[Rarebooks] FS: Some recently catalogued Modern Firsts: Auster, Beattie, Gardner, C.S. Lewis, Salinger, Updike, etc.

[Charles Agvent]

 From our HOLIDAY 2008 Catalogue of 150 NEW ARRIVALS now posted on our 
web site.  Included are beautifully bound classics, signed books, fine 
press titles, poetry, illustrated books, and the unusual.  In a few days 
we will post our new list which contains archives and scarce material by 
three American writers: Thomas Merton, John Steinbeck, and Thornton Wilder.

1.  AUSTER,  Paul.  AUGGIE WREN'S CHRISTMAS STORY.  (Birmingham,  UK):
Delos  Press 1992. First Edition. Quarter buckram and marbled  boards.
Copy  #96  of  100 numbered copies SIGNED by the author  (of  a  total
edition  of  450  of  which 150 were signed), this being  one  of  the
even-numbered  copies  issued in the United States. Fine,  as  issued.
                                                                $250.00

2.  BEATTIE,  Ann. CHILLY SCENES OF WINTER. Garden  City:  Doubleday &
Company,  Inc.  1976.  First  Edition.   Author's  first  book  issued
simultaneously    with   DISTORTIONS.  Covers   slightly   bowed   and
discoloration  to the spine of the book. Very Good or better in a Fine
dustwrapper.                                                    $50.00

3.  BEATTIE, Ann. DISTORTIONS. Garden City: Doubleday & Company,  Inc.
1976.  First  Edition. Author's first book issued simultaneously  with
CHILLY SCENES OF WINTER. Fine in just about Fine dustwrapper.  $125.00

4.  BOURJAILY,  Vance. THE END OF MY LIFE. New York: Charles  Scribner
1947.  First  Edition.  Author's first book, a novel  about  love  and
youth  and  violent death. Small chip to top front of dustwrapper  and
light wear. Fine in a lightly soiled, Very Good dustwrapper.    $50.00

5.  BUTLER,  Robert  Olen.  A  GOOD SCENT  FROM  A  STRANGE  MOUNTAIN.
STORIES.  New  York: Henry Holt (1992). First Edition. Butler's  first
book  of short stories and winner of the Pulitzer Prize. SIGNED by the
author on the title page. Fine in Fine dustwrapper.            $150.00

6.  DURRELL, Lawrence. TUNC. New York: E. P. Dutton & Co., Inc.  1968.
First  Edition.  INSCRIBED  for --- and SIGNED by the  author  on  the
front  blank. Durrell's first novel after THE ALEXANDRIA QUARTET. Near
Fine in a Near Fine dustwrapper.                                $75.00

7.  GARDNER,  John.  GRENDEL.  New  York:  Alfred  Knopf  1971.  First
Edition.  This notable fantasy is the "true story" of Beowulf, as told
from  the  perspective of the monster, and is the one book by  Gardner
that   many  seem  to  seek.  Fine   in  a  virtually  unfaded,   Fine
dustwrapper.                                                   $150.00

8.  GARDNER,  John. IN THE SUICIDE MOUNTAINS. New York:  Alfred  Knopf
1977.  First  Edition. SIGNED by the author on the front  blank.  Near
Fine in a Near Fine dustwrapper.                               $100.00

9.  LEWIS,  C.  S. TILL WE HAVE FACES. New York:  Harcourt  Brace  and
Company  (1957). First Edition. Two illustrations and jacket design by
Fritz  Eichenberg. The author of the Narnia books called this story of
princesses  and  the  struggle  between profane and  sacred  love  his
favorite  book. Tiny nick to spine and short closed tear to bottom  of
rear dustwrapper. Fine in a close to Fine dustwrapper.         $200.00

10.  McGRATH, Patrick. THE GROTESQUE. New York: Poseidon Press (1989).
First  Edition.  McGrath's first novel and second book. SIGNED by  the
author  on  the  title  page. Dustwrapper blurbs by  John  Hawkes  and
Patricia Highsmith. Fine in just about Fine dustwrapper.        $50.00

11.  SALINGER, J. D. RAISE HIGH THE ROOF BEAM, CARPENTERS AND SEYMOUR.
AN  INTRODUCTION.  Boston:  Little, Brown and  Company  (1959).  First
Edition.  The issue with the dedication leaf following the title  page
and  with "Seymore" uncorrected on page 173. Small sticker residue  to
front  endpaper  and  slight  rubbing  to heel of  the  spine  of  the
dustwrapper  which has a $4.50 price sticker over the original printed
price. About Fine in a very close to Fine dustwrapper.         $150.00

12.  SHAW,  Irwin.  BREAD UPON THE WATERS. New York:  Delacorte  Press
(1981).  First  Edition. Copy #326 of 500 copies SIGNED by the  author
on  the limitation page and bound in full blue leather. Unread copy in
Fine condition in a Fine slipcase.                              $50.00

13.  UPDIKE,  John.  THE SAME DOOR. SHORT STORIES.  New  York:  Alfred
Knopf  1959.  First  Edition. Updike's third book and  first  book  of
short  stories. Some soiling to the rear of the dustwrapper. Fine in a
price-clipped, Near Fine First Issue dustwrapper.              $350.00

-- 

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CHARLES AGVENT
291 Linden Road
Mertztown, PA  19539-8750
610-682-4750
agvent at erols.com
Visit our home page:  http://www.erols.com/agvent
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