New Arrivals
The Haploids
New York: Rinehart & Co., 1952. 248 pp. Approximately 5 1/4 x 7 3/4". First edition. Signed/inscribed by the author to "Loren Lewis, a good friend who I have found has an eye for the same sort of thing I have...Thanks. Jerry Sohl." Illustrated dust jacket with slight wear and some creases and minor chipping in very good + condition, not price-clipped; Black cloth over boards with title and design in color on spine, minor tanning, in near fine condition.
Jerry Sohl (1913 - 2002), was an American science fiction author who also wrote television scripts for such series as The Twilight Zone, Alfred Hitchcock Presents, The Outer Limits and the original Star Trek series. This thrilling book is about the plot to exterminate the entire male population of the world. A classic in the genre.
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.
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.
Cape Cod Yesterdays
Boston: Little, Brown & Co., 1935. 48 pp. Approximately 6 3/4 x 9 3/4"; LIMITED EDITION of 1075, this being #471 as indicated on the colophon, although the slipcase indicates copy #826, signed by both author and illustrator. Slipcase slightly corner bumped but in near-fine condition with spine label showing title and limitation in excellent shape. Calico cloth covered boards with quarter-bound linen backing, beautiful pictorial endpapers, top edge of all-rag paper is trimmed but other edges are untrimmed, both b/w and full color illustrations by Harold Brett, extra label at rear of book, otherwise in fine condition.
Told from the point of view of remembrances of the departing way of life in Cape Cod. Informal diaglogue brings back the time of general stores, ships that sailed without gasoline engines, travelling by horseback instead of car, fishing, all told with the Cape Cod landscape as a beautiful and scenic background.
Arthur C. Clarke: The Authorized Biography
Chicago: Contemporary Books, 1992. 430 pp. 6 x 9 1/4"; Pictorial dustjacket in fine condition; Black paper over boards with gilt lettering on spine, signed Arthur C. Clarke bookplate on front paste-down endpaper, many black and white photographs, in fine condition.
Sir Arthur Charles Clarke (1917 - 2008) was the author or more than sixty books and has received many awards for both his science fiction and his scientific non-fiction writing. This biography explores his career and personal vision though candid interviews with Clarke, his friends, family members, and colleagues. The numerous black and white photographs enhance the biography in a delightful way. Bookplate printed "Ex Libris, Arthur C. Clarke" with illustrations of the monolith from his 2001 Space Odyssey series and dolphins from his novel, Dolphin Island.
The Red Pony
New York: Viking Press, 1945. 131 pp. Approximately 6 3/4 x 9 3/4". Cardboard slip case with paste-down label, slight crack on top edge, otherwise is in near fine condition; Grey/green cloth over boards with laid down color vignette on front cover, illustrated endpapers, all edged dyed blue, slight foxing to book and label, otherwise in near fine condition. (Goldstone and Payne A9c, variant 2 - printed by Rogers-Kellopgg-Stillson in a tan slipcase.)
This is the first illustrated edition of 4 stories that were partially published in magazines in 1933 - 1936. The main character of each story is Jody Tiflin, a boy living on his father's ranch in California. Eleven beautiful watercolor illustrations by Wesley Dennis are throughout and also on the endpapers.
The Red Pony
New York: Viking Press, 1945. 131 pp. Approximately 6 3/4 x 9 3/4". Cardboard slip case with paste-down label, slight water stains on bottom edge, otherwise is in near fine condition; Grey/green cloth over boards with laid down color vignette on front cover, illustrated endpapers, all edges dyed blue, in fine condition. (Goldstone and Payne A9c, variant 1 - printed by the Zeese-Wilkinson Company but in a beige slipcase instead of a blue slipcase.)
This is the first illustrated edition of 4 stories that were partially published in magazines in 1933 - 1936. The main character of each story is Jody Tiflin, a boy living on his father's ranch in California. Eleven beautiful watercolor illustrations by Wesley Dennis are throughtout and also on the endpapers.
A Tourist In Spite of Himself
Boston: Little, Brown & Co., 1930. 252 pp. Approximately 6 x 9". Limited Edition of 525 copies, this being #71. Signed by the author. Cardboard slip case is in good condition with some splitting to edges, past repairs, paper label on spine indicating title and limited edition number; Blue cloth quarter bound over decorative boards with torn label pasted down to spine, many black and white illustrations by Gluyas Williams throughout, in near fine condition.
A delightful book about a book collector's travels around the world, particularly Scandinavia, London, Paris, Egypt, Jerusalem and Rome, all told from a very humorous perspective. Newton also authored The Amenities of Book-Collecting.
Secrets of the Conjurer's Craft
London: Abbey Library, n.d. 144 pp. Approximately 6 1/2 x 9". Dust jacket is in very good condition with some tears with loss in a few spaces, price clipped, slightly dirty rear cover, but still a bright and colorful cover; Black cloth over boards with gilt lettering to spine, many black and white illustrations, slight page tanning, otherwise in near fine condition.
A delightful book revealing how many magician's tricks are performed, along with a "condense history of the Art of Conjuring" from the dust wrapper flap. Some tricks that are revealed include how to saw a woman in half, the Indian Rope Trik, and the Vanishing Lady, among others.
The Quality of Life
Philadelphia: Girard Bank, 1970. 85 pp. Approximately 5 3/4 x 8 1/4". First edition, first printing. Slip case is in fine condition; green paper over boards with black lettering to cover and spine, label paste-down on cover which has a tiny nick in it, insert from the Girard Company bank president laid in, in fine condition.
Per the laid in slip from Stephen S. Gardner, President of The Girard Company, this book was commissioned for James Michener to write in order to include it with the bank's 1969 Annual Report. Michener was given free artistic license to express his own views. Nine color reproductions of paintings by James B. Wyeth (son of Andrew Wyeth and grandson of N. C. Wyeth) were added to enrich the text.