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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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 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
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
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
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
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
Oxford Clarendon Press, 1902. Embossed with University of Chicago Library mark, which is stamped over with withdrawal stamp. As this is stitched and unbound as issued, it is a rather fragile piece with some staining and tearing on its edges. Interior is remarkably bright and unmarred for what is essentially... More
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
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
American Library Association, 1967. First Edition, First Printing. Pamphlet. This is an exceptionally rare pamphlet cowritten by activist librarian Morris and legendary Czech illustrator Sasek, inscribed by Morris inside front cover. Adapted from Sasek's This Is San Francisco picture book, this pamphlet was given to attendees of the American Library... More
Ballantine, 1998. Paperback. Top right corner bent. This is a signed copy of Quindlen's memoir of her life as a book-lover turned bestselling novelist. More
Farrar , Straus and Giroux, 1969. First Edition, First Printing. Cloth. Missing dust jacket. Previous owner's name inside front cover. This is a stated first printing of Sontag's critical essay collection. More
Afton Historical Society Press, 2003. First Edition, First Printing. Cloth. Inscribed by Putnam himself on half title. This is an unusual collection of critical essays about classical texts, compiled in honor of literary scholar Putnam on the occasion of his 70th birthday. Featuring a range of contributions from luminaries in... More