Search Results: Authors starting with D from Rural Hours

W. W. Norton & Company, 2010. 1st Edition. Hardcover. Near Fine/Fine. Inscribed on the half-title page: "For Richard, with deep admiration and bottomless affection. -- John D., Iowa City, April 2010." A great inscription. D'Agata is the flag-bearer for contemporary experimental essay. This is a fantastic and cutting edge book, a long lyric essay entwining Las Vegas, suicide trends, and the proposal for the nearby Yucca Mountain nuclear repository. A modern environmental classic, in the opinion of this establishment, and controversial, too--or thought provoking--for a little tinkering with small facts, which seems a kind of intentionally embedded nuclear/literary decay. A must read. Near fine with the lightest touch of foxing/discoloration to outer face of the text block, hardly noticeable, and a smidge of wear to a few corners. In a fine dust jacket. // Wood (+) River (=) Books specializes in ecology, natural history, nature writing, the environment, and environmental literature, with a special… Read More

NY: William Morrow & Company, 1972. First edition. Hardcover. Near fine/Good. Fourth printing. A Morrow Junior Book. Signed on the front free endpaper: "For Judy and Jeff -- with love, Lois, in happy memory of a wedding that was yesterday, August 21st 1983, and in anticipation of one to be." Uncommon signed. As this book is for a youth audience, that last line welcomes this couple's eventual child--a nice touch. Lois and Louis Darling are a notable husband-and-wife writer and illustrator team best known for their contributions to Rachel Carson's Silent Spring. Louis also won the John Burroughs Medal for natural history writing for The Gull's Way. This was apparently Lois's last book as an illustrator, and it was her only illustrated book without her husband who died in 1970--a poignant book for that reason. She would author one more book about Darwin's H.M.S Beagle, a long obsession of hers, in 1977.  An oblong book in brown cloth, a worm illustration on the front board. 60 pages with amazing… Read More

Cleveland: The World Publishing Company, 1961. Very good/Good. Inscribed on the title page and signed by both author-illustrators: "For all the Cooks, from Lois and Louis." The main inscription looks to be in Lois's hand. Uncommon signed, and an uncommon book in general, scarce in dust jacket. .  Lois and Louis Darling are a notable husband-and-wife writer and illustrator team best known for their contributions to Rachel Carson's Silent Spring. Louis Darling was also the winner of the John Burroughs Medal for natural history writing for The Gull's Way. In this book, they "present the vast subject of life as one continuous stream, developing it with the unity, order, and a sense of historical perspective essential to real understanding." A book meant for a youth and lay adult audience.  Green buckram with a branch and swallow illustration in blue on the front board. With 150 illustrations in black and white, a "Books for Further Reading" appendix, and index. Very good with some soiling/brown… Read More

Running Press, 2005. 1st Edition. Hardcover. Fine/Near Fine. Signed by the editor and commentator of the volume, Nobel laureate James D. Watson, on the title page in his small script. Near fine book with a few smudges/streaks to text block faces, otherwise clean; in near fine jacket under mylar. // Wood (+) River (=) Books specializes in ecology, natural history, nature writing, the environment, and environmental literature, with a special passion for association copies and notable inscriptions.

NY: Scribner, 2021. First edition. Hardcover. Near fine/Fine. Signed on the title page. A well-received debut novel about a timber community in Northern California. Near fine due to two pages with some wrinkling at middle, pages 150 & 151; otherwise fine in fine jacket.

Duell, Sloan and Pearce, 1947. Hardcover. Very Good/Good. Not signed, but Larry McMurtry's copy, with his bookplate on the front pastedown, a notable association since McMurtry is Mr. Literary Texas. From the American Folkways Series. A very good book with some fading to edges of boards and wear to lower edges, and a two-inch split to the pastedown endpaper low along the hinge (visible in photo 2), but no split board. The jacket is only good because of a chip to upper inner corner of the front panel. Still, a cool book: cows trailing down a grade on the cover. Curiously the whole back panel of the jacket is devoted to another book in the series, Southern California Country. Please inquire for photos.

Toronto, 1945. First edition. Hardcover. Fine. Two books: An uncommon first edition of Louise de Kiriline Lawrence's classic The Loghouse Nest, hardcover, with no other copies found online as of this writing. With illustrations by famed illustrator Thoreau McDonald. Near fine in a very good or better jacket with rubbing to rear panel. Together with a paperback reissue of the book, published just four years before she died, this copy signed boldly on the first blank with a felt-tip pen. Toronto: Natural Heritage, 1988. A fine, unread copy in white wraps, uncommon signed, with Thoreau McDonald's original illustrations.  The Loghouse Nest was de Kiriline Lawrence's second book and her first work of nature writing. It's described as "a charming account of the author's special relationship with the birds and wild creatures who share her northern homesite at Pimisi Bay, near Mattawa, Ontario." de Kiriline Lawrence is often referred to as "Canada's Rachel Carson." Born in Sweden to a naturalist… Read More

Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, 2012. 1st Edition. Soft cover. As New. Inscribed in a green sharpie on the title page: "For Andy--Son of New York--Best wishes always, Bob Deans." The book is an account of the Republican-controlled US House of Representatives's campaign to weaken and stall environmental laws in 2011 (an effort which may have paled compared to developments after 2016). Bob Deans is the communications for the Natural Resources Defense Council. A fine book. / Wood River Books specializes in place-based and environmental literature, with a special passion for association copies and notable inscriptions. We invite you to explore our dedicated, growing collection of signed and inscribed climate change books.

Milkweed Editions, 2014. Soft cover. Near Fine. Signed on half title page. French flaps. Minor wear to corners, else fine. A fantastic essay collection from this poet who is a former Walt Whitman Award winner. Says Alan Weisman, "A heart this wise gives me hope for my own species.

University of California Press, 1991. 1st Edition. Hardcover. Fine/Fine. Association copy, inscribed to poet Denise Levertov on the half-title page: "For Denise, with affection & best wishes, from Simone, 1991." A nice association between standout West Coast poets who were colleagues at Stanford. Fine hardback in fine jacket. // Wood (+) River (=) Books specializes in place-based and environmental literature, with a special passion for association copies and notable inscriptions.

Hamish Hamilton, 1971. 1st Edition. Hardcover. Very Good/Very Good. First British edition, following Doubleday s 1970 limited and trade editions. Inscribed by Dickey to John Gardner, of Grendel fame, in his usual flourish and aplomb on the first flyleaf, uniting two of the bad boys of contemporary literature: "to John Gardner, from James Dickey, Spring, 1979, Columbia, S.C." Dickey s 1965 Buckdancer s Choice won the National Book Award, and he is of course the author of the novel (turned cult movie) Deliverance; John Gardner s retelling of the Beowulf legend is also classic, and it won the National Book Critics Circle Award in 1976, and his The Art of Fiction is still widely taught. "The two men loved each other," writes Barry Silesky in a review of a biography of Gardner in the Chicago Tribune. He quotes one of Gardner s wives, Liz Rosenberg, who observed, "Both men liked to hold court, to tell stories, to be the center of attention, to make things up, to make grand gestures." And she added: "Both… Read More

Simon & Schuster, 1983. 1st Edition. Hardcover. Fine/Near Fine. Signed on the title page in black ink. Fine book in a very near fine jacket with a single, shallow smudge/spot of wear at upper right corner of rear panel, about a quarter-inch long. Uncommon signed. // Wood (+) River (=) Books specializes in place-based and environmental literature, with a special passion for association copies and notable inscriptions.

Simon & Schuster, 1984. 1st Edition. Hardcover. Fine/Near Fine. Inscribed on the title page in black ink: "To Nancy, Joan Didion, 18 Oct 96." Uncommon signed. Very near fine book with a black Simon and Schuster logo stamp for a remainder mark on the bottom of the text block; in a near fine jacket with some rubbing and a few light creases to top of spine. // Wood (+) River (=) Books specializes in place-based and environmental literature, with a special passion for association copies and notable inscriptions.

NY: Vintage, 2007. First edition. Softcover. Fine. Signed on the title page by Didion, and thus scarce. In about five years of watching, we have never seen another signed copy of this book on the market. This is the play she adapted from her National Book Award-winning memoir which opened starring Vanessa Redgrave at the Booth Theatre in New York in March 2007. A nice find for the Didion devotee. A fine paperback, slim at 67 pages, with perhaps a hint of toning to leaves; still fine.

Alfred A. Knopf, 2005. 1st Edition. Hardcover. Near Fine/Very Good. Inscribed on the title page: "For Lynn Hurst, Joan Didion." Third printing before publication. Near fine book with light bumping to spine ends, a small bump to each lower board edge, and one small spot to front board. In a very good plus jacket with a few spots of soiling (that might wipe off) and a large golden ovular "Autographed Copy" sticker to lower right of front panel; the spine is *not* sunned as is so often the case for this title. Comes with a paperback reading copy.

Alfred A. Knopf, 2005. 1st Edition. Hardcover. Near Fine/Near Fine. Association copy, inscribed to a close friend or family member, quite possibly her brother-in-law the journalist Dominick ("Nick") Dunne: "For Nick, who was there through all of these scenes -- from San Juan Bautista to St. John the Divine -- with love always, Joan Didion." Mission San Juan Bautista was where Joan and her husband John Gregory Dunne were married; St. John the Divine was the site of their daughter Quintana Roo Dunne's wedding, the funeral for John Gregory Dunne (as described in this book), and ultimately Joan's own memorial. Laid in is a hand-written note on her personal stationary, bookmark size, 6.5 inches by 3.25: "Dear Nick -- I managed to find you a first edition, so it's almost like getting it in October -- Love, xx, J." The book was published in October 2005, and this is a first printing. Gregory Dunne and his brother Dominick (if it's that Nick, which seems likely considering this individual attended their… Read More

Everyman's Library, 2006. 1st Edition. Hardcover. Fine/Fine. Signed on the title page. Uncommon to scarce. Didion did not sign many of these Everyman's, which represents the culmination of her career, collecting seven books in one volume: the full texts of Slouching Towards Bethlehem; The White Album; Salvador; Miami; After Henry; Political Fictions; and Where I Was From. Included is documentation from the May 12, 2009 event at Cleveland's PlayhouseSquare where this book was signed (she was a last-minute sub for John Updike after his passing). Fine book in fine jacket with one minor dent to front panel about the size of a grain of rice; still fine. // Wood (+) River (=) Books specializes in place-based and environmental literature, with a special passion for association copies and notable inscriptions.

Simon & Schuster, 1979. 1st Edition. Hardcover. Fine/Fine. First printing, signed on the title page and dated "19 March 1987." A flawless book: fine in fine jacket, the best we've seen, unread, its white cover without a blemish. // Wood (+) River (=) Books specializes in place-based and environmental literature, with a special passion for association copies and notable inscriptions, as well as contemporary essay. We invite you to explore our dedicated, growing collection of signed and inscribed Joan Didion books.

Simon & Schuster, 1977. 1st Edition. Hardcover. Near Fine/Near Fine. First printing, inscribed in the year of publication on the orange front free endpaper in black ink: "For Jo, This was the nicest half hour I have enjoyed in one month. Joan Didion. Thank you -- April 14, 1977." A generous inscription for Didion. Included is a letter from Edye Rome Public Relations (Beverly Hills) about the book on yellow paper suggesting it was an advanced copy (mentions the dates Didion will be in LA and SF for interviews). Also included are clippings of the original reviews in Time and Newsweek on March 21 and March 28, 1977 respectively--a nice little collection in sum. A very near fine book with just a faint amount of sunning to lower edge of boards; in a near fine jacket with trace sunning to edges, modest wear to the corners of the rear panel, and a small crease/dogear to each of the upper corners of the flaps. Great condition all and all. The letter has modest toning to edges and one stray pen line near… Read More

Friends of the Bancroft Library, 1978. 1st Edition. Soft cover. Near Fine. Signed on the title page in black ink. Scarce thus. Near fine in very dark blue/black printed wrappers with silver lettering. Number 26 in series of Bancroft imprints. 6 1/2" x 9 1/2"; 51 pages. Table of contents includes "Telling True Stories," first issued in this volume; "Coming Home" from the Saturday Evening Post; "The Welfare Island Ferry" from Harper's Bazaar; "When Did Music Come This Way? Children Dear, Was It Yesterday?" from the Denver Quarterly. Near fine on account of light bumping to overhanging corners of wraps and spine (no doubt common to this production, as it is with many chapbooks). Pages pristine. But doubtful there are many signed copies of this limited volume out there. // Wood (+) River (=) Books specializes in place-based and environmental literature, with a special passion for association copies and notable inscriptions. We also have a distinct interest in contemporary essay and invite you to explore… Read More