Search Results: Canadian Literature from Alphabet Bookshop (ABAC/ILAB

Erin , Ont.: Porcupine's Quill, 1977. - oblong 8vo - though not mentioned in the colophon along with the wrappered & leatherbound editions - some copies were bound in black fabricoid - a leather-like cloth and given a wonderful half-tone photographic dj, showing the wicked witch herself perched on a shale ledge and staring darkly into the camera lens - the dark poems themselves framed in Cloister Old English gothic type - 200 copies were so bound - very scarce .. First Edition. Cloth. Fine/Fine. 8vo - over 7¾" - 9¾" tall.

London: Henry Colburn and Richard Bentley, 1831. - no date but preface dated 20th April 1831 - vil. 1 pp iv + 312 / vol. II pp. iv + 312 / IIII pp. iv + 324 - volume 3 contains a 19 page appendix describing the towns and townships of Upper Canada including an accurate description of our own town here of Humberstone in Niagara District - novel set in Canada by Scottish writer John Galt established the Canadian anti-hero character, an unheroic bad luck man, with a shrewish fishwife mate, undependable companions & living an uninspiring harsh life - the novel is made tolerable by Galt's pecular humour and strong narrative descriptions of life in the bush - his only novel set in Canada - he came to Canada as secretary of the United Empire Loyalist's arm of the Canada Company to help redress their losses during the War of 1812 - 3 volumes, three quarter calf, hinges cracked at outer edges but inner ones very solid, inch chip across the upper spine of volume one else a vg set - armorial… Read More

Toronto: McClelland & Stewart, 1994. - first winner of the Giller Prize - signed - first printing with full number line - single spine crease else fine.. Signed by Author. First Edition. Original Wraps. Very Good. 8vo - over 7¾" - 9¾" tall.

Ottawa, Ont.: Magnum Bookstore, 1991. - only 30 copies printed total edition - a fund raiser for a reading series - this being 1/26 signed copies [ of 30 ] - a chapter from the novel - very fine in quarto stapled wraps. - scarce of course as it is the smallest limitation of any Rooke book !. Signed by Author. First Edition Signed. Original Wraps. As New. 4to - over 9¾" - 12" tall.

Toronto: Knopf, 2004. - 293 pp. - poet's novel, well loved - f/f/dj.. First Edition. Cloth. Fine/Fine. 8vo - over 7¾" - 9¾" tall.

Edmonton: J. M. LeBel Enterprises, 1973. - Canadian Poetry Recording - F. R. Scott, Marya Fiamengo, Stephen Scobie, Ralph Gustafson, Michael Doyle, P. K. Page, Earle Birney, Sharon Stevenson, Douglas Barbour, Michael Ondaatje, Francis Sparshott - by far the scarcest of modern Canadian Poetry Records - only the second we've seen, the first I bought from Longhouse Books when it came out in '73 - white photographic cover, a photo of each poet haphazardly spread around the cover with the title " 11 Canadian Poets " - unopened in the original shrink wrap.. First Edition. As New/As New. 4to - over 9¾" - 12" tall.

Toronto, Ontario: McClelland & Stewart, 1995. - a fine unread copy in fine crisp dj, not price clipped & w/o the usual prize sticker, minor binder's glue in gutters, as with all early copies ( before the poor glue used was discovered, & corrected ) - Giller Prize winner.. First Edition. Cloth. Fine/Fine. 8vo - over 7¾" - 9¾" tall.

Toronto: Oasis, 1981. 1st edition. Signed on the preface page but also inscribed to serendipitous poet / artist Joe Rosenblatt in 1982. 20pp. Illustrated long poem. Tri-lingual English / French / Spanish. Illustrated wraps.. Signed by Author. First Edition. Original Wraps. Fine. Illus. by Ludwig Zeller. 12mo - over 6¾" - 7¾" tall.

Toronto: Oasis, 1981. 1st edition. Signed on the preface page but also inscribed to serendipitous poet / artist Joe Rosenblatt in 1982. 20pp. Illustrated long poem. Tri-lingual English / French / Spanish. Illustrated wraps.. Signed by Author. First Edition. Original Wraps. Fine. Illus. by Ludwig Zeller. 12mo - over 6¾" - 7¾" tall.

Paris, France: Payot, 1926. - a well regarded treatis on the scientific basis for an interpretation of the Supernational, spiritualism, telepathy, metaphysics, hypnotism, pshyic phenomenia, animal magnetism, etc. - this was W. E. E. Ross's copy with extensive marginalia in Ross's hand, in many places, mostly defending the existence of the Metaphisical / Supernatural world, about 600 words in all, in about 16 sections. - aquired from the author`s estate in Toronto, 25 years ago, and recently unearthed from my back room - Ross`s interest in the subject seems to coinside with his later periods of ( possible ) madness - good thesis material to be had here, madness & poetry - Ross manuscript material is rare ( in the Wild ). . First Edition. Original Wraps. Very Good. 8vo - over 7¾" - 9¾" tall.

Toronto: McClelland and Stewart, 1976. - the printer & binders copy with a white printed tag affixed to the front board stating " T. H. Best Printing company limited - LIBRARY SAMPLE - giving the date of Aug. 9 / 76 " handwritten, with check & location number - appears to be the finished book otherwise - an artifact of production - Atwood bibliography. FIRST CANADIAN EDITION. Cloth. Very Good/Good. 8vo - over 7¾" - 9¾" tall.

Macmillan, 1988. - first issue text that bulks 1 1/16 th inches [ as do review copies ], later thicker paper accounts for the extra sixteenth inch - no yet known textual variants between the two - SIGNED on the title page, o/w fine in fine dj.. Signed by Author. First Edition. Hard Cover. Fine/Fine.

Niagara Falls, Canada: Mohawk Book and Music Co., 1932. - author's dedication copy with his wife's signature [ dedicatee ] - additionally inscribed to another woman in 1940 - the deluxe padded naugahyde gift edition, lacking the gift box - Masonic, Dedication Copy, Canadian Literature - a dedicated charletan, claims to " Doctor ", Native ancestry, etc.. First Edition. Cloth. Very Good. 12mo - over 6¾" - 7¾" tall.

Toronto, Can.: Nightshade Press / Shaw Street Press, 1986. - Canadian fine press book designed, typeset, and printed by Glenn Goluska at the Nightshade Press - the typefaces Linotype Optima & foundry Stencil & handprinted on acid-free Mowhawk Letterpress Text - signed by the author [ this is one of 25 copies handbound in silk batiked boards, cloth spine, paper label ] - a thoughtful book worthy of Glen's thoughtful design - " Water thinks of the entire plumbing industry of North America as a series of signals " - " Water doesn't seek its own level ; it finds its own level " - etc.. Signed by Author. First Edition. Cloth. Fine. 8vo - over 7¾" - 9¾" tall.

North Bay, Ont .: Nebula Press, 1975. - crime novelist Giles Blunt contributes contributes a long poem " In Some Cafe " - long before his first novel or his decade of writing for TV's " Law and Order " - perhaps his first appearance in print - a fine copy of the scarce first issue of this ambitious little mag.. First Edition. Pictoral Wraps. Fine. 8vo - over 7¾" - 9¾" tall.

Waterloo: University of Waterloo, 1985. - scarce Magic Realism issue with Susan Musgravew. P. Kinsella Robert Kroetsch Lawrence Yates, etc. - fine condition - vol. 5 # 1 - 84 pages.. First Edition. Original Wraps. Fine. 8vo - over 7¾" - 9¾" tall.

Toronto: Lester & Orpen Dennys, 1990. cerlox ring-bound proof copy - the body is type - set to 271 pp. - title page & prelims. not yet set - an early form of the text with an editors check & question marks in pencil in margins ( a few ) - the only proof from any country we have encountered - rare - fine condition .. First Edition. Original Wraps. Fine. 4to - over 9¾" - 12" tall. Galley/Proof.

Windsor, Ontario: Sun Parlor Advertising Company , 1970. - Black Moss anthology of contributors to the magazine including Dorothy Farmiloe Peter Stevens Bill Bissett Douglas Barbour Alden Nowlan Ian Young Joyce Carol Oates Parrick Lane Pat Lowther Dennis Lee Marty Gervais Michael Ondaatje Eugene McNamara Eldon Garnet, etc. - oblong 8vo, 74 pages, stapled and tape bound blue wraps, very fine as issued - very scarce.. First Edition. Original Wraps. Fine. 8vo - over 7¾" - 9¾" tall.

Kingston: Writer's Workshop & Queen's University , 1952. the first 3 issues of this seminal & now legendary, long running literary magazine - all in vg condition - vol. 2 is inscribed by a contributor to his wife - vol. 3 was given a boost by C. Day Lewis' permission to publish his memoir of Dylan Thomas here for the first time [ this was the Dylan Thomas memorial issue ] - the cover of this issue is a fine wrap-around silk screened abstract art print by Clarence Barnes who later was a lecturer at U. of T., member of the gay artists collective JAC, & early Gay Academic Union activist - [ this cover was probably his first important published work ] - short signed autograph note by the editor laid in - fine copy - very scarce first issues .. First Edition. Original Wraps. Very Good. Illus. by Clarence Barnes . 8vo - over 7¾" - 9¾" tall.

Toronto: Macmillan, 1932. 1st edition. 2nd book. Armorial bookplate on front paste-down, owner's inscription on the 2nd blank, foxing to the prelims; a very good copy lacking the unprinted spider web patterned glassine dust jacket - once uncommon, ordinary & unsigned copies have accumulated recently in the abe cesspool & are now cheap & plentiful.. First Edition. Cloth. Very Good. 8vo - over 7¾" - 9¾" tall.