Fiction

Petronius – The Satyricon – Private Press – Norman Lindsay Illustrated – 1910

A Revised Latin Text of the Satyricon with the Earliest English Translation (1694) Now First Reprinted with an Introduction together with One Hundred Illustrations by Norman Lindsay

Published privately by Ralph Straus, London 1910. Folio, (33cm by 26cm), 303 pages, 100 leaves of plates.

First English translation side by side with the Latin on alternating pages. The Satyricon, Satyricon liber (The Book of Satylike Adventures) a work of fiction by Gaius Petronius. It is and example of Menippean satire.

Gaius Petronius Arbiter (27AD-66AD) was born in Marseille. He became a Roman Courtier in the reign of Nero. He is well mentioned by Tacitus, Plutarch and Pliny the Elder who regarded him as a “judge of elegance”. Petronius became a member of the Senatorial Class who devoted their lives to pleasure … he was essentially a fashion advisor to Nero. Sleeping by day he devoted night time to amusement … he had a reputation of being very good at it!

In the Satyricon, Petronius uses a new style of writing in that each of the characters are well and openly described. Previously, such literature focused mainly on the plot. There is no holding back in terms of moral issues, and it is thought that the main character Trimalchio (who is on the naughty side) is a cameo of Nero.

Petronius fell out of favour and committed suicide in a rather strange manner.

Goings on in the Days of Nero – with numerous Norman Lindsay Illustrations.

$390.00

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The Third Man (Graham Greene – Anton Karas) – The Harry Lime Theme

Sheet Music published by Chappell & Co, London in 1950 (Catalogue number 39386). Published co-incidental with the BBC adaptation.

A classic with special appeal for a particular generation. The theme for the film noir The Third Man … written by Graham Greene directed by Carol Reed. Here adopted by the BBC for their rendition of the classic post war drama.

Four pages of music score, in 79 bars .. with the beautiful slower section and crescendo.

Whilst filming on location in Vienna, Carol, Orson Welles etc were out on the town and in a wine cellar heard Anton Karas play his zither. Reed was captivated and contracted Karas to play the soundtrack. This act of genius helped to assuage what is widely regarded as the longest speechless ending in film history … check it out, again.

Dan da dan .. dan da dan de dan ..

Get out the schnapps and tune up the zither

$25.00

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One Arm and Other Stories (A Collection of Eleven Short Stories) – Tennessee Williams – First of Type New Directions – 1959

A first trade edition published by special publisher New Directions of New York in 1959.

Octavo, 211 pages comprising eleven short stories. Dust jacket by the super designer Alvin Lustig although not one he had put a lot of thought into!. One page had thinned through to a hole … looks like a printing flaw. Otherwise a very good copy of a scarce work.

By this time Williams was already a successful dramatist but his short stories had only ever been published in a limited private form.

The stories are – One Arm; The Malediction; The Poet; Chronicle of a Demise; Desire and the Black Masseur; Portrait of a Girl in Glass; The Important Thing; The Angel in the Alcove; The Field of Blue Children; The Night of the Iguana and The Yellow Bird. As you can see some of these short stories are inspiration for his later plays, some are about characters in them and some are completely independent works.

A broad short read introduction to Tennessee Williams. .

$40.00

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A Journey to the Interior of the Earth – Jules Verne – c1905

Jule Verne classic published by Ward Lock, London, early 20th century, likely pre-WWI. Part of the “Lilley series” – with catalogue at rear indication forty volumes available and another ten in preparation which appears circa 1905. Octavo, 256 pages.

Lovely pictorial image pasted to front board, with “framing” decoration, which is repeated on the spine. The aforesaid image is repeated as a frontispiece. Some foxing to title and page edges. Generally, given the excellent covers, still a good to better copy for its age.

Often Journey to the “Centre” here the ”Interior” but we still come out in Iceland, where else? Another slightly unusual translation which adds to the fun.

Century old Jules Verne – off into the Centre (Interior)

$50.00

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A Journey to the Interior of the Earth – Jules Verne

Jules Verne classic published by Ward Lock, London, published 1967. Octavo, 192 pages.

Our favourite, more modern edition with the super dust jacket. Illustrated internally with line drawings. Very good condition.

Often Journey to the “Centre” here the ”Interior” but we still come out in Iceland, where else?.

Verne – at the interior Centre

$30.00

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The Magician – Georges Simenon – First English Edition

Published by Hamish Hamilton, London a first English edition 1974. Translated from the French by Helen Sebba.

Octavo, 188 pages all in pretty good condition.

The conjurer liked a drink in the Montmartre after his show. He overindulged and caused issues in his marriage. Their relationship continued with quiet intimacy … until ill health changed all that …

Simenon at his most poignant

$30.00

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Petronius – The Satyricon – Private Press – Norman Lindsay Illustrated – 1910

The Third Man (Graham Greene – Anton Karas) – The Harry Lime Theme

One Arm and Other Stories (A Collection of Eleven Short Stories) – Tennessee Williams – First of Type New Directions – 1959

A Journey to the Interior of the Earth – Jules Verne – c1905

A Journey to the Interior of the Earth – Jules Verne

The Magician – Georges Simenon – First English Edition

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