The War of the Worlds -
H. G. Wells
1898 - William Heinemann, London - First Edition, First Issue with advertisements dated 1897
‘Yet across the gulf of space, minds that are to our minds as ours are to those of the beasts that perish, intellects vast and cool and unsympathetic, regarded this earth with envious eyes, and slowly and surely drew their plans against us.’
A superior example. The first edition of this truly influential masterpiece of science fiction by the man widely considered as the father of the genre, rare in such clean condition, no fading to the spine, no foxing to the edges, and strong lettering to the cloth. The first issue with the 16 page catalogue of Heinemann’s Autumn Announcements dated 1897 to the rear.
“The book was begotten by a remark of my brother Frank (to whom the novel is dedicated). We were walking together through some particularly peaceful Surrey scenery. 'Suppose some beings from another planet were to drop out of the sky suddenly', said he, 'and began laying about them here!' . That was the point of departure . And the value of the story to me lies in this, that from first to last there is nothing in it that is impossible.”
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Price HK$ 58,000
1898 - William Heinemann, London - First Edition, First Issue with advertisements dated 1897
‘Yet across the gulf of space, minds that are to our minds as ours are to those of the beasts that perish, intellects vast and cool and unsympathetic, regarded this earth with envious eyes, and slowly and surely drew their plans against us.’A superior example. The first edition of this truly influential masterpiece of science fiction by the man widely considered as the father of the genre, rare in such clean condition, no fading to the spine, no foxing to the edges, and strong lettering to the cloth. The first issue with the 16 page catalogue of Heinemann’s Autumn Announcements dated 1897 to the rear.
“The book was begotten by a remark of my brother Frank (to whom the novel is dedicated). We were walking together through some particularly peaceful Surrey scenery. 'Suppose some beings from another planet were to drop out of the sky suddenly', said he, 'and began laying about them here!' . That was the point of departure . And the value of the story to me lies in this, that from first to last there is nothing in it that is impossible.”
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Price HK$ 58,000
The Day of the Locust -
Nathanael West
1939 - Random House, New York - First Edition
A very difficult first edition to find in a reasonable dust jacket with the price intact on the front flap (those without price should be treated with caution as there was an unpriced book club edition), no restoration or tape repair, with the commonly encountered toning to the spine label due to the publisher’s adhesive.
‘Admired by F. Scott Fitzgerald, Dorothy Parker, and Dashiell Hammett, and hailed as one of the “Best 100 English-language novels” by Time magazine, The Day of the Locust continues to influence American writers, artists, and culture.’ [New Directions].
‘In The Day of the Locust a young artist, Tod Hackett, arrives in LA full of dreams. But celebrity and artifice rule and he soon joins the ranks of the disenchanted that drift around the fringes of Hollywood. When he meets Faye Greener, an aspiring actress, he is intoxicated and his desperate passion explodes into rage...’ [Penguin]
‘Los Angeles has been the subject of, and setting for, many fine novels yet The Day of the Locust still feels like the single best-achieved piece of fiction the city has inspired.’ – The Los Angeles Times.
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Price HK$ 25,000
1939 - Random House, New York - First Edition
A very difficult first edition to find in a reasonable dust jacket with the price intact on the front flap (those without price should be treated with caution as there was an unpriced book club edition), no restoration or tape repair, with the commonly encountered toning to the spine label due to the publisher’s adhesive.‘Admired by F. Scott Fitzgerald, Dorothy Parker, and Dashiell Hammett, and hailed as one of the “Best 100 English-language novels” by Time magazine, The Day of the Locust continues to influence American writers, artists, and culture.’ [New Directions].
‘In The Day of the Locust a young artist, Tod Hackett, arrives in LA full of dreams. But celebrity and artifice rule and he soon joins the ranks of the disenchanted that drift around the fringes of Hollywood. When he meets Faye Greener, an aspiring actress, he is intoxicated and his desperate passion explodes into rage...’ [Penguin]
‘Los Angeles has been the subject of, and setting for, many fine novels yet The Day of the Locust still feels like the single best-achieved piece of fiction the city has inspired.’ – The Los Angeles Times.
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Price HK$ 25,000
The Education Of A Poker Player -
Herbert O. Yardley, Ian Fleming (introduction)
1959 - Jonathan Cape, London - First English Edition
The preferred first English edition of Yardley's masterwork of poker lore and advice, with a suitably acerbic introduction from Mr. Fleming, in fine sarcastic form. Fleming was drawn to Yardley not not only for his gaming and high living, but as an icon in U.S. intelligence. After reading the American edition of this book in 1957, Fleming was so taken with it, that he urged his publisher, Jonathan Cape, to issue the book in Britain. Cape agreed, but on the condition that Fleming pen an introduction
‘Assume the worst, believe no one, and make your move only when you are certain that you are unbeatable or have, at worst, exceptionally good odds in your favor.’ - “Yardley’s Law” as Al Alvarez describes it in Big Deal: Confessions of a Poker Player.
Both an autobiography and a poker-playing manual which seeks to expose the cynical reality behind the "American Dream". Yardley describes many poker games and characters who include railroad men, travelling salesmen, speculators, drunks and no-hopers. Described by gambling specialist Cult Jones as "probably the best poker book ever written"
‘The book’s importance in the history of poker literature is unquestioned.’ - Poker News.
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Price HK$ 4,500
1959 - Jonathan Cape, London - First English Edition
The preferred first English edition of Yardley's masterwork of poker lore and advice, with a suitably acerbic introduction from Mr. Fleming, in fine sarcastic form. Fleming was drawn to Yardley not not only for his gaming and high living, but as an icon in U.S. intelligence. After reading the American edition of this book in 1957, Fleming was so taken with it, that he urged his publisher, Jonathan Cape, to issue the book in Britain. Cape agreed, but on the condition that Fleming pen an introduction‘Assume the worst, believe no one, and make your move only when you are certain that you are unbeatable or have, at worst, exceptionally good odds in your favor.’ - “Yardley’s Law” as Al Alvarez describes it in Big Deal: Confessions of a Poker Player.
Both an autobiography and a poker-playing manual which seeks to expose the cynical reality behind the "American Dream". Yardley describes many poker games and characters who include railroad men, travelling salesmen, speculators, drunks and no-hopers. Described by gambling specialist Cult Jones as "probably the best poker book ever written"
‘The book’s importance in the history of poker literature is unquestioned.’ - Poker News.
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Price HK$ 4,500