Gravitys Rainbow, Signed (4 results)

First edition, first printing SIGNED: New, issued in its original illustrated slipcase. Thomas Pynchon's "Gravity's Rainbow" in 1973 which has been called by many as the modern Finnegan's Wake for its adventurous language and dream imagery. Zak Smith has created more than 750 paintings, drawings and photographs each derived from a page of the Pynchon classic novel, an expansive experience. Fine bright illustrated boards. Inscribed to another author and his wife and handed over at the time by Zak Smith Ñ inscribed with two different pens and inks and dated the year of publication. One of a handful copies issued in its original design.

First edition, early printing of Pynchon's National Book Award-winning novel. Octavo, bound in full morocco by the Harcourt Bindery with gilt titles and ruling to the spine in six compartments within raised gilt bands, gilt ruling to the front and rear panels, gilt inner dentelles stamp-signed by the Harcourt Bindery, marbled endpapers, all edges gilt. Founded over a century ago in 1900, the Harcourt Bindery is the oldest and largest traditional bindery in America exclusively devoted to fine traditional leather bookbinding by hand. Harcourt Bindery uses 22 karat genuine gold leaf, top grades of Nigerian moroccos, and hand marbled papers from craftsmen representing seven countries. In fine condition. An exceptional presentation. âGravity's Rainbow is one of the few truly great novels of the century, and at the same time one of the most disappointing, disturbing, maddeningâĤ. One of the most original fictive styles to have been developed since Joyceâ (Contemporary Novelists, 1136). It is regarded by many scholars as the greatest American novel published after the end of the second world war, and is "often considered as the postmodern novel, redefining both postmodernism and the novel in general" (Pohllman). Time named it one of its "All-Time 100 Greatest Novels", a list of the best English-language novels from 1923 to 2005.

First Edition. First Printing, hardcover issue, one of 4,000 copies. Octavo (22cm); rebound in a recent design binding in full orange crushed morocco, spine in five compartments, with four raised bands, gilt-stamped navy blue leather title labels, a concentric square motif tooled in gilt and navy blue within the compartments, and navy blue ruled border on covers; all edges gilt; [vi],[2],3-760,[2]pp. Inscribed by Pynchon in a contemporary hand on the front endpaper to his ex-girlfriend, Christopher-Ann Press: "For Christopher-Ann, who shares so much of this + with thankx for then, and love for now Tom." Some old dampstaining to endpapers, with mild waviness to a few preliminary and terminal leaves as a result; Near Fine, housed in a custom navy blue cloth slipcase, with the interior lined with marbled paper. Pynchon's third and best-known book, "a sprawling slipstream novel about a World War II psychological warfare unit full of weird characters, one of whom seems to be determining the pattern of V-2 rocket attacks by his sexual activities but refuses to submit to study and possible control" (Barron, Anatomy of Wonder II-885). One of the defining books of the 1970s, and a novel that redefined the postmodern novel. Winner of the National Book Award for Fiction in 1974, and selected by the Pulitzer Prize jury in 1973, though no award was given for fiction that year.An extraordinary copy, inscribed by Pynchon to Christopher-Ann Press (b.1950, who today goes by Zoë Christopher), who met Pynchon in 1967 when she was 17 and living with her mother and stepfather in Manhattan Beach, California. Pynchon lived in a duplex across the street, and he and her stepfather became friends over time. In an extended provenance statement she mentions her familiarity with him and the way their relationship came to be: "When Tom and I saw each other at the local neighborhood market or on the sidewalk, we'd strike up brief friendly conversations. On April 6, 1969, I went into labor, and opted for a natural birth. My stepfather, a physician, had offered to deliver my baby at home. I labored all day, and by early evening, we realized we'd neglected to include sutures in the "crash kit." My stepfather realized he'd have to speed to his office and back, and he wanted someone with him to watch for police. The only neighbor he trusted was Tom, and Tom agreed to go with him. When they returned, my stepfather invited Tom to come in and witness a natural birth. Tom and I had developed a nice friendship by then, and I was comfortable with him being present. It was toward the end of 1969 that my young son and I moved across the street and in with Tom. We'd become romantically involved and it was time to move away from a tense situation at home. I was nineteen. Tom and I discussed leaving the city as soon as he finished Gravity's Rainbow. We decided on Humboldt County. My best friend, Gail, who had become a good friend of Tom's, would be joining us. On October 7, 1970, we all loaded my truck and Gail's car. Tom would stay in Manhattan Beach to finish Gravity's Rainbow, while Gail and I went ahead to unpack and set up the house I had found for us in Eureka."The book is accompanied by three typed letters, signed, written from Pynchon to Press between November, 1970 and December, 1971. They chronicle, in great detail, the tumultuous nature of their relationship, his complicated feelings for her and her son, and his struggles with the manuscript for Gravity's Rainbow in the years between completion and publication. Contents are as follows:1. 3pp typed letter, dated 11 Nov, 1970, and written from Manhattan Beach, California. Single-spaced on two sheets of white graph paper (measuring 8.5" x 11"); 136 lines (1824 words), signed "LOVE, Tom" in pink felt-tipped pen at lower margin of p.3. Some old horizontal and vertical mailing folds smoothed out, light wear and handling, with some old dampstaining (not affecting legibility). Together with the original mailing envelope, a bit stained and roughly opened, franked, and postmarked Nov 12, 1970.2. 2pp typed letter, dated 30 Nov, 1970, and written from Manhattan Beach, California. Single-spaced on both sides of a single sheet of yellow graph paper (measuring 8.5" x 11"); 96 lines (1268 words), signed "lOVE, Tom" in orange marker at lower margin of p.2. Some old horizontal and vertical mailing folds smoothed out, light wear and handling, with three small, shallow, and very faint stains at right margin. Together with the original mailing envelope, faded, a bit foxed and roughly opened, franked, and postmarked Nov 30, 1970.3. 2pp typed letter, dated 10 Dec 1971, and written from Palm Desert, California. Single-spaced on both sides of a single sheet of yellow graph paper (measuring 8.5" x 11"); 91 lines (1159 words), signed "Love, Tom" in dark brown felt-tipped pen at lower margin of p.2. One minor holograph correction in Pynchon's hand on p.2, old horizontal and vertical mailing folds smoothed out, modest handling, with two surface abrasions resulting in two tiny holes toward right edge (not touching text). Further details available upon request.

First Spanish Edition. First Impression, wrappered issue. Two octavo volumes (19cm); original pictorial card wrappers; [6],7-595,[1]; [v],596-1111,[3]pp. Each volume has been signed by Pynchon in black pen on the half-title page. Light wear to extremities, hint of sunning and some mild spotting to spines, with some light, scattered foxing to rear wrappers, inner covers, and text edges; Very Good+ or slightly better. Second translation into any language of Pynchon's third and best-known book, "a sprawling slipstream novel about a World War II psychological warfare unit full of weird characters, one of whom seems to be determining the pattern of V-2 rocket attacks by his sexual activities but refuses to submit to study and possible control" (Barron, Anatomy of Wonder II-885). One of the defining books of the 1970s, and a novel that redefined the postmodern novel. Winner of the National Book Award for Fiction in 1974, and selected by the Pulitzer Prize jury in 1973, though no award was given for fiction that year. Rare signed. Provenance: From the collection of Gail M. Sweeney (b.1951), Pynchon's friend and former housemate in both Manhattan Beach and Eureka, California between 1969-1971, with whom he maintained a lengthy correspondence between early 1972-2006. Mead D3b.