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The Man Who Turned Into a Stick. Three Related Plays – SIGNED -
K b Abe
1975 - University of Tokyo Press, Tokyo - First Edition in English
Inscribed by Kōbō Abe in Japanese and signed in English. Translated by Donald Keene.
This work contains three plays written between 1957 and 1969, usually presented together and symbolising the different stages of life. The first, representing birth, is The Suitcase. The second, The Cliff of Time, represents life itself, or The Process and the third, The Man who Turned into a Stick, is death.
The Man Who Turned Into A Stick (棒になった男 – Bō ni natta otoko), is considered a primary example of magic realism in Japanese literature.
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Price HK$ 6,000
1975 - University of Tokyo Press, Tokyo - First Edition in English
Inscribed by Kōbō Abe in Japanese and signed in English. Translated by Donald Keene.This work contains three plays written between 1957 and 1969, usually presented together and symbolising the different stages of life. The first, representing birth, is The Suitcase. The second, The Cliff of Time, represents life itself, or The Process and the third, The Man who Turned into a Stick, is death.
The Man Who Turned Into A Stick (棒になった男 – Bō ni natta otoko), is considered a primary example of magic realism in Japanese literature.
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Price HK$ 6,000
Little Women or Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy. Part First and Part Second -
Louisa May Alcott
1870 - Roberts Brothers, Boston - Early Printing
Two matching little volumes of Alcott’s classic work, scarce in original cloth, each one illustrated with four full page wood engraved plates. An early printing of the ‘Part First’, and first edition of ‘Part Second’. Published separately in consecutive years (1868, 1869), the first part of ‘Little Women’ “did not sell at first. ‘Part Second’ was therefore also issued in a small edition, but it went like wildfire, and pulled ‘Part First’ along with it’ [Grolier 74].
‘Meg, Jo, Amy and Beth - four "little women" enduring hardships and enjoying adventures in Civil War New England. The charming story of the March sisters, Little Women has been adored by generations. Readers have rooted for Laurie in his pursuit of Jo's hand, cried over little Beth's death, and dreamed of traveling through Europe with old Aunt March and Amy. Future writers have found inspiration in Jo's devotion to her writing. In this simple, enthralling tale, Louisa May Alcott has created four of American literature's most beloved women.’ [Penguin]
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Price HK$ 6,000
1870 - Roberts Brothers, Boston - Early Printing
Two matching little volumes of Alcott’s classic work, scarce in original cloth, each one illustrated with four full page wood engraved plates. An early printing of the ‘Part First’, and first edition of ‘Part Second’. Published separately in consecutive years (1868, 1869), the first part of ‘Little Women’ “did not sell at first. ‘Part Second’ was therefore also issued in a small edition, but it went like wildfire, and pulled ‘Part First’ along with it’ [Grolier 74].‘Meg, Jo, Amy and Beth - four "little women" enduring hardships and enjoying adventures in Civil War New England. The charming story of the March sisters, Little Women has been adored by generations. Readers have rooted for Laurie in his pursuit of Jo's hand, cried over little Beth's death, and dreamed of traveling through Europe with old Aunt March and Amy. Future writers have found inspiration in Jo's devotion to her writing. In this simple, enthralling tale, Louisa May Alcott has created four of American literature's most beloved women.’ [Penguin]
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Price HK$ 6,000
The Man With the Golden Arm -
Nelson Algren
1949 - Doubleday & Company, New York - First Edition
‘There’s people in hell who want ice water…’
Algren’s shockingly brilliant novel of the disinherited, The Man With the Golden Arm tells the sordid tale of Frankie Machine, the ‘golden arm’ dealer of a back street Chicago gambling den, whose heroin addiction and failing marriage drive him to the depths of despair.
The character of Frankie Machine was memorably brought to life on the silver screen by Frank Sinatra, in Otto Preminger’s 1955 film adaption of the novel, which co-starred Kim Novak and Eleanor Parker.
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Price HK$ 2,600
1949 - Doubleday & Company, New York - First Edition
‘There’s people in hell who want ice water…’Algren’s shockingly brilliant novel of the disinherited, The Man With the Golden Arm tells the sordid tale of Frankie Machine, the ‘golden arm’ dealer of a back street Chicago gambling den, whose heroin addiction and failing marriage drive him to the depths of despair.
The character of Frankie Machine was memorably brought to life on the silver screen by Frank Sinatra, in Otto Preminger’s 1955 film adaption of the novel, which co-starred Kim Novak and Eleanor Parker.
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Price HK$ 2,600
An African Millionaire -
Grant Allen
1897 - Grant Richards, London - First Edition
A bright sharp copy of what is considered to be the first work to feature a criminal protagonist, and the first great gentleman rogue of mystery fiction - Colonel Clay.
‘Wealthy, confident and handsome, Charles Van Drift is not accustomed to being swindled and his brush with Colonel Clay both rattles and infuriates him. As his South African diamond fortune takes hit after hit from the quick-witted master of disguise, Allen leaves even the reader guessing: who can you trust? Van Drift grows more suspicious of those around him and a few too many misguided accusations shake the millionaire's confidence. Colonel Clay is in his head.’
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Price HK$ 5,000
1897 - Grant Richards, London - First Edition
A bright sharp copy of what is considered to be the first work to feature a criminal protagonist, and the first great gentleman rogue of mystery fiction - Colonel Clay.‘Wealthy, confident and handsome, Charles Van Drift is not accustomed to being swindled and his brush with Colonel Clay both rattles and infuriates him. As his South African diamond fortune takes hit after hit from the quick-witted master of disguise, Allen leaves even the reader guessing: who can you trust? Van Drift grows more suspicious of those around him and a few too many misguided accusations shake the millionaire's confidence. Colonel Clay is in his head.’
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Price HK$ 5,000
Journey into Fear -
Eric Ambler
1940 - Hodder and Stoughton Limited, London - First Edition
A clean and wonderfully bright, thus rare, jacketed first edition of this thrilling tale of international intrigue, beginning in Istanbul at the outbreak of World War II.
‘Returning to his hotel room after a late-night flirtation with a cabaret dancer at an Istanbul boîte, Graham is surprised by an intruder with a gun. What follows is a nightmare of intrigue for the English armaments engineer as he makes his way home aboard an Italian freighter. Among the passengers are a couple of Nazi assassins intent on preventing his returning to England with plans for a Turkish defence system, the seductive cabaret dancer and her manager husband, and a number of surprising allies.’ [from a later edition]
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Price HK$ 14,000
1940 - Hodder and Stoughton Limited, London - First Edition
A clean and wonderfully bright, thus rare, jacketed first edition of this thrilling tale of international intrigue, beginning in Istanbul at the outbreak of World War II.‘Returning to his hotel room after a late-night flirtation with a cabaret dancer at an Istanbul boîte, Graham is surprised by an intruder with a gun. What follows is a nightmare of intrigue for the English armaments engineer as he makes his way home aboard an Italian freighter. Among the passengers are a couple of Nazi assassins intent on preventing his returning to England with plans for a Turkish defence system, the seductive cabaret dancer and her manager husband, and a number of surprising allies.’ [from a later edition]
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Price HK$ 14,000
The Night-Comers -
Eric Ambler
1956 - William Heinemann Ltd, London - First Edition
A fine first edition of this thriller set in Southeast Asia. 'The Night-Comers' covers 24 critical hours in a military coup d'etat. Published in America as 'State of Siege'. Filmed by Rank in 1959.
Written by Ambler on his return from travelling through Southeast Asia.
Batik style patterned dust jacket designed by Judith Bledsoe.
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Price HK$ 1,100
1956 - William Heinemann Ltd, London - First Edition
A fine first edition of this thriller set in Southeast Asia. 'The Night-Comers' covers 24 critical hours in a military coup d'etat. Published in America as 'State of Siege'. Filmed by Rank in 1959.Written by Ambler on his return from travelling through Southeast Asia.
Batik style patterned dust jacket designed by Judith Bledsoe.
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Price HK$ 1,100
Cause For Alarm -
Eric Ambler
1940 - Alfred A. Knopf, New York - Second Printing
A classic Ambler spy thriller.
‘It seemed to me that the train had started to make a curious thumping noise. I tried to separate the noise, identify it, and realised that it was the sound of the blood pumping in my head. I knew suddenly that I was scared, scared stiff’
‘Nicky Marlow needs a job. He's engaged to be married and the employment market in Britain in 1937 is pretty slim. So when his fiancée points out the position with an English armaments manufacturer in Italy, he jumps at the chance. Soon after he arrives, however, he learns the sinister truth about his predecessor's departure and finds himself courted by two agents with dangerously different agendas. In the process, Marlow realizes that it's not so simple just to do the job he's paid for - not in fascist Italy, on the eve of a world war’ [Penguin Classics]
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Price HK$ 2,000
1940 - Alfred A. Knopf, New York - Second Printing
A classic Ambler spy thriller.‘It seemed to me that the train had started to make a curious thumping noise. I tried to separate the noise, identify it, and realised that it was the sound of the blood pumping in my head. I knew suddenly that I was scared, scared stiff’
‘Nicky Marlow needs a job. He's engaged to be married and the employment market in Britain in 1937 is pretty slim. So when his fiancée points out the position with an English armaments manufacturer in Italy, he jumps at the chance. Soon after he arrives, however, he learns the sinister truth about his predecessor's departure and finds himself courted by two agents with dangerously different agendas. In the process, Marlow realizes that it's not so simple just to do the job he's paid for - not in fascist Italy, on the eve of a world war’ [Penguin Classics]
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Price HK$ 2,000
Crime out of Mind -
Delano Ames
1956 - Hodder & Stoughton, London - First Edition
A fine first edition of Ames’ tenth Dagobert and Jane Brown mystery in the bright sharp dust jacket designed by Jarvis.
The sixth adventure for Dagobert (She Shall Have Murder) Brown and his wife Jane (née Hamish). This time the travelling duo head off for a “holiday” in the Austrian Tyrol...
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Price HK$ 1,200
1956 - Hodder & Stoughton, London - First Edition
A fine first edition of Ames’ tenth Dagobert and Jane Brown mystery in the bright sharp dust jacket designed by Jarvis.The sixth adventure for Dagobert (She Shall Have Murder) Brown and his wife Jane (née Hamish). This time the travelling duo head off for a “holiday” in the Austrian Tyrol...
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Price HK$ 1,200