Search Results: Autographs / Manuscripts from Downtown Brown Books, ABAA

1973. Ephemera. Very Good. An archive of 19 typed notes and letters, signed (TNS and TLS) and 6 typescripts by Piers Anthony, a prolific science fiction author staring in the 1960s. He is best known for his series of Xanth novels. This group of letters also includes 10 retained carbons of letters from Richard Geis to Anthony. Geis was a prolific writer of soft-core pornographic novels, which for many years was his main source of income. As a hobby, he published several fanzines, the best-known of which was Science Fiction Review (SFR). According to the Fancyclopedia 3, Geis's various fanzines were among the most influential in science fiction in the 1960s and 1970s. Geis was nominated for 30 Hugos in the fanzine category and won thirteen. Most of Anthony's letters are densely typed, with narrow margins. The paper is often low quality and tanned. All items are ribbon copies, unless noted. Many of the letters have lines in the margin made by Geis, perhaps for editorial purposes. Many of the letters… Read More

1988. Ephemera. Fine. A 225-word letter from the underground cartoonist to an antiquarian bookseller who often sold his work. In this letter, Wilson offers to sell Peter Howard several original illustrations (not present) for the upcoming book Tornado Alley by William S. Burroughs. The letter measures roughly 7 by 9 inches, and it is accompanied by the original hand-addressed manila envelope. Wilson is best-known for his often obscene Checkered Demon character. Wilson contributed to Zap, Arcade, and Weirdo comix. A fine letter and near fine envelope.

1952. Ephemera. Very good. A late stage carbon copy typescript, with handwritten corrections, of a crime novel published by Arcadia House in 1953. A comparison with this typescript and the published book offer interesting insights into Derleth's revision process. The novel features private detective Cyrus Flater. This carbon-copy typescript (with a ribbon-copy title sheet and page of additions) appears to reflect a near-final edit, with minor changes to language (and a character's name) and an effort to tighten the prose by deleting words and the occasional sentence. The changes become more frequent as the book nears its conclusion, as Derleth refined the pacing of the ending. He rewrote a few passages and typed the additions on a separate sheet, with the locations of the insertions keyed to the text with circled letters. A comparison of the typescript with the finished book reveals that Derleth made significant revisions after completing this typescript, in addition to changing the title and… Read More

Ephemera. Five notes from the Canadian author of The Handmaid's Tale and winner of two Booker Prizes addressed to an autograph collector in France. 1) 24 November 1987. "Grimm's fairytales had an influence on me. Otherwise I am an eclectic reader and work my way through a variety of books." Typeset letter, signed (TLS); probably output on a laser printer; folded for mailing, with the mailing envelope. 8-1/2 by 11 inches. Five lines, signed "Margaret Atwood." 2) 18 May 1989. "In answer to your question about influences: The Brothers Grimm made a strong impression on me when I was young, beyond that I can't think of any writers I return to on a regular basis." Typeset letter, signed (TLS); probably output on a laser printer; folded for mailing, with the mailing envelope. 8-1/2 by 11 inches. Three lines, signed "Margaret Atwood." 3) 20.2.89. A form letter, declining all requests, "I am on the brink of total collapse." In addition to the note declining requests is a stream of consciousness evocation… Read More

1988. Ephemera. Near Fine. 29 leaves; 8-1/2 by 11 inches. An original riboon-copy typescript, with many corrections with Wite-Out and overtyping. The story was a finalist in the novelette category of both the Hugo and Nebula awards. Near fine, housed in a custom folding archival paper sleeve. Inscribed and signed twice by Barrett, in two colors of ink. "For Tom" and "Original elec. typewriter, Whiteout (sic), etc.

Shingletown, CA: Mark V. Ziesing Books, 1991. This novel, set in Texas, focuses "on the churning psyche of a middle-aged man in crisis [and] turns into a sharp and garish parody of a sentimentalized small-town past over which it is easy, but dangerous, to pine."--Encyclopedia of Science Fiction. The book came out shortly after Through Darkest America, which after a 30-year writing career, seemed to be Barrett's breakout book. But the Hereafter Gang was not well received and ultimately was published by a small genre press. This grouping, assembled by Barrett's friend and fellow Manly Man Lunch Group member (see Jesse Sublett, Never the Same Again, p. 284), Tom Garner, includes a partial typescript, a small stack of rejection letters, a proof ,and the trade first edition (there was also a signed, limited edition). The typescript (about 200 leaves) includes the original first 17 leaves, which were cut from the book; the new first chapter (3 leaves); and leaves 146 to 324, ending mid-sentence. The… Read More

Trade paperback. Fine. Barrett's Interstate Dreams is a comic novel set in Austin, Texas, published in 1999 by Mojo Press. "Interstate Dreams (1999) - set like most of his best work in his native Texas - is a gritty, eyes-open fantasy about the condition of America at the end of its century."--Encylopedia of Science Fiction. This group of items belonged to Tom Garner, a friend of Barrett's and a fellow member of the Manly Men Lunch Group (see Jesse Sublett, Never the Same Again, p. 284). The novel is dedicated, "For Tom Garner. It would be real hard to find a better friend. I don't guess I'll even try." Included in this grouping are: 1) a photocopy of the typescript, inscribed "7/17/97. Tom-two copies went to my agent today. Yours is number 3. I thank you, again, for the priviledge--and fun--of being your friend!-Neal Barrett, Jr. the dedication copy, The typescript is 318 leaves and differs markedly from the published book, particularly in the final chapters, which show considerable revisions.… Read More

Eureka, CA, 1925. Eleanor, a teacher, writes to Harry, a friend or possibly a relative. She writes about planned trips to San Francisco for shopping and about her parents. Then she starts complaining about Eureka: "Eureka is on the fritz. The lumber industry is nil & Humboldt is dead-Eureka looks deserted & forlorn. It has a pathetic appearance when things are booming, but now-there is no interest in anything. The whole thing is depressing to me. The townspeople seem to accept it all without comment." A revealing letter, probably from the late 1920s, before the Stock Market crash, when lumber prices were in a slump. A single sheet, 7-1/4 by 12 inches. Written in pen on both sides. Folded for mailing, thus very good.

1994. Ephemera. Very good. Leviathan '99 was the working title for Ray Bradbury's effort to adapt Moby-Dick for the space age. He spent four decades on the project, translating his ideas into different genres, beginning with a radio play in 1968 and ending with a novella in 2007. He also wrote stage play and opera versions, as well as this screenplay, which seems to be unrecorded. This 87-leaf working draft is assembled from a hodge-podge of sources, including word processing printouts, one of Bradbury's holiday broadsides, and faxes sent to and from his daughter. Bradbury has corrected, added, and deleted words by hand from almost every page. The basis of the screenplay seems to be the radio play written in the late 1960s, rather than the later stage play or opera versions. Bradbury's extensive changes, while keeping much of the dialog intact, offer an interesting look at how he reconceptualized the story from the purely auditory radio version to one intended to encompass both sound and image. The… Read More

Two pages (single sheet). 8 by 10 inches, on ruled paper. A nice California business letter. This letter details a number of speculative business ventures in Southern California, and the writer and the recipient appear to be partners in a number of investments. There is a lengthy discussion of the purchase of wine at half price from L. Wolfskill (probably Luis Wolfskil, the son of wine industry pioneer William Wolfskil), which the writer expects to ship to New York at a substantial profit. The second paragraph expresses surprise at the "sheep account," and values the partners' flocks at $18,000. The letter concludes with the observation, "I see with pleasure that Green Backs are $6 odd, that ought to help us." Somewhat fragile with old folds, about very good.

London: Jonathan Cape, 1952. First Edition. Hardcover. Very good/Very good. The memoirs of a very active naval officer, engineer, and politician. During his eventful life, the Duke of Montrose was the first person to film a solar eclipse and he invented the aircraft carrier. Like many people who live enventful lives he devotes as much space the events he is most remembered as he does to, say, farming-which is a page or two. An uncommon book. First edition (first printing). A previous owner has copied out an article about a lost Montrose treasure on the rear free endpaper, else near fine in a very dust jacket with a few tape repairs on the verso (back).

London: John Lane, The Bodley Head, 1911. First Edition. Hardcover. Very good. A controversial novel at the time, about the affair of an author-politician who recants socialism and has an affair with a graduate student. The book was obviously based on Wells and his affair with the women's rights activist Amber Reeves. The novel also pokes fun at Beatrice and Sidney Webb, two prominent socialists, whose characters are thinly disguised and everyone in intellectual Britain knew who he meant. The novel was serialized in the literary magazine, The English Review, but initially no British publisher would touch it. As a result, the first edition is the American version, which came out in 1910. According to Wells' biographer Michael Sherborne, the sales of this book doubled that of any previous Wells novel. Wells told a friend around this time, "My personal unpopularity is immense but amusing & people listen with blanched faces to the tale of my vices & go & buy my books." (Quoted in H. G. Wells: Another… Read More

1975. Ephemera. Near Fine. Two leaves, original ribbon-copy typescript. This poem appeared in Searching for the Ox (1976). Old paperclip stain; folded for mailing, else fine. With a carbon-copy typed letter to Bill (William Cole, an editor and anthologist) signed "Louis." Simpson writes, "The two or three people who have seen this poem tell me its funny. I wouldn't have thought so, considering the mention of concentration camps and bombs, but I could be wrong.

New York: Random House, 1966. First Edition. Hardcover. Near fine/Near fine. One of the most enduring memoirs of Hemingway. Hotchner spent much time with Hemingway-traveling, hunting, and fishing-during the last 14 years of the Nobel Prize-winning writer's life. Still in print today. First edition (stated first printing). A near fine copy in a dust jacket with light edge and corner wear. Inscribed by the author, "To Harold from Hotch. With thanks for a good Denver visit. April 1966.

Dallas: Harlan Crow Library, 2010. First Edition. Hardcover. Fine. With an annotated checklist of 250 books, pamphlets, and broadsides acquired from 2003 to 2009, or, white men explain American history. With 80 full-page color illustrations. One of 1000 letterpress copies. First edition (first printing). A fine hardcover copy; no jacket, as issued.

Port Townsend, WA: Copper Canyon Press, 1998. First Edition. Trade paperback. Very good. A substantial survey of Sze's poems. 267 pages. First edition (first printing). Part of front cover faded, else near fine. This copy is inscribed by the author: "For Bryce, in friendship & with very best wishes-Arthur Sze [Chinese characters] 6/12/98." With two typed letters, signed, laid in, one sending the book to the recipient and another, longer letter filled with poetry news. Review materials laid in. The letters total about 500 words. Sze is a Chinese American poet who was a Poet Laureate of New Mexico.

2001. Ephemera. Near Fine. 57 leaves, laser-printed. 8-1/2 by 11 inches. A novella set in an alternate world where humans are enslaved by rhino-riding creatures. The story first appeared in the Redshift anthology edited by Al Sarrantonio and then in the 19th Annual Year's Best Science Fiction (edited by Gardner Dozois, 2002). Whether this text differs from the published version, your cataloguer does not know. This appears to be a clean copy of the manuscript, printed for a book-collecting friend. Near fine, in an archival folding paper case. Inscribed "For Tom--first signed ms. copy. Neal Barrett Jr." The recipient was Tom Garner, to whom Barrett's book Interstate Dreams was dedicated.

1985. Ephemera. Fine. 35 leaves; ribbon-copy typescript, with extensive corrections with Wite-Out and retyping. This story is an alternate history in which the Wright Brothers, a young Erwin Rommel and Sheriff Pat Garrett meet in a shabby hotel in the West. The story was first published in The Best of the West, edited by Joe R. Lansdale. It was included in Other Seasons, a collection of Barrett's best stories from his fifty-year career. A fine copy, inscribed on the cover, "For you, Tom! Original (elec. typewriter) (plus rejections! comments) Neal Barrett Jr." Barrett has lightly noted the word count of each page in blue pencil at the base of each leaf. The typescript is accompanied by several rejection letters, plus its acceptance letter. Housed in a custom archival folding paper sleeve.

1940. Ephemera. Fine. Three typed letters, signed, on Caldwell's full-sheet letterhead, addressed to "Cap" (Charles A. Pearce of Caldwell's publishers, Duell, Sloane and Pearce). The letters are five to seven lines and each is signed "Skinny", Caldwell's childhood nickname. The letters serve no business purpose, they are chatty, joke-y notes dashed off in a few minutes, and as such, they are more revealing than Caldwell's more formal, business letters. In the first letter, dated January 22, 1940, and stamped received the next day, Caldwell makes a cruel, sexist attempt at humor, writing in part, "I've just finished writing letters to every body in the office except you and the swell-looking cunt at the switchboard." The second letter, dated February 28, 1940, and stamped received on February 29, reads in full: "I've decided to ask you to give my wife a good talking to when she gets back. Having covered the ground yourself, you'll know exactly what to say. In the meantime, I'm sitting up here… Read More

Los Angeles, 1972. Ephemera. Very good. Two short typed letters, signed "Buk" to then budding novelist Jonathan Carroll (the Answered Prayers sequence and the Crane's View trilogy, among others) in December 1972. In the first letter Bukowski agrees to sign a book; in the second, he writes about the difficulties of writing. Letter one: "Dec. 6, 1972. Hello Jonathan Carroll: Sure, I'll sign MOCKINGBIRD. It's good as it goes for you. If possible, send along something to mail it back in. I don't have that kind of equipment around. If you're interested in prose, just have a book out (short stories) ERECTIONS, EJACULATIONS, EXHIBITIONS AND GENERAL TALES OF ORDINARY MADNESS. City Lights, $3.98. Dirty stories. all right, [signed] Buk." Bukowski then adds his new address, on DeLongpre Ave. About 10 days later, Bukowski responds to another letter (not present) from Carroll: "Hello Jonathan: I'm afraid most of my stuff is o/p [out of print]. I'm in a blue funk shit right now, most of my words have gone into… Read More