Biography and Autobiography
Rare Biography & Autobiography Books for Sale Online
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“It is a curious fate to be objectified alive. Think with humor while reading": First Edition of Anton Reiser's Albert Einstein: A Biographical Portrait; Inscribed by Albert Einstein with an original poem
REISER, Anton. [Albert Einstein].
Albert Einstein: A Biographical Portrait.
New York: Albert & Charles Boni, 1930.
First edition of this Einstein biography written by Rudolf Kayser, a German literary historian and husband to Albert Einstein’s stepdaughter Ilse under the pseudonym Anton Reiser. Octavo, original cloth, frontispiece of Einstein. Inscribed by Albert Einstein with an original poem on the front free endpaper in German, which translates as, “It is a curious fate to be objectified alive. Think with humor while reading. A. Einstein.” From the library of Alexandre and Catherine Barjansky with her ownership signature to the verso of the front panel and notation below Einstein’s inscription, “S.S. ‘Belgenland,’ New-York, 14/XII/30.” Russian sculptress Catherine Barjansky, her celebrated cellist husband, and Einstein were all close friends of King Albert I and Queen Elisabeth of Belgium. Barjansky described her experiences creating the now famed and very intimate sculptural portraits of Elizabeth and Albert in her 1947 joint memoir with her husband Portraits with Backgrounds. Catherine had an international career, living at times in Rome, Berlin, New York, Vienna, Paris, and Brussels. Einstein was in New York at the time he inscribed the present volume, having arrived aboard the Belgenland three days earlier. Einstein travelled aboard the Belgenland several times. He was on the ship in March 1933, intending to return home to Germany, when he learned the alarming news that the Nazis had ransacked his summer cottage in Caputh. He soon decided it was too dangerous to return to Germany and when the ship docked in Antwerp, Belgium, he immediately reported to the German consulate in Brussels, where he turned in his German passport and renounced his citizenship. Einstein returned to America in October, beginning a new life as a member of the faculty of Princeton University’s Institute for Advanced Study. In near fine condition. A complex and desirable association.
Price: $17,500.00 Item Number: 90431
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SIGNED LIMITED EDITION OF ALBERT EINSTEIN’S "ONE AND ONLY INTELLECTUAL BIOGRAPHY": SIGNED AND DATED BY HIM; IN THE ORIGINAL PUBLISHER'S CARDBOARD
EINSTEIN, Albert.
Albert Einstein: Philosopher-Scientist.
Evanston: Library of Living Philosophers, 1949.
Signed limited first edition, one of 760 copies signed and dated “Albert Einstein ‘49”, this is number 499. Octavo, original brown cloth, top edge gilt, original slipcase. The book is in fine condition, the slipcase is in fine condition. Housed in the original publisher’s cardboard. An absolute pristine example, which has been stored in the original cardboard box since publication. Edited by Paul Arthur Schilpp. Frontispiece portrait of Einstein by Yousef Karsh. Rare and desirable in this condition.
Price: $14,500.00 Item Number: 35020
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First Edition of Anton Reiser's Albert Einstein: A Biographical Portrait; Signed and dated by Albert Einstein
REISER, Anton. [Albert Einstein].
Albert Einstein: A Biographical Portrait.
New York: Albert & Charles Boni, 1930.
First edition of this Einstein biography written by Rudolf Kayser, a German literary historian and husband to Albert Einstein’s stepdaughter Ilse under the pseudonym Anton Reiser. Octavo, original cloth, frontispiece of Einstein. Signed and dated by Einstein on the front free endpaper in the year of publication, “Albert Einstein New York 1930.” In near fine condition. Housed in a custom half morocco clamshell box.
Price: $12,500.00 Item Number: 110352
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SIGNED LIMITED EDITION OF ALBERT EINSTEIN’S "ONE AND ONLY INTELLECTUAL BIOGRAPHY": SIGNED AND DATED BY HIM in the rare original dust jacket
EINSTEIN, Albert.
Albert Einstein: Philosopher-Scientist.
Evanston: Library of Living Philosophers, 1949.
Signed limited first edition, number 711 of 760 copies signed and dated “Albert Einstein ‘49.” Octavo, original brown cloth, top edge gilt. The book is in fine condition in the rare original dust jacket, which is in very good condition. Edited by Paul Arthur Schilpp. Frontispiece portrait of Einstein by Yousef Karsh. Rare and desirable in this condition.
Price: $11,000.00 Item Number: 110472
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"Imagination is more important than knowledge": First edition of Out of My Later Years; Signed and Dated by Albert Einstein
EINSTEIN, Albert.
Out of My Later Years.
New York: Philosophical Library, 1950.
First edition of Einstein’s collection of social science-related articles, addresses and speeches. Octavo, original cloth, frontispiece of Einstein. Signed by the author on the front free endpaper, “A. Einstein 52.” With the ownership signature of Dr. Milnor Alexander, Los Angeles, California, 1952 on front pastedown. Alexander taught political science at Penn State University and was active in the women’s movement and supporter of many societies promoting social welfare, the environment and the Labor movement. She has also inscribed below, “Autographed by Einstein for our fund-raiser for the Federation for Repeal of the Levering Act.” The inscription on the pastedown is significant. Einstein is known to have endorsed the [successful] fight against having every California citizen/employee of the government pledge complete loyalty to the government no matter one’s political affiliations. This was called the Levering Act. These strictures to be imposed on California government employees took place during the McCarthy era of seeking out Communist sympathizers, including the banning of alleged Communist-leaning Hollywood actors and directors. Fine in a near fine dust jacket. Housed in a custom half morocco clamshell box. An exceptional association.
Price: $9,500.00 Item Number: 55054
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John Muir's The Mountains of California; Lengthily inscribed by him
MUIR, John.
The Mountains of California.
New York: The Century Co, 1904.
Early printing of John Muir’s classic work. Octavo, original illustrated cloth. Presentation copy, inscribed by the author on the front free endpaper, “Mr. H. H. Smith, with best wishes & many pleasant memories, John Muir, August 1906.” In near fine condition. Rare and desirable signed.
Price: $4,500.00 Item Number: 92812
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“this is the story of a great inventor, the most conspicuous figure of the age of electricity”: First edition of the Boy's Life of Edison; Signed by Thomas A. Edison
MEADOWCROFT, William H. [Thomas A. Edison].
The Boy’s Life of Edison.
New York and London: Harper & Brothers, Publishers, 1911.
First edition of Meadowcroft’s biography of Thomas Edison, written for children. Octavo, original cloth with paper label portrait of Edison to the front panel, illustrated with eight photographic portraits of Edison including tissue-guarded frontispiece. With Edison’s autobiographical notes. Boldly signed on the second free endpaper, “Thomas A. Edison.” In very good condition. First printings are uncommon signed.
Price: $2,750.00 Item Number: 110225
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First Edition of R. Buckminster Fuller's Nine Chains To The Moon; Inscribed by Him to his sister
FULLER, R. Buckminster .
Nine Chains to the Moon.
Philadelphia: J.B. Lippincott Company, 1938.
First edition of Fuller’s first book. Octavo, original cloth. Association copy, inscribed by the author to his sister on the front free pastedown, “Dearest Les: Manny happy returns of the day. Your affectionate brother Bucky Aug. 13, 1938.” Very good in a very good dust jacket. An exceptional association.
Price: $2,500.00 Item Number: 121023
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“this is the story of a great inventor, the most conspicuous figure of the age of electricity”: the Boy's Life of Edison; Signed by Thomas A. Edison
MEADOWCROFT, William H..
The Boy’s Life of Edison.
New York and London: Harper & Brothers, Publishers, 1921.
Octavo, original cloth, illustrated. With autobiographical notes by Thomas Edison. Boldly signed on the front free endpaper, “Thomas A. Edison.” Additionally inscribed by the author on the front free endpaper, “To S.D. Green, With all good wishes. Wm H. Meadowcroft April 30, 1924.” In near fine condition. Second edition.
Price: $2,000.00 Item Number: 81203
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"This is the best of my books You can toss the rest": First Edition of Disturbing the Universe; Inscribed by Freeman Dyson
DYSON, Freeman .
Disturbing the Universe.
New York: Harper & Row, Publishers, 1979.
First edition of this autobiography by one of the greatest scientists of the twentieth century. Octavo, original cloth. Presentation copy, lengthily and uniquely inscribed by Freeman Dyson on the title page, “For ___ ___ Freeman Dyson February 2010 This is the best of my books You can toss the rest.” Fine in a fine dust jacket.
Price: $2,000.00 Item Number: 116182
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“The world, we are told, was made especially for man — a presumption not supported by all the facts": First Edition of John Muir's A Thousand-Mile Walk To the Gulf; In the Rare Original Dust Jacket
MUIR, John.
A Thousand-Mile Walk To the Gulf.
Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 1916.
First edition of this work by Muir. Octavo, original green cloth, color pictorial cover label, lettered in white, top edge gilt. Edited with an introduction by William Frederic Badè. Illustrated with several plates from photographs, including a frontispiece portrait with tissue guard; map. Fine in the rare original dust jacket, which is in near fine condition. Uncommon in this condition.
Price: $1,850.00 Item Number: 114781
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First Edition of The Path to the Double Helix; Signed by Francis Crick and Robert Olby
OBLY, Robert; Foreword by Francis Crick.
The Path to the Double Helix.
Seattle: University of Washington Press, 1974.
First edition of this work on the history of the double helix. Octavo, original cloth, illustrated. Signed by both the author and Francis Crick on the title page, who contributed the foreword. The author has transcribed the following from this work, “The ultimate aim of the modern movement in biology is in fact to explain all biology in terms of physics and chemistry Robert Olby.” Fine in a fine dust jacket.
Price: $1,750.00 Item Number: 3394
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First Edition of Louis Menand's Pulitzer Prize-winning Work The Metaphysical Club; Inscribed by Him To Edward O. Wilson
MENAND, Louis.
The Metaphysical Club: A Story of Ideas in America.
New York: Farrar, Straus & Giroux, 2001.
First edition of the author’s Pulitzer Prize-winning work. Octavo, original half cloth. Association copy, inscribed by the author on the title page to fellow Pulitzer Prize award winning author Edward O. Wilson, “For Edward with best wishes Louis Menand.” Wilson’s signature to the front free endpaper, near fine in a near dust jacket. Jacket design by Susan Mitchell. An exceptional association copy.
Price: $1,500.00 Item Number: 111949
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First Edition of Carrying the Fire: An Astronaut's Journey; Inscribed by Astronaut Michael Collins
COLLINS, Michael; Foreword by Charles A. Lindbergh.
Carrying the Fire: An Astronaut’s Journey.
New York: Farrar Straus and Giroux, 1974.
First edition of one of the finest memoirs of space travel. Octavo, original cloth, illustrated. Presentation copy, inscribed by the author on the half-title page, “For Al Regan with all good wishes- Michael Collins.” Fine in a near fine dust jacket. Jacket design by Robert T. McCall. Foreword by Charles A. Lindbergh.
Price: $1,500.00 Item Number: 122544
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First Edition of The Third Man of the Double Helix; Signed by Nobel Laureates Maurice Wilkins and James D. Watson
WILKINS, Maurice (James D. Watson).
The Third Man of the Double Helix: The Autobiography of Maurice Wilkins.
London: Oxford University Press, 2003.
First edition of Wilkins’ autobiography. Octavo, original black cloth, illustrated. Signed by Maurice Wilkins and James D. Watson on the title page. Watson, along with Francis Crick and Wilkins were awarded the Nobel Prize in Medicine for their discovery of DNA. Fine in a fine dust jacket.
Price: $1,500.00 Item Number: 53978
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First Edition of The Blind Watchmaker; Signed by Richard Dawkins and Desmond Morris
DAWKINS, Richard.
The Blind Watchmaker.
Essex, England: Longman Scientific & Technical, 1986.
First British edition of Dawkins’ classic work. Octavo, original cloth. Signed by Richard Dawkins and scientist Desmond Morris on the title page. Desmond Morris is a famed an English zoologist, ethologist and surrealist painter, who is well known for his classic 1967 book The Naked Ape. Fine in a near fine dust jacket with light shelfwear. The jacket painting by Desmond Morris was inspired by the title of this book. A unique example.
Price: $1,250.00 Item Number: 112687
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“The world, we are told, was made especially for man — a presumption not supported by all the facts": First Edition of John Muir's A Thousand-Mile Walk To the Gulf
MUIR, John.
A Thousand-Mile Walk To the Gulf.
Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 1916.
First edition of this work by Muir. Octavo, original green cloth, color pictorial cover label, lettered in white, top edge gilt. Edited with an introduction by William Frederic Badè. Illustrated with several plates from photographs, including a frontispiece portrait with tissue guard; map. In near fine condition with light rubbing. With the original booklet for Muir’s book Travels in Alaska laid in. An exceptional example.
Price: $500.00 Item Number: 100932
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"Bold new unimagined horizons are before us in the world of public health": First Edition review copy of Donald Henderson's Smallpox, The Death of a Disease; lengthily inscribed by him
HENDERSON, Donald Ainslie [D.A.].
Smallpox, The Death of a Disease: The Inside Story of Eradicating a Worldwide Killer.
Amherst, New York: Prometheus Books, 2009.
First edition, review copy of epidemiologist Donald Henderson’s personal account of his role in the eradication of smallpox, the first disease in human history to be eradicated. Octavo, original boards, pictorial endpapers, illustrated. Foreword by Richard Preston. Presentation copy, warmly inscribed by the author on the title page, “For Adri, Bold new unimagined horizons are before us in the world of public health. With best wishes for the future, D.A. Henderson.” With the publisher’s review copy slip and press release laid in. Fine in a fine dust jacket. Jacket design by Nicole Sommer-Lecht.
Price: $475.00 Item Number: 112908
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"To Dick, one of the All-City boys. Hope you enjoy it as much I enjoyed living it": First Edition of Walter Cunningham's The All-American Boys; Warmly Inscribed by Him
CUNNINGHAM, Walter.
The All-American Boys.
New York: Macdonald and Co, 1977.
First edition of “the best of all the astronaut books” (Los Angeles Times). Octavo, original half cloth, illustrated. Presentation copy, warmly inscribed by the author on the front free endpaper, “To Dick, one of the All-City boys. Hope you enjoy it as much I enjoyed living it. Walt (ex-writer).” The recipient, Richard J. V. Johnson was the long-time chairman and publisher of the Houston Chronicle and covered the Apollo 7 mission. Fine in a near fine dust jacket. Jacket design by Robert Silverman. Written with the assistance of Mickey Herskowitz.
Price: $475.00 Item Number: 117869
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First Edition of From So Simple A Beginning; Signed by Editor Edward O. Wilson
WILSON, Edward O.; Charles Darwin.
From So Simple A Beginning: Darwin’s Four Great Books (Voyage of the Beagle, The Origin of Species, The Descent of Man, The Expression of Emotions in Man and Animals).
New York: W.W. Norton & Company, 2006.
First edition of this collection of the four works of Darwin. Thick octavo, original half cloth. Signed by the editor, Edward O. Wilson on the title page, who has drawn an image of an ant. Near fine in a fine dust jacket. The original slipcase is in near fine condition.
Price: $450.00 Item Number: 4269