor edge wear, some rubbing, publisher's price of $3.00 on the front flap; Strawberry cloth over boards with heraldic blind-stamping, yellow spine with red printing but discolored/darkened slightly, top stain red, pages clean and bright, in very good condition. (Goldstone & Payne A36a)
Generally considered as one of Steinbeck's lesser books, this book did become popular enough to be a book-of-the-month selection. This is Steinbeck's only work of political satire and tells the story of an amateur astronomer, Pippin, who is proclaimed King of France. He spends most of his time trying to avoid any responsibilities and deal with hangers-on with inherited money. Much of the satire is clearly relatable to today's people and politics as well.
The Story of Word Pictures
Santa Cruz, CA: The Good Book Press, 1984. 14 pp. Approximately 2 x 2 1/8". LIMITED EDITION of 200 copies, the first fifty are hand-painted and bound in leather, this being #197 of the regular printing. Pale green paper wrap with design and title on cover and spine in fine condition. Green boards with design on front cover, printed on a hand-operated printing press on Peter's handmade paper, one minor foxing spot on rear endpaper, numbered on the colophon, in near fine condition. (Bradbury, Peter and Donna Thomas 11).
Peter and Donna Thomas, well-known book artists, authors, and paper-makers, have been operating their private press since 1976. This is a lovely little book with elfin maidens and wizards and words by the author on how to gather pictures in your own head.
The Terminal Man
New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1972. 247 pp. 5 3/4 x 8 1/2"; First Edition. Dust jacket is price clipped, otherwise in very good condition; Grey paper with brown cloth over spine, stated First Edition on copyright page, top edge stained green, in near fine condition. (Clute & Nicholls p. 273)
Michael Crichton (1942 - 2008) graduated from Harvard with an MD, which is apparent in much of his work. He first wrote under the name of John Lange but The Andromeda Strain is the second work of his under his own name, which was very successful. It was made into a movie in 1974 and delves into the morality of using electronic brain implants to control behavior, now a better known method of the use of a neurostimulator.
The Tragedy of Lesbos
London: Macmillan and Co., 1870. First Edition. 8vo. Bright green cloth binding with gilt spine lettering and front board ruled in gilt; Front hinge is loose and front free endpaper is loose; spine edges are worn; corner bumping; some age-toning; foxing throughout, a few minor pencil marks; Burns & Co. binder ticket on rear endpaper. Original pencil drawing on page 115, artist unknown. Hardcover in Very Good condition.
Edward Henry Pember was an English barrister, educated at Harrow School and Christ Church, Oxford. The books is inscribed by author at the endpaper: "F. Pember / 1871 / From the author". Presumably this would be his son, Francis William Pember, Vice-Chancellor of Oxford University.
The Transcendent Man
New York: Rinehart & Co., 1953. 244 pp. Approximately 5 x 7 1/2". First edition, first printing with price of $2.50 on dust jacket flap. Gray boards, red and black spine letters with very minor rubbing to extremities, usual toning to text block, near fine condition. Dust jacket in near fine condition with crease and rubbing on back. NF/NF.
A science fiction story about an unseen alien race, called Capellans, living among us, harvesting "the thought forces released by humans at death."
The Trouble With Eden
New York: G. P. Putnam's Sons, 1973. First hardcover printing. Dust jacket is in very good condition with some edge wear, drink water mark, some shelf wear and minor chips, not price clipped. Red cloth over boards with gilt spine title, top edge has small red ink stain, some tanning, otherwise very good contion.
Jill Emerson is a pseudonym of Lawrence Block (b. 1938). Block is an American crime writer best known for two long-running New York–set series, about the recovering alcoholic P.I. Matthew Scudder and gentleman burglar Bernie Rhodenbarr, respectively. Block was named a Grand Master by the Mystery Writers of America in 1994. This fiction novel, set in New Hope Pennsylvania, has a diverse set of characters, some who struggle against temptation and some who don't.
The Wayward Bus
New York: Viking Press, 1947. 312 pp. Approximately 5 1/2 x 8 1/4". Pictorial jacket is in very good condition, with some wear, slight chipping of the spine, tape repairs to the inside of the jacket, original price of $2.75 intact. Dark reddish-orange cloth over boards with crisp lettering on cover and spine, blindstamp on front cover a lighter shade then the rest of the binding, top is not stained green and there is no book club dot so likely some variant of first printing, slight edge wear to covers especially along the bottom edges, stained on the upper page edge corners, otherwise in very good condition. (Goldstone & Payne A23a)
Originally thought to be one of Steinbeck's weaker novels, it was actually financially successful. The interesting thing about it is that no one single character in the book dominates. Rather, the viewpoint shifts from one character to another quite frequently, with access to the character's thoughts through an internal monologue. Adapted to film in 1957 to some success at the box office, it starred Jayne Mansfield, Joan Collins, Dan Dailey and Rick Jason.