[Rarebooks] Steinbeck: a beginning (1) + an ending (2)

[Serendipity Books]

(1)

EL GABILAN
(1919)




C1, C2, C3.                 EL GABILAN [Salinas 
High School Year Book].  Salinas (1919).   White 
wrappers, stain at the lower staple in the front, 
front lower, outer corner chipped away, 
1½"  x  1½" x 3" triangle).  Sheets firmly 
stapled to each other, the text block loose in 
the covers and end sheet, which bears the class's 
printed dedication to Blanche Byxbee on the verso 
of the front conjugate. 59pp + (8) leaves of 
ads.  This copy has the ownership signature of 
Rena Bromley in ink on the uper cover, and her 
pencilled ownership on the first leaf, with 
signature, May 31, 1912 [sic] / Salinas 
Cal."  Contains "The How, When and Where of the 
High School", "[Portion of] Class Will" and 
"Woodwork" – Steinbeck's first appearances in 
print.  Goldstone did not have a copy, nor did Valentine.

             Rena was born Harriet Bromley 
Jackson, but did not like her given name, and 
even in high school used "Rena."  She was a close 
friend of Beth, John Steinbeck's older sister. 
Rena contributes a prose piece here, "The 
Awakening" on pp. 16-18, and co-author's the 
"Class Will, marking her entrance with the same 
pen she signs her name with on the cover.  Beth 
has a poem "Sweet Brier" on p. 22.  Beth is 
vice-president of the senior class, and 
contributes a poem, "Sweet Brier" here.  Rena 
will be the president the next year, and John a senior then as well.


             Thirty years hence, John will 
inscribe a first printing of GRAPES OF WRATH  to his former classmate,

                         "For Rena and Peeley
                         Too mucha they try to ingestu
                         Of a mule that had died
                         Of  the glanders inside
                         Now to do familia no estu" – John Steinbeck.


"Peeley" = Leland Jackson, who went to the 
University of Southern California, and married 
Rena, became a dentist in San Jose. The sobriquet 
was for the condition of his nose at high school, 
and ever after he remained "Peeley".    During 
WWII, Rena  Bromley and her husband took as ward 
an English lady, Shirley Heaton Vollmer, to whom 
Rena gave the inscribed GRAPES OF WRATH, as well 
as at least two reminiscences of John Steinbeck: 
one, of John and his buddies, drunk, all, seeing 
whom among them could piss over a railroad card 
down at the tracks, of an evening; the other, of 
John and his buddies moving a horse into an 
upstairs bedroom [uninvited], on the q.t.

$25,000.00




(2)


UNCOLLECTED STORIES
(1986)


  [1986]             UNCOLLECTED STORIES OF JOHN 
STEINBECK.  Edited with notes [and a Preface] by 
Kiyoshi Nakayama.   Tokyo: Nan'un-do Contemporary 
Library C-S55 (1986)   Original blue and white 
wrappers, beige and brown dust jacket with John 
Steinbeck and Mary as youngsters on a 
pony,  pictured from photograph [courtesy of 
Valley Guild], 107 pp, ads [2 leaves], 
flyleaves.   Inscribed in English on July 23, 
1989 by the editor  to George B. Ramirez, 
"Thanking you for appreciating this little 
book
at Lee Richard Hayman's / Salinas," 
signed;  inscribed and signed in Japanese as 
well. An important work, collecting 7 fugitive 
stories (of at least 12 known) that had not yet 
appeared in book form, with a Preface.  All the 
stories are printed in English; notes in rear in 
English and Japanese; ads in Japanese.  With six 
illustrations from photographs of Steinbeck and 
his territories, with a line map of Salinas 
points of importance. Only ten copies located by 
OCLC in the United States.   First edition, first printing, very fine.

"His Father" from Reader's Digest 55 (September 1949)

"The Summer Before" from Punch, 228 (May 25, 1955)

"How Edith McGillcuddy Met R. L. Stevenson," Harper's, 183 (August 1941)

"Reunion at the Quiet Hotel," Evening Standard (January 25, 1958)

"The Miracle of Tepayac," Collier's, 122 (December 25, 1948)

"The Gifts Of Iban: A Short Story," The Smoker's Companion, 1 (March 1927)

"The Time the Wolves Ate the Vice-Principal," '47 
The Magazine of the Year, 1 (March 1947).

         Obviously, Nakayama was unaware of the 
Rowfant publication of "Edith McGillcuddy" in 
1943.  He points out that the two stories which 
appeared in England had bever been published in 
the United States, and that "Gifts of Iban" 
appeared under the pseudonym "John Stern".  The 
editor apologizes for his inability to include 
"The Affair at 7, Rue de M---" (1955); "The Short 
Short Stoy of Mankind" (1955); and "How Mr. Hogan 
Robbed a Bank" (1956) in addition to "two earlier 
ones published in the author's Stanford 
years"
"because of the college textbook format."

Takahaski's intent is threefold;  to give 
readers, especially Japanese college students in Japan an opportunity of

1)       "being familiar with stories hardly accessible"

2)       "appreciating [Steinbeck's] versatile writing"

3)       "providing a stepping stone for others 
who will come to want to read some other short 
stories and novels by Steinbeck."


$250.00




Terms:

1) Any book may be returned for any reason.
2) We welcome Mastercard, Visa, Amex, Personal Checks, Payment by Wire.
3) We do not charge postage.
4) Institutions may be invoiced to suit their requirements.
5) California Sales Tax charged to California addresses.

************

Peter B. Howard
Serendipity Books
1201 University Avenue
Berkeley, CA 94702
voice: (510) 841-7455
fax: (510) 841-1920
e-mail: pbhoward at serendipitybooks.com
http://www.serendipitybooks.com