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

Paris: Gallimard, 1964. First French Edition. First Printing, a Review Copy with publisher's "Service de Presse" punch to lower margin of rear wrapper. Octavo; publisher's plain beige wrappers, printed in black and red; 195pp, [10]. Inscribed by Cioran (in French) on the half-title page. A fresh, Fine copy. A rare inscribed copy of the author's fifth French language publication, a collection of nine philosophical essays. Material signed by Cioran is extremely uncommon on the market.

Montpellier: La Murene, 1964. First Edition. One of 250 numbered copies signed by the author, this being copy no.126. Quarto (24.5cm); original wrappers; [52]pp; text is in French and English. Wrappers scuffed and a bit soiled, a few short splits along spine, with a few signatures loose, but complete; Very Good only. Original receipt from Philip C. Duschnes laid in.

Buenos Aires: Emecé Editores, 1951. First Edition. New. First Printing. Near Fine in illustrated self-wrappers. Tiny owners name stamp to half-title and title page, and aside from some very discreet touch up to the black near the crown of the spine, a bright, Fine copy with the text remarkably unfoxed. A scarce volume collecting nine stories by the Latin American master, including 'Death and the Compass,' 'Funes the Memorious,' and 'The Garden of Forking Paths.' The title story was the basis for the 1992 Alex Cox film starring Peter Boyle, Miguel Sandoval, and Christopher Eccleston. An exemplary copy, and scarce thus.

Mexico: Fondo de Cultura Económica, 1962. First Edition. An early novel by the highy-regarded Mexican author and a seminal work in the Latin American Boom, centered around a corrupt politician and soldier, lying on his deathbed and recalling the many events which shaped his life, from the Mexican Revolution to the founding of the Partido Revolucionario Institucional (PRI). While the colophon supplies an initial printing of 15,000 copies, the book was cheaply made and now scarce, particularly signed. First Impression, preceding both the US and UK editions by two years. Small octavo (16.75cm); pictorial card wrappers; [8],9-316,[4]pp. Signed by the author on the title page. Sunning to spine, modest edgewear, with an armorial bookplate on verso of front wrapper, some tanning to text edges, and faint foxing to upper edge and inner wrappers; Very Good+.

Paris: Seghers, 1974. First French Edition. New. Volume containing the screenplay for Truffaut's 1973 film Day For Night, starring Jacqueline Bisset, and his personal journal written while filming Ray Bradbury's Fahrenheit 451. Illustrated throughout with stills from both films. An interesting association copy inscribed to Rudi Fehr, whose credits include House of Wax (1953), I Confess (1953), and Dial M For Murder (1954). After a long hiatus, Fehr returned to edit One from the Heart (1982) and the John Huston-directed Prizzi's Honor (1985). In 1993 he received the American Cinema Editors Career Achievement Award. Narrow octavo (20.5cm); photo-illustrated wrappers with French flaps; [5],6-235,[5]pp; illus.; text is entirely in French. Inscribed by Truffaut to film editor Rudi Fehr on the title page: "Par Rudi Fehr / trés amicalement / François Truffaut." A few faint creases to wrappers, some laminate lift and flaking, else Very Good+ or better.

Paris: Universal Film S.A., 1945. Large quarto; single sheet of matte stock (18 X 24.25 inches), folded to make a four-page pressbook, which opens into a poster with printed synopsis; text and illustrations printed in red, black and white. A stunning, Fine example of the French film pressbook for Fritz Lang's 'Scarlet Street,' based on Georges de la Fouchardiere's 1930 novel 'La Chienne' (The Bitch), published in English the same year as 'Poor Sap.' Together with a Fine silver gelatin still from the film, measuring approx. 9.5 X 12 inches.

New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1943. First American Edition. Chandler's fourth novel, basis for the 1947 film noir directed by Robert Montgomery, who played the role of Philip Marlowe alongside Audrey Totter and Lloyd Nolan. Bruccoli A4.1.a. First Printing, one of 6,000 copies. Octavo; lime green cloth, with titling and rule stamped in dark green on spine and front panel; dustjacket; 216pp, [2]. Gentle sunning to spine, with a hint of offset to front endpaper, else Fine. Dustjacket is price-clipped, gently spine-sunned, and without loss; a few short tears [apparently] professionally mended on verso, with with one long tear (and attendant creasing) extending from crown to center of rear panel similarly mended; minor, skillful touch-up along same at upper spine; just Very Good, though retaining significant shelf appeal.

New York: George D. Smith, 1905. First Edition. First appearance in print of an undated manuscript Whitman prepared for the printer, though never published during his lifetime - a reminiscence of the Marquis de Lafayette's visit to the United States in 1824-25, when Whitman was six years old. The manuscript went throught two printings in 1905, published by Whitman's friend, the American naturalist John Burroughs (1837-1921). Uncommon in the trade, particularly with these desirable extras; the last copy at auction appeared in 1992 (Swann Galleries). Myerson A21.1.a; BAL 21458. Limited Issue, one of 235 numbered copies printed on American hand-made paper and signed by the publisher, this being copy no.40. Octavo (22cm); original gray paper-covered boards, with printed title labels mounted to spine and front cover; publisher's original unprinted blue paper dustjacket; [32]pp, with photographic frontispiece portrait of Whitman, folding plate reproducing a manuscript leaf in Whitman's hand, and an… Read More

London: Tom Stacey, 1972. First Edition Thus. First printing of this edition, and first in the UK, reprinting Pratt and De Camp's classic work of the same name (Henry Holt, 1942). Octavo; light blue paper-covered boards, with titles stamped in silver on spine; dustjacket; [6], 260, [2]pp ads. Base of spine gently tapped, rear endpaper slightly dust-soiled; Near Fine. Dustjacket is price-clipped, with a bit of mild wear to extremities; Near Fine.

Los Angeles: Black Sparrow Press, 1969. First Edition. Limited Issue, one of ten copies specially bound and designated for the author, publisher, and a few individuals within the inner circle of the press, this one marked "Binder's Copy" and signed by the author on the colophon. Octavo (24.5cm); pictorial printed paper-cover boards, with title label mounted to spine; publisher's original acetate dustjacket; [6],7-27,[3]pp. Tiny spot to upper left corner of rear board, otherwise Fine in a lightly rubbed, Near Fine dustjacket. Greene's only collection of poems published by the press, offered here in its most limited state. Morrow & Cooney 62b.

Paris: Flammarion, 1976. First Edition. New. Photoplay edition of Truffaut's 1976 film Small Change, richly illustrated with black and white stills throughout. A brilliant little film depicting the realistic/surrealistic world that children inhabit through a series of interconnected sequences. Uncommon signed. First Impression. Octavo (21cm); photo-illustrated card wrappers; [9],10-137,[5]pp; text is entirely in French. Inscribed by Truffaut in ink on the half-title page. Light wear and scattered laminate lift to extremities, faint curl to right edge of front wrapper, with mild tanning to text edges and a tiny stain to upper edge of textblock; Very Good+.

Los Angeles: Black Sparrow Press, 1969. First Edition. Deluxe Issue, one of four copies specially designated for the author, publisher, binder, and printer, this one marked "Binder's Copy" and signed by the author on the colophon. Octavo (24.5cm); full patterned cloth, with title labels mounted to spine and front cover; publisher's original acetate dustjacket; [ii],[8],9-39,[7]pp. Fine in a Very Good+ dustjacket, rubbed, with a small tear at crown, and a larger one at upper front panel. Morrow & Cooney 54b.

New York: Signet / The New American Library, 1973. First Paperback Edition. First novel featuring tough-guy ex-cop Gill Burke, framed by the mob and looking to settle the score. Burke + women + guns + assassins = "an orgy of blistering destruction" (publisher's words - not mine...). Hubin, p.376. First Printing. Octavo (17.75cm); photo-illustrated card wrappers; yellow edge-staining; 190,[2]pp. Inscribed by the author and his wife and cover girl Sherri on the inner front wrapper: "Hi there / Sherri Spillane" [beneath] Hi Tom - Enjoy the blondes and the bullies - good to see you! Mickey Spillane." Hint of sunning to upper edge of textblock and upper front joint, a few tiny rubs, else very Near Fine.

New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 2011. First American Edition. New. First Printing. A Fine copy in illustrated wrappers. An Advance Reader's Edition of the Booker Prize winner's forthcoming novel (September 2011), his first since "The White Tiger," with an initial print run of 100,000 copies.

Beverly Hills & New York: United Artists, 1959. Folio; illustrated wrappers, saddle-stitched; 12pp. Some trivial edgewear, a few tiny tears, and a one inch tear to lower left edge of final page; Near Fine. Original film pressbook for the 1959 film noir based on John Wexley's 1930 play about a man sentenced to death row. Directed by Howard Koch, with a remorseless performance by Mickey Rooney as "Killer Mears." An attractive pressbook.

Santa Barbara: Black Sparrow Press, 1976. First Edition. Limited Issue, one of 100 numbered copies signed by Bukowski and co-author Diane Wakoski, this being copy no.98. Octavo (20.5cm); pictorial paper-covered boards and orange cloth backstrip; publisher's unprinted white paper jacket; [12]pp. Some dust-soil along the lower rear board edge, else very Near Fine in a Near Fine dustjacket, with some trivial dust-soil and subtle toning to extremities. Attractive copy of this early New Year's Greeting, with poems by a pair of Black Sparrow Press staples. Krumhansl 53b.

Philadelphia: J.B. Lippincott Company, 1932. First Edition. A superb copy of the second Detective Stephen Harper mystery, a "yellow peril" novel set in New York City. The novel has everything going for it: death, dope, detection, and torture, all set in the streets of Chinatown. And for the record (we'll spare you the gory details), there's not a damned thing funny about dying 'the laughing death.' A terrific novel by a highly underrated Black Mask author. First Printing. Octavo; red cloth, with titles stamped in black on spine and front cover; dustjacket; 317, [3]pp. Fine in a Near Fine, unclipped dustjacket, with a single short tear at lower edge of the rear panel.

London: Morland Press, 1923. First, Limited Edition. Handsome edition of Conrad's two-act play, one of the smallest limitations of any of his works. Basis for Herbert Wilcox's 1953 film of the same name, starring Wendell Corey, Margaret Lockwood, and Forrest Tucker. Ehrsam 2159. One of 200 numbered copies specially bound and signed by the author, this being copy no.78. Octavo (24.5cm); full vellum, with titles stamped in gilt on spine; text printed in two colors on Kelmscott handmade paper; top edge gilt; [8],9-66,[6]pp. Some of the usual toning to the covers, though virtually none of the warping typically seen; scattered foxing to endpapers, else a tight, clean copy; Near Fine, lacking the original clamshell box.

Indianapolis & New York: The Bobbs-Merrill Company, 1938. First American Edition. The author's first book published in the U.S., and the first appearance of own translation of the novel into English - the story of a blind man betrayed by his wife and her lover. Originally translated by Winifred Roy and published in London in 1936 under the title Camera Obscura, Nabokov was so displeased with the translation's quality that he undertook the effort himself. A lovely copy, unrestored, and without the usual heavy wear typically seen on the dustjacket. Juliar A14.2. Octavo (21.5cm); in the first issue green cloth binding, titled, blocked, and decorated in gilt and navy blue on spine; dustjacket; [6],7-292pp. Trivial wear to spine ends, some offsetting to pastedowns, else a fresh, very Near Fine copy. Dustjacket is unclipped (priced $2.50), with a hint of sunning to spine, a single, tiny tear at lower edge of rear panel, and some pinpoint rubs to spine ends and corners; very Near Fine.

London: William Heinemann Ltd, 1955. Uniform Edition. In January 1938, Green took a five week-long trip through the backroads of Mexico, which resulted in his 1939 travelogue The Lawless Roads, and his 1940 novel The Power and the Glory, one of his acknowledged masterworks. A self-proclaimed "Catholic agnostic," Greene reported on how the inhabitants of Chiapas and Tabasco reacted to the Calles regime's brutal anti-clerical purges, the destruction of churches, and the killing of priests; while the book was not a critical success, he would acknowledge its significance as the source for his Mexican fiction, and how it provided both the setting and theme for The Power and the Glory. Glenville (1913-1996) enjoyed a productive relationship with Greene, producing his first play (The Living Room, 1953), and directing the 1967 film adaptation of The Comedians, based on his Haitian novel set during the rule of "Papa Doc" Duvalier. Octavo (17.75cm); black cloth, blocked and titled in red and gilt on spine; map… Read More