Search Results: Titles starting with R from The Second Shelf

Lorraine Hansberry's tour de force was the first Broadway play produced to be written by a Black woman. A Raisin in the Sun explores the dynamics of a Black family in America as they confront prejudice and the profound barriers due to racism in all aspects of their daily lives. Before its debut, Hansberry worked as a Black civil rights activist and journalist for Black papers, and is now known to have been a closeted lesbian, leading to intense isolation even after she was catapulted into fame.
The play debuted at The Ethel Barrymore Theatre in 1958 and the book was published the following year, it includes photographs of the original production, and therefore documents a crucial moment in the history of performance arts.
Hardcover, 142 pp. Quarter cream cloth and textured marbled brown card, with paper label photograph of actor Glynn Turman as Travis in centre. Some wear on top and bottom edges of cloth in the spine, overall in very good condition. Dust jacket is in good condition, with chips at… Read More

Constable, 1996. First edition. Hardcover, 159 pp. Red cloth binding shows no faults. Ownership stamp "T" at top edge of free end paper. Jacket is bright and clean, with only a 1mm chip at back cover. A New York Times Notable book when it debuted, Reality & Dreams focuses on a film director and womanizer who continues to try to direct his chaotic life (and film) after falling from a crane. Funny, biting, dramatic, obviously!

New York: Metropolitan Museum of Art, 2017. This set of Guide and Album were published for the 2017 Metropolitan Museum of Art exhibition of Rei Kawakubo, the Japanese avant-garde fashion designer who founded Comme des Garçons in 1973 and Dover Street Market in 2004. The 2017 Met Gala was devoted to the Japanese label Comme des Garçons and designer Rei Kawakubo. Visitors to the exhibition were provided with a print Guide as the space was designed without detailed labels, only themes e.g. "Fashion/Antifashion", "Beautiful/Grotesque", "Self/Other". The Guide's layout uses folding to present each theme in greater detail if the reader wishes. The Album, also of unusual construction, contains an essay "What do Clothes Wear" by Mark Wigley and 21 images of the gallery space designed by exhibition curator Andrew Bolton and Kawakubo. Guide: Staple bound pamphlet made of 10 sheets printed on both sides. As presented folded, 28 x 11 cm. Album: printed on heavy card, concertina folded. 28 x 21.5 cm. The set… Read More

Seattle: Lynda J. Barry, 1979. Evette, how old do you have to be before you know if you are a failure or not?/Older than nine./Are you sure?/(Pause)/No." With title page "Two Sisters Xerox Book", 69 unbound Xeroxed sheets with illustrations and text by Lynda Barry, contained in a unique, illustrated, hand-coloured envelope tied with brown and white yarn. Envelope stamped with the name Adrienne Salinger, Barry's contemporary and an important photographer. 69 pages, black-and-white illustrations throughout. 30.5 x 22.5 cm. First edition, first printing. Extremely scarce, unique in this wrapper. Fine in near fine manila envelope with some wear and closed tears at the extremities.

Macmillan, 1958. First edition. Hardcover, 185 pp. Green cloth bound, very slightly bumped on edges, in near fine condition. Graphic dust jacket is bright, slightly soiled on backcover, and with a 1 mm chip on the bottom right edge of cover. Overall a near fine copy. Spark's second novel is narrated by one of three survivors of a plane crash on "Robinson" a volcanic island inhabited by an unwelcoming spiritual recluse and Bluebell the cat. Mystery, intrigue, suspense, maps, secret caves. The works. Tempesty. Incredibly handsome illustrated cover.

Philadelphia editions of all four volumes of Yearsley's Gothic novel inspired by The Man in the Iron Mask. Known as "Lactialla" or the poetical milkwoman, Yearsley was a poet with a basic education, born in Clifton. She came to the charitable notice of Hannah More of Bristol, who edited her poetry and managed her monies, a dependency that led to a falling out and accusations of classism against More. While mainly noted for her poetry, Gothic thriller The Royal Captives addresses the mistreatment of women, the poor and the lower classes, themes that resonated for Yearsley. These two volumes were owned by Sally Dimon of Fairfield. Yearsley was also an abolitionist.Royal Captives 1: Philadelphia: Two volumes bound in one. Printed for Robert Campbell, 1795. Volume I, iv, 128. Volume II, 122. 12mo. First American edition, published the same year as the first edition. Vol. I: minor pen marks pages 53 and 79, loss to page 105, intact tears 52, 107, 112, 113, 115, and 127. Vol II: leaves partially loose,… Read More

Joan Didion's first novel and first book publication, written at the beginning of her journalistic career while rapidly working her way up the masthead at Vogue. In Run River, she explores her native California with a nostalgia and poignancy that is less characteristic of her later work.
Ivan Obolensky, 1963. First edition. Hardcover, 264 pp. 21.5 x 14.5 cm. Blue cloth binding with white lettering to spine. Bright dust jacket is price clipped, small tape reinforcement on verso. Book near fine in very good dust jacket.