Proulx, E. Annie

[A Core Collection]; A Comprehensive Run of 17 Volumes

1980-1999. First Edition. mixed. 17 vols. A comprehensive, high quality run of Proulx’s work from her first nonfiction how–to books, to her award winning novels and stories, but this is a 20th century collection, and anyway, her 21st century titles are all common and you can add them inexpensively if you like.

1) Great Grapes (1980). 1st edition (published by Storey Publications). Her first book, a 32 page monograph. Fine in wrappers.

2) Making the Best Apple Cider (1980). 1st edition (published by Garden Way, with little girl on cover, ads to A-47). A 32 page monograph. Near fine in wrappers, complete with 4 pages of ads on yellow paper.

3) Making the Best Apple Cider (after 1980). 2nd edition (published by Storey, with old man on cover, ads to A-137). Wraps. Fine. Not scarce.

4) Sweet and Hard Cider (1980). 1st edition. Her (co-written) first substantial book. Pictorial boards. The usual binding is in wrappers, this one is a scarce hardbound copy produced only for specially requested library pre–orders, with stamps on the front endpapers and a tiny one to the dedication page, otherwise fine, unworn, and despite the stamps, the only hardbound copy I’ve ever seen. The first significant publication of her 6 how–to books, written 8 years before she could get any of her fiction published.

5) What'll You Take For It (1981). 1st edition, an essay exploring barter. Her first individually published book. Wrappers a bit rubbed, spine faded, else near fine and unread.

6) The Complete Dairy Foods Cookbook (1982). 1st edition. Fine in a dustjacket with a 1/2" tear and slightly fade spine, else fine. Her second (and last) co-written book, the first with an E. before Annie.

7) Fences & Gates, Walkways, Walls & Drives (1983). 1st edition. Fine. Scarcer hardcover binding of the common trade issue in wraps, likely done with libraries in mind but our copy has no library marks.

8) The Gardner’s Journal and Record Book (1983). 1st edition, not really an instruction book but not lacking in guidance either (only mad fools, gardeners and New Yorkers, go out in pouring rain). Pictorial boards. Fine.

9) The Fine Art of Salad Gardening (1985). 1st edition. Fine in fine dustjacket. Pretty much, chase off the gophers so you can eat like one.

10) The Gourmet Gardener (1987). 1st edition. Faded spine, else near fine in wrappers. Her last how–to book. “A garden is an honest place.” —Emerson

11) Heart Songs (NY, 1988). 1st edition. Her first fiction. 9 mesmerizing short stories. Signed. Tiny NFS stamp, maybe a review copy, maybe not. Fine in near fine dustjacket with fading to the spine. Sharp angles to small things.

12) Postcards (NY, 1992). 1st edition. Her first novel. Signed and inscribed with a 4 line quotation (a superior inscription). Fine in near fine dustjacket with fading to the spine. Signed copies are around, inscribed ones are less common.

13) The Shipping News (NY, 1992). Advance excerpt (45 pages). Near fine pictorial wrappers with fading to the spine.

14) The Shipping News (NY, 1993). 1st edition. Pulitzer Prize. Signed and inscribed, “...long may your big jib draw...” Fine in near fine dustjacket with fading to the spine. Turns a phrase better than her counterparts, and writes one elegant sentence after another.

15) Accordion Crimes (NY, 1996). 1st edition. Signed on the integral title page, a distinction of some note considering that 2,500 copies were signed on a tipped-in leaf. Fine in fine dustjacket.

16) Brokeback Mountain (London, 1998). 1st edition. Source of the film. Stiff pictorial wrappers. Near fine with fading to the spine. You had me at “Howdy.”

17) Close Range (NY, 1999). 1st edition. Fine in fine dustjacket. Near fine / near fine. Item #206

Price: $850.00