Click for full-size.
IN A NARROW GRAVE: ESSAYS ON TEXAS - LIMITED EDITION, SIGNED
by McMurtry, Larry
- Used
- Hardcover
- Signed
- first
- Condition
- See description
- Seller
-
Stephenson, Virginia, United States
Payment Methods Accepted
About This Item
Austin: The Encino Press, 1968. First Edition. Attractive copy of this early collection of nine essays on Texas, touching on themes of "the end of the cowboy era and the exodus from the ranch to the city and suburbs" (Kirkus Review). Preceded by a first printing that was so littered with typographical errors (the worst of them being "skycrapers" for "skyscrapers" on p.105) that it was recalled and destroyed, with surviving examples known in the low to mid-two figures. The second, corrected printing was issued simultaneously in a signed limited and trade format. Second (corrected) printing, limited issue, one of 250 numbered copies specially bound and signed by the author, this being copy no.121. Octavo (cm); printed paper-covered boards and tan calf backstrip, with titles stamped in black and gilt on spine; publisher's original linen slipcase; xviii,177,[1]pp. Light wear to heel, else Fine in a Fine slipcase.
Synopsis
Writing with characteristic grace and wit, Larry McMurtry tackles the full spectrum of his favorite themes -- from sex, literature, and cowboys to rodeos, small-town folk, and big-city slickers. First published in 1968, In a Narrow Grave is the classic statement of what it means to come from Texas. In these essays, McMurtry opens a window into the past and present of America's largest state. In his own words: "Before I was out of high school, I realized I was witnessing the dying of a way of life -- the rural, pastoral way of life. In the Southwest the best energies were no longer to be found on the homeplace, or in the small towns; the cities required these energies and the cities bought them...." "I recognized, too, that the no-longer-open but still spacious range on which my ranching family had made its livelihood...would not produce a livelihood for me or for my siblings and their kind....The myth of the cowboy grew purer every year because there were so few actual cowboys left to contradict it...." "I had actually been living in cities for fourteen years when I pulled together these essays; intellectually I had been a city boy, but imaginatively, I was still trudging up the dusty path that led out of the country...."
Reviews
(Log in or Create an Account first!)
Details
- Bookseller
- Captain Ahab's Rare Books
(US)
- Bookseller's Inventory #
- 4837
- Title
- IN A NARROW GRAVE: ESSAYS ON TEXAS - LIMITED EDITION, SIGNED
- Author
- McMurtry, Larry
- Book Condition
- Used
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Edition
- First Edition
- Binding
- Hardcover
- Publisher
- The Encino Press
- Place of Publication
- Austin
- Date Published
- 1968
Terms of Sale
Captain Ahab's Rare Books
30 day return guarantee, with full refund including original shipping costs for up to 30 days after delivery if an item arrives misdescribed or damaged.
About the Seller
Captain Ahab's Rare Books
Biblio member since 2010
Stephenson, Virginia
About Captain Ahab's Rare Books
Founded in 2010, Captain Ahab's Rare Books specializes in first editions of literature, genre fiction, film-related books and ephemera, zines, manuscript and archival material.
Glossary
Some terminology that may be used in this description includes:
- Octavo
- Another of the terms referring to page or book size, octavo refers to a standard printer's sheet folded four times, producing...
- Calf
- Calf or calf hide is a common form of leather binding. Calf binding is naturally a light brown but there are ways to treat the...
- Gilt
- The decorative application of gold or gold coloring to a portion of a book on the spine, edges of the text block, or an inlay in...
- Heel
- The lower most portion of the spine when the book is standing vertically.
- First Edition
- In book collecting, the first edition is the earliest published form of a book. A book may have more than one first edition in...
Frequently asked questions
This Book’s Categories
Storing books - laying down or standing up?
Don’t unwittingly damage your growing book collection! Learn about when to store books laying down vs standing up. Read About Safe Book Storage
Collecting Dr. Seuss
Whether you are into the pricey first editions or interesting Seussiana ephemera, this is a good starting point for building a book collection based on Dr. Seuss.
