Biography and Autobiography
Rare Biography & Autobiography Books for Sale Online
If you are looking for rare or first edition biography or autobiography books look no further than Raptis Rare Books. Browse through our entire collection of rare biographies and autobiographies below, view details about individual books and contact us to ask a question or find out more information.
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"I have numerous readers among farmers and workers. They make India. Their poverty is India's curse and crime. Their prosperity alone can make India a country fit to live in:" Second Series of Mohandas K. Gandhi's Young India; signed and dated by him
GANDHI, Mohandas K. [Mahatma].
Young India Second Series 1924-1926.
New York: The Viking Press, 1927.
First edition of the second series of the writings of Gandhi. Octavo, original cloth with gilt titles to the spine and front panel. Signed and dated by Gandhi on the front free endpaper, "MK Gandhi 3:4:29." Gandhi founded and published the weekly periodical in English, Young India, from 1919 to 1931 to spread the philosophy and principles of the Satyagraha Movement and urge readers to participate in it. In near fine condition. Housed in a custom half morocco clamshell box made by the Harcourt Bindery. Exceptionally rare and desirable signed and in this condition.
Price: $50,000.00 Item Number: 95311
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First British Edition of Long Walk To Freedom; Warmly Inscribed by Nelson Mandela and signed by Desmond Tutu and F.W. de Klerk
MANDELA, Nelson.
Long Walk To Freedom: The Autobiography of Nelson Mandela.
London: Little, Brown and Company, 1994.
First British edition of the first autobiography of one of the greatest moral leaders of the twentieth century which has went on to sell over six million copies worldwide. Octavo, original black cloth, cartographic endpapers, illustrated with photographs. Association copy, inscribed by the author on the title page, "To Dr. Ivan May Compliments and best wishes to a public figure who cares. Nelson Mandela 6.1.95." Additionally signed by Nobel Prize-winners Desmond Tutu and F.W. de Klerk. The recipient, Ivan May was an academician and humanitarian, who worked closely with The Nelson Mandela Foundation. He was described by the foundation as…
Price: $18,000.00 Item Number: 130735
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“Wherever I live, I shall feel homesick for Tibet": First American Edition of Seven Years in Tibet; Lengthily Inscribed by Heinrich Harrer and By His Holiness the Dalai Lama
HARRER, Heinrich [His Holiness The Dalai Lama].
Seven Years in Tibet.
New York: E.P. Dutton & Company, 1954.
First American edition of Harrer's classic account, signed by Harrer and The Dalai Lama. Octavo, original half cloth, illustrated with over 40 photographs. Presentation copy, lengthily inscribed by Heinrich Harrer in both English and Tibetan on the half-title page, "To Mrs. Rosser with best wishes in remembrance of my lecture in Philadelphia from H. Harrer Jan. 1955." Additionally signed by His Holiness The Dalai Lama, who was tutored by Harrer while he living in Tibet. Near fine in a near fine dust jacket. Translated by Richard Graves. Housed in a custom half morocco clamshell box. Rare and desirable signed by…
Price: $12,500.00 Item Number: 112165
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"Golf is the closest game to the game we call life. You get bad breaks from good shots; you get good breaks from bad shots - but you have to play the ball where it lies.": First Edition of Down the Fairway; Signed by Bobby Jones
JONES, Robert T..
Down the Fairway: The Golf Life and Play of Robert T. Jones, Jr.
Minton, Balch & Company: New York, 1927.
First trade edition of what many consider the greatest golf book of the twentieth century. Octavo, original half cloth, illustrated. Signed by Jones on the front free endpaper, "with best wishes, Robert T. Jones, Jr." Foreword by Grantland Rice. Near fine in a very good dust jacket. Housed in a custom half morocco clamshell box made by the Harcourt Bindery. An exceptional example, rare and desirable in the original dust jacket and signed.
Price: $12,500.00 Item Number: 117324
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"Anyone who has never made a mistake has never tried anything new": First edition of Out of My Later Years; Signed 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 Albert Einstein on the title page. Fine in a near fine dust jacket. Rare and desirable signed.
Price: $12,000.00 Item Number: 138884
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First South African Edition of Long Walk to Freedom; Signed by Nelson Mandela and Mac Maharaj, who transcribed this volume
MANDELA, Nelson .
Long Walk To Freedom: The Autobiography of Nelson Mandela.
South Africa: MacDonald Purnell, 1994.
First South African edition of this classic autobiography, which has went on to sell over six million copies worldwide. Octavo, original black cloth, cartographic endpapers, illustrated with photographs. Boldly signed on the title page by the author, "NMandela 15.3.06" and additionally signed by "Mac Maharaj 20 Sept 2007" on the verso of the front free endpaper. Maharaj was a political activist and member of the then banned South African Communist Party, who worked in a clandestine manner on anti-apartheid activities with Nelson Mandela. In July 1964, Maharaj was arrested in Johannesburg, charged and convicted with four others including Laloo Chiba and Wilton Mkwayi on charges of sabotage in the little Rivonia…
Price: $5,500.00 Item Number: 140892
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"one of the most remarkable books ever written": First Editions of Jawaharlal Nehru's Glimpses of History
NEHRU, Jawaharlal .
Glimpses of World History: Two Volume Set.
Allahabad: Printed by M.N. Pandey , 1934-35.
First editions of "one of the most remarkable books ever written" (The New York Times). Octavo, 2 volumes, original cloth. In very good condition. Foreword by Vijaya Lakshmi Pandit. First editions are exceptionally rare.
Price: $5,000.00 Item Number: 89875
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Rare First Edition of Booker T. Washington's Up From Slavery; with an autograph letter signed by him
WASHINGTON, Booker T.
Up From Slavery. An Autobiography.
New York: Doubleday, Page, 1901.
First edition of Booker T. Washington's landmark biography with an autograph letter signed by him on his Tuskegee Institute letterhead. Octavo, original cloth, illustrated, tissue-guarded frontispiece portrait of the author. Accompanied by an autograph letter signed by Washington on his The Tuskegee Normal and Industrial Institute letterhead which reads, "Oct. 19, 190 Mr. George A. Dary Exchange Bldg 53 State St. Boston Mass Dear Sir: - you will find enclosed a copy of my last annual report to the Board of Trustees which has just been printed. I thought you might like to read it or at least glance through…
Price: $4,800.00 Item Number: 135007
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First South African Edition of Long Walk to Freedom; Signed by Nelson Mandela
MANDELA, Nelson .
Long Walk To Freedom: The Autobiography of Nelson Mandela.
South Africa: MacDonald Purnell, 1994.
First South African edition of this classic autobiography, which has went on to sell over six million copies worldwide. Octavo, original black cloth, cartographic endpapers, illustrated with photographs. Boldly signed on the title page by the author, "NMandela 28.2.96." Fine in a fine dust jacket.
Price: $4,500.00 Item Number: 126733
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Long Walk to Freedom; Inscribed by Nelson Mandela To Ambassador Jean-Pierre Masset
MANDELA, Nelson.
Long Walk To Freedom: The Autobiography of Nelson Mandela.
South Africa: MacDonald Purnell, 1994.
First South African edition, early printing of the autobiography of one of the greatest moral leaders of the twentieth century which has went on to sell over six million copies worldwide. Octavo, original black cloth, cartographic endpapers, illustrated with photographs. Association copy, inscribed by the author on the half-title page, "To Ambassador Jean-Pierre Masset of France. Compliments & best wishes. NMandela 29.1.96." The recipient, His Excellency Jean-Pierre Masset served as the French Ambassador to Pakistan from 1989 to 1993, a period of intense bilateral relations between France and Pakistan, marked by the state visit of President François Mitterrand, the first…
Price: $4,000.00 Item Number: 89081
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"About the time we think we can make ends meet, somebody moves the ends": First Editions of The Memoirs of Herbert Hoover: Each Inscribed by President Hoover
HOOVER, Herbert.
The Memoirs of Herbert Hoover: Years of Adventure 1874-1920; The Cabinet and the Presidency 1920-1933; The Great Depression 1929-1941: Three Volume Complete Set.
New York: MacMillan, 1951-1952.
First editions of each volume in Hoover’s memoirs. Octavo, 3 volumes, illustrated. Each volume is inscribed by Herbert Hoover on the front free endpaper. Each are near fine in near fine dust jackets. Includes: Volume One: Years of Adventure 1874-1920; The Cabinet and the Presidency 1920-1933; The Great Depression 1929-1941. Includes an original photograph of Hoover with his Belgian shepherd King Tut. An exceptional set, uncommon signed and in the first printing.
Price: $3,200.00 Item Number: 94356
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"We can never obtain peace in the outer world until we make peace with ourselves": First Edition of Freedom in Exile: The Autobiography of The Dalai Lama; Signed by Him
HIS HOLINESS THE DALAI LAMA,.
Freedom in Exile: The Autobiography of The Dalai Lama.
London: Hodder & Stoughton, 1990.
First British edition of The Dalai Lama's autobiography. Octavo, original cloth, illustrated. Boldly signed by His Holiness the Dalai Lama on the title page. Near fine in a near fine dust jacket. Uncommon signed.
Price: $2,750.00 Item Number: 108728
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First Edition of Booker T. Washington's Up From Slavery. An Autobiography; In the rare original dust jacket
WASHINGTON, Booker T.
Up From Slavery. An Autobiography.
New York: A.L. Burt Company Publishers, 1901.
First edition of the A.L. Burt Publishers edition of Booker T. Washington's landmark biography. Octavo, original cloth, frontispiece. Near fine in a very good dust jacket. Exceptionally rare in the original dust jacket.
Price: $2,750.00 Item Number: 132410
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First Edition of Wimbledon: A Celebration; Signed by John McPhee, Rod Laver, Rafael Nadal, Stan Smith, John Newcombe, John Isner, Bud Collins and Lleyton Hewitt
MCPHEE, John; Photographs by Alfred Eisenstaedt.
Wimbledon: A Celebration.
New York: The Viking Press, 1972.
First edition of this work on Wimbledon. Quarto, original cloth, illustrated. Signed on the title page by John McPhee and additionally by Rod Laver and Rafael Nadal. Signed on the front free endpaper by Stan Smith, John Newcombe, John Isner and inscribed by Bud Collins. Signed by Lleyton Hewitt on the half-title page. Near fine in a near fine dust jacket. A unique example.
Price: $2,500.00 Item Number: 100052
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Rare First Edition of Booker T. Washington's Up From Slavery. An Autobiography
WASHINGTON, Booker T.
Up From Slavery. An Autobiography.
New York: Doubleday, Page & Co, 1901.
First edition of Booker T. Washington's landmark biography. Octavo, original cloth, top edge gilt, illustrated. In near fine condition. A very sharp example.
Price: $2,500.00 Item Number: 141523
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Rare First Edition of Booker T. Washington's Up From Slavery. An Autobiography;
WASHINGTON, Booker T.
Up From Slavery. An Autobiography.
New York: Doubleday, Page, 1901.
First edition of Booker T. Washington's landmark biography. Octavo, original cloth, illustrated. In near fine condition. An exceptional example.
Price: $2,500.00 Item Number: 130312
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Long Walk to Freedom; Warmly Inscribed by Nelson Mandela
MANDELA, Nelson .
Long Walk To Freedom: The Autobiography of Nelson Mandela.
South Africa: MacDonald Purnell, 1994.
First South African edition, early printing of this classic autobiography, which has went on to sell over six million copies worldwide. Octavo, original black cloth, cartographic endpapers, illustrated with photographs. Presentation copy, inscribed by the author on the half-title page, "To Austin Christmas Compliments and best wishes NMandela 10.6.95." Fine in a near fine dust jacket.
Price: $2,500.00 Item Number: 132402
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"The ultimate aim of the modern movement in biology is in fact to explain all biology in terms of physics and chemistry": 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: $2,500.00 Item Number: 3394
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FIRST EDITION OF W. SOMERSET MAUGHAM'S A WRITER'S NOTEBOOK.; INSCRIBED BY HIM TO AMERICAN JOURNALIST BILL SAFIRE
MAUGHAM, W. Somerset. [William Safire].
A Writer’s Notebook.
Garden City: Doubleday & Company, Inc., 1949.
First trade edition of Maugham's semi-autobiographical confessional. Octavo, bound in three quarter morocco with gilt titles and raised bands to the spine, marbled endpapers, all edges gilt. Presentation copy, inscribed by the author on the half-title page, "by W. Somerset Maugham For Bill Safire in recollection of a pleasant chat." The recipient, William Safire, was an important American author, Pulitzer Prize-winning columnist, journalist, and presidential speechwriter. He joined Nixon’s campaign in the 1960 Presidential race, and again in 1968. Following Nixon’s 1968 victory, Safire served as a presidential speechwriter for both Nixon and Vice President Spiro Agnew. He was a…
Price: $2,250.00 Item Number: 127338
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Edmund Lodge's Portraits of Illustrious Personages; elaborately illustrated and bound in full morocco
LODGE, Edmund.
Portraits of Illustrious Personages of Great Britain. Engraved From Authentic Pictures in the Galleries of the Nobility and the Public Collections of the Country. With Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Their Lives and Actions.
London: Printed for Harding and Lepard, 1835.
Finely bound set of Lodge's Portraits of Illustrious Personages. Folio, six volumes, bound in full morocco with gilt titles and tooling to the spine in six compartments within raised gilt bands, quadruple gilt ruling and fleuron cornerpieces to the front and rear panels, gilt turn-ins and inner dentelles, all edges gilt, illustrated with 240 tissue-guarded engraved portraits of British royals and various historical figures including Queen Elizabeth I, Sir Thomas More, King Henry the Eighth, Thomas Cranmer, Sir Walter Raleigh, and Sir Walter Scott among others. In very good condition. Bookplates from the Cathedral Library to the pastedowns.
Price: $2,000.00 Item Number: 122063