The Death of the Author
Melville House, 2008. Paperback. This is a scarce reprint of Adairs 1992 meta novella. More
Literary Criticism & Books About Books
Israfel; The Life and Times of Edgar Allan Poe
Farrar & Rinehart, 1934. Cloth. No dust jacket. Previous owner's name and pair of nameplates inside cover. This is the revised edition of Allen's landmark biography of Poe, featuring a number of paintings, illustrations, photographs, and documents from Poe's fascinating life. More
The Uses of Enchantment; The Meaning and Importance of Fairy Tales
Knopf, 1976. First Edition. Cloth. Missing dust jacket. Maroon boards with gilt lettering on spine. Large scratch across front cover, otherwise very good. This is a first edition of Bettelheim's psychological study of fairy tales and the importance of children's literature in helping children cope with their emotions and the world. More
On Immunity; An Innoculation
Graywolf Press, 2014. First Edition, First Printing. Hardcover. This is a signed first printing of Eula Biss' remarkable study of fear, medicine, government, and our own bodies through the lens of motherhood and literary criticism. A bold, difficult to categorize book for fans of (and blurbed by) Maggie Nelson and... More
Shakespeare; The Invention of the Human
Riverhead Books, 1998. First Edition. Hardcover. First edition, sixth printing. As signed first editions of Bloom's landmark Shakespeare biography are quite rare and sought after, we find it notable that this edition is signed by Bloom directly to the title page rather than on a tipped-in bookplate. A rare and... More
The Bradbury Chronicles; Predicting the Past, Remembering the Future
William Morrow, 2005. First Edition, First Printing. Hardcover. This is a signed first printing of Ray Bradbury's biography. Inscribed on the title page by both the late, great Bradbury and his biographer Weller. More
Studi di critica boiardesca
Federico & Ardia, 1994. Paperback. In Italian. This is a critical study of Italian Renaissance poet Matteo Maria Boiardo. Stain on front cover and some edge wear. More
The Grasping Imagination: The American Writings of Henry James
University of Toronto Press, 1970. First Edition. Cloth. Association copy. Light loss on spine. Some pencil notes in back cover and a some underlining in pencil throughout by original owner. This is a wonderful signed first edition of literary criticism by the late scholar Buitenhuis. Includes a typed and signed... More
Essay on Burns
Longmans, Green and Co., 1909. Hardcover. Very few light marks in pencil underlining particular words. This seems to have been a study edition, but if so, it is in remarkable condition. Lovely olive green boards with black lettering and design. From the Longmans' English Classics series. More
Early African American Print Culture
University of Pennsylvania Press, 2012. First Edition. Hardcover. This is a fine copy of this rather scarce book with only minor shelf wear to dust jacket edges. Appears uncracked and unread. More
Notes Towards the Definition of Culture
Harcourt Brace, 1954. First American Edition, 1st Printing. Hardcover. This is a fine first American edition of Eliot's classic study of literary theory. In protective overwrap. Stamped inside back cover. More
The Story That Teaches You How to Write It
Spineless Books, 2005. First Edition. Paperback. A curious post-modern book of self-criticism. The left-hand pages tell the story of grad students in love, while the right-hand pages reflect on the form, composition, and theory involved in crafting it. More
An Introduction to Twentieth-Century Italian Literature
Duckworth, 2005. Paperback. More
Gender and Sexuality in Ethical Context; Ten Essays on Polish Prose
Bergen, 2005. First Edition. Hardcover. At time of listing, we were able to find no other hard copies of this book for sale online. This is a scarce anthology of criticism of Polish literature. More
Dian Hanson's The History of Men's Magazines Vol. 2: from Post-War to 1959
Taschen, 2004. Hardcover. Bound in faux-alligator skin. Volume 2 of Hanson's encyclopedic catalog of risque magazines with with hundreds of full-page photos and illustrations. More
The Chicagoan: A Lost Magazine of the Jazz Age and The Chicagoan Issue 01 (set of 2)
University of Chicago Press, 2008/2012. First Edition. Hardcover. Shelf wear to edges of dust jacket, otherwise very good all around. The rediscovery of The Chicagoan magazine, a short-lived counterpart to The New Yorker, was an exciting moment for us residents of the Windy City, exciting enough to lead to the... More
Graphis 4th International Survey of Children's Book Illustration
Graphis Press, 1979. Hardcover. In English, German, and French. This is Graphis Press' comprehensive look at contemporary children's book illustration from around the world. With hundreds of illustrations in color and black and white. More
Holmes' Fifth Reader; containing fresh selections in prose and verse from standard writers, with biographical notes, and an introductory treatise on the principles of enunciation and elocution
University Publishing Company, 1888. Cloth. This is a rare 1888 university textbook compiled by influential UVA literary professor Holmes, who had previously served as the first chancellor of the University of Mississippi. Spine is embossed maroon leather which is peeling at top and is missing a bottom piece. Covers are... More
The Ink-Stone: A P.G. Wodehouse Haiku Book
Vantage Press, 1985. First Edition. Cloth. This is a stated first edition of Isaacson's curious collection juxtaposing Wodehouse excerpts with 20th century Japanese haiku poems. Corners are bumped, and dust jacket has a fair amount of sunning and chipping around edges. More
Master of Middle-earth; The Fiction of J.R.R. Tolkein
Houghton Mifflin, 1972. First Edition. Hardcover. This is a first edition, third printing of Kocher's critical analysis of Tolkein's writing, from his classic fantasies to his lesser known works. More
All the King's Horses and All the King's Men Couldn't Put Humpty-Dumpty Together Again
Lakeside Press. Low, Joseph. Paperback. Stamped several times with the name "M. Larson." This is a curious illustrated history of book binding and restoration as well as a promotion for Lakeside Press' own hand bindery services. Lakeside Press was a Chicago specialty press that produced fine limited editions in its... More
Catalogue de Livres Rares No. 11
Librarie Camille Sourget. Hardcover. In French. This is a gorgeous catalogue of rare books available from famed Parisian dealer Librarie Camille Sourget. With many sumptuous full-page color photos and illustrations. No publication date, but likely mid-2000s. More
A Brief History of Chinese Fiction
Foreign Languages Press, 1982. Hardcover. Dust jacket is a bit brittle and has small tears along edges. Previous owner's name on flyleaf. This is the second edition, third printing of this overview of Chinese fiction featuring woodcut illustrations. With silk ribbon attached. More
R.R.étrospective / Dreamsongs
Pygmalion, 2017. Paperback. In French. This is a French translation of the Game of Thrones author's retrospective biography featuring new and selected writings from throughout his career. More
The First Printers of Chicago; with a bibliography of the issues of the Chicago Press 1836-1850
Cuneo Press, 1927. First Edition. Hardcover. Signed and numbered 84 of 250. Strip of spine is peeled, and corners are frayed. Pages 38-40 bear the extensive notes of the previous owner. This is a curious limited run book, both a history of early printing presses in Chicago and a sampling... More