Welcome to Alexander Rare Books
Alexander Rare Books has moved to Hillsborough, North Carolina and will not be shipping books until sometime early in the Fall. Contact information to follow shortly. Our new mailing address is 110 W. Orange St., Hillsborough, NC 27278.
Literary Firsts & Poetry
Please scroll down to see our Featured Items
I am a full-time bookseller specializing in literary firsts, especially poetry, important fiction, fine printing and publishing ephemera; with a particular interest in signed/inscribed books, association copies, books by and about Vladimir Nabokov, and advanced and uncorrected proof copies.
All domestic orders are shipped free of charge. Overseas shipped at approximate cost. You can usually reach me by phone during the day, from 8 to 8 ET. I enjoy talking directly with my customers, and am happy to answer questions by phone or email. Although I do not have an open shop, customers are very welcome by appointment.
I accept most credit cards, PayPal, money orders or checks. The checkout on this website is through PayPal. Institutions are billed according to need.
I am always buying interesting books, individually and as a collection, in my field of interest.
Want lists in my field are welcomed. If you would like to be on my mailing list (both paper—quarterly, and/or electronic—somewhat more often) please let me know.
Featured Items
THE BATTLEFIELD WHERE THE MOON SAYS I LOVE YOU
Stanford, Frank
Price: US $950.00
Lost Roads/Mill Mountain, Fayetteville
Book Condition: Near fine
Edition: First edition
Photographic wrappers, red lettering; thick 8vo. A 542 page epic, begun by the poet when he was a teenager, by the founder along with C. D. Wright of ... Details
RIGHT IN THE TRAIL
Snyder, Gary
Price: US $250.00
Mad River Press, [Richmond, MA]
Book Condition: Fine
Edition: First Separate Printing
Poetry broadside printed in 3 colors on Rives 175 gram cream stock with original wood engravings by Michael McCurdy; 9 X 14 inches, one of 200 copies ... Details
SUNRISE IN SUBURBIA
Ashbery, John
Price: US $600.00
The Phoenix Book Shop, New York
Book Condition: Fine
Edition: First edition
Sewn card covers in decorated wrappers, with paper label; oblong 12mo. Letter B of 26 copies (of 126 total) signed by the author. Additionally inscrib... Details
"Smokey the Bear Sutra"
Snyder, Gary
Price: US $250.00
self-published, n.p.
Book Condition: Very good -
Edition: First Thus
Broadside, yellow paper printed in black; 9 3/4 x 13 1/4 inches. Early issue measurements slightly larger than McNeil first issue. Distributed free an... Details
THE BLOOD OF ADONIS
Adonis (Ali Ahmed Said); Samuel Hazo (trans.)
Price: US $650.00
The University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh
Book Condition: Fine
Edition: First edition
Red cloth in dust jacket; 8vo. Uncommon cloth issue of the Syrian-born poet's first book published in the US. Signed by Adonis on the title page. ... Details
ZINKY BOYS
Alexievich, Svetlana
Price: US $350.00
Norton, New York
Book Condition: Fine
Edition: First edition
Cloth-backed boards in dust jacket; 8vo. 197 pp. The first book published in the US by the Byelorussian Nobel Prize-winning author for 2015. A groundb... Details
POEMS
Auden, W. H.
Price: US $500.00
Privately Printed, Ilkley, West Yorkshire, UK
Book Condition: Near fine
Edition: First Thus
Facsimile of Auden's first book in green printed folder, created for the Ilkley Literary Festival. A special copy: inscribed: To Gabriel [Carritt)... Details
HISTORY OF DESIRE
Hoagland, Tony
Price: US $550.00
Moon Pony Press, Tucson
Book Condition: Good +
Edition: First edition
Tall illustrated wrappers; 27 pp. A chapbook including the title poem from the poet's first regularly published book Sweet Ruin, not published unt... Details
BIM VOLUME THREE, NUMBER TWELVE
Walcott, Derek
Price: US $275.00
The Young Men's Progressive Club, St. Michaels, Barbados
Book Condition: Very good -
Edition: First edition
Blue printed stapled wrappers; small 8vo. Pp. 273-360. Two poems by the precocious Derek Walcott "The Testament of Poverty" and "Letter to... Details