Search Results for: an american life

History of the Indian Tribes of North America, with Biographical Sketches and Anecdotes Of the Principal Chiefs

History of the Indian Tribes of North America by Thomas McKenney and James Hall.

Large Folio (560 x 400mm), in three volumes. Original binding, leather overlay on spine with raised bands, title in gilt on all volumes, restoration to spine and wear at corners. 120 hand colored lithographic plates, with 117 after the portraits of C. King and 3 frontispieces after Rindisbacher and Bodmer, leaf of statements noting the genuineness of the portrait of Pocahontas, 17pp of facsimile signatures of subscribers, uncolored lithographic sheet with two maps and chart of “Localities of all the Indian Tribes of North America in 1833,” “Present Localities of the Indian Tribes west of the Mississippi, ” and “Statement showing the number of each tribe of Indians.”

Marbled endpapers, with repair to front free endpaper of Volume 1. Some foxing throughout to text and individual plates, light transference on specific plates. Detailed description of individual plates available. A brilliantly colored set of this important first edition.

Original tan paper printed wrappers for all 20 parts included, with 1-19 numbered and #20 noting “Agents For The Indian Biography.” All individually sealed in protective mylar covers.

According to BAL 6934, the parts offered here were from the following editions: Title Pages (Volume 1, State A – Volume 2, State B – Volume 3, State A), “The War Dance Plate” with ‘State A’ formatting, the “Red Jacket Plate” with ‘State C’ printing and the text of “War Dance” with second printing formatting (footnote at bottom of Pg. 3).

Considered to be the most important collection of Native American imagery ever compiled, History of the Indian Tribes of North America was the life work of Colonel Thomas McKenney. The book was published in 20 parts, beginning in 1836, and sent to subscribers, who are noted in Volume III of the book. From there, subscribers were to have the book bound by local bookbinders, which accounts for some of the variations in pagination that is common with this work. After the 1865 fire at the Smithsonian, this book became the only record of the likeness of many of the Indian Leaders who are depicted in this work. (Howes M129) (Sabin 43410a) (BAL 6934). 

Zeppelin: A Biography

First edition of Zeppelin: A Biography by Margaret Smith.

Octavo, [12], 278pp. Green cloth, title printed in black on spine. No additional printings on copyright page. Bookplate on front end paper. Publisher’s dust jacket, very good, with $3.50 price on front flap, reinforced tear along top edge of spine, wear at edges.

This work follows the life of Ferdinand von Zeppelin, who was a German general and founder of the Zeppelin Airship Company. As an official observer during the American Civil War, he visited with engineers Thaddeus S.C. Lowe and John Steiner of St. Paul, Minnesota, who inspired his future work with airships.

The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy

The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams, first edition.

Octavo, 215pp. Blue hardcover, purple cloth spine with title in blue on spine. Stated “first American edition” on copyright page with full number line. Internally clean, appers unread. First edition dust jacket, $6.95 on front flap, light wear at edges, small tear at fold of front panel, bright illustrations.
Comments: Douglas Adams developed The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy after a successful BBC radio comedy in 1978. It was developed into a trilogy, which included The Restaurant at the end of the Universe and Life, the Universe and Everything.

Active Service – A Novel

First edition of Active Service by Stephen Crane.

First edition of Active Service by Stephen Crane.

Octavo, [iv], 345pp. Publishers green cloth bindings, printed illustrations, sunning on spine. Wear to edges of spine. Clean pages. An overall sturdy copy. (Bal 4084) (Williams Starrett, 21)

Comments: Stephen Crane was a prolific American writer during the late 19th century. Most notable for his works in the “realist” tradition, he was an inspiration for writers throughout the 20th century, including Ernest Hemingway. He lived a short life, dying at the age of 29 in 1900.

George’s Mother

Small octavo, 177pp, [8pp ads]. Publishers original tan cloth, black lettering and decoration. Previous owners bookplate on front end paper. Clean text, slight lean to text block. An excellent copy, appearing unread and with exceptionally clean cloth boards. (Bal 4073) (Williams Starrett, 97).
Comments: Stephen Crane was a prolific American writer during the late 19th century. Most notable for his works in the “realist” tradition, he was an inspiration for writers throughout the 20th century, including Ernest Hemingway. He lived a short life, dying at the age of 29 in 1900.

Mister Rogers’ Songbook – Illustrated by Steven Kellogg. Piano arrangements by John Costa

Octavo, 59pp. Pictorial boards, title printed on spine. Yellow end papers with watercolor illustrations. Light foxing along top edge of text block, not affecting text or dust jacket. In scarce publishers dust jacket, near fine condition, retail price on front flap, light shelf wear. Inscribed by Fred Rogers to fellow author and prominent American rabbi, Harold Kushner. Inscription reads: “For Harold Kushner in gratitude for his fine work on behalf of children, Fred Rogers.”
Comments: Rabbi Kushner lost his son early in life and wrote When Bad Things Happen to Good People, a New York Times bestseller. The book deals with the question of why god allows evil in the world, which is a topic that Fred Rogers (Mister Rogers) explored on his influential television show.

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The works of President Herbert Hoover

Herbert Clark Hoover, the 31st president of the United States, may be renowned for his futile efforts to alleviate the pervasive negative economic effects wrought by the Great Depression, but his legacy goes beyond the “New Deal”, as is discernible from his many published works. Hoover’s memoirs are just some of these intriguing and enlightening books. The first volume, Years of Adventure 1874-1920, details Hoover’s life from his birth in 1874 to his role in developing the Treaty of Versailles in 1919 and later activities during World War I. It indeed is a representation of the former president’s adventurous age, as he traveled around the world, from the U.S to London, Paris, Switzerland, Germany, Belgium, and Holland, executing humanitarian works and negotiating for peace. Hoover’s subsequent memoirs, The Cabinet and the Presidency 1920-1933 and The Great Depression 1929-1941, provide insight into his perspective on public service, as well as, his conviction about how it would help him ward off societal evils and failings.

As an engineer, Hoover’s standpoint on public service revolved around the possibility of reconstructing the country from the ravages of the war, while advancing reform supported by scientific discovery and invention. Also notable is Hoover’s American Individualism, which exemplifies his philosophy; an amalgamation of traditional individualism and national progress.  There is an array of books attributed to Hoover that would allow readers to debunk the notion that he was a completely ineffectual president. His collection of literature personifies an adventurous humanitarian, a critical thinker, a dedicated public servant, and a perpetual optimist; giving the impression that had he not become president at the onset of the crippling Great Depression, his legacy would have taken a more positive trajectory.

 

Lincoln At Home

Limited edition of Lincoln At Home by David Herbert Donald, from the Thornwillow Press.

Limited edition of Lincoln At Home by David Herbert Donald, from the Thornwillow Press.

Octavo, 107pp. Publishers half morocco, marbled boards, raised bands with title in gilt on spine. Housed in publishers black cloth clamshell, title in gilt on spine. Original invoice from Thornwillow Press and letter from the publisher included. From a limited edition of 185 copies, this being number 35, signed by the author on the limitation page. A beautiful production from Thornwillow Press.

Comments: David Herbert Donald was an American historian and best known for his 1995 biography of President Abraham Lincoln, simply titled Lincoln. His biography of Lincoln is often considered the best single volume biography of the nation’s 16th president. Donald won the Pulitzer Prize for Biography in 1961 for his work Charles Sumner and the Coming of the Civil War and again in 1988 for Look Homeward: A Life of Thomas Wolfe.