The Soldier's Daily Life - from about 1989 - 2008

Bourque, Stephen A.
Post-Cold War.
Westport, Connecticut and London: Greenwood Press, (2008).

Part of the Daily Life Through History Series / American Soldiers' Lives. "Military history is usually about history's great captains or campaigns ... What is often lost in the great stories of battles and generals is the daily life of the soldiers and junior officers who occupied, in the words common at the end of the cold war, 'the tip of the spear.' What was war like from their perspective? What did they think of their military service? What was their training like? How did they and their families live? ... These and many more questions, often overlooked, are essential to understanding the experience of war. This book looks at this period and asks the simple question, What was the soldier's experience at the end of the cold war?" (preface). 

Size: 8vo. Green illustrated glossy paper covered boards with beige title to front board and to spine. Pristine interior with illustrations. Index, 191 pages. Military History. Fine. (#20635)

Price: $75.00 save 30% $52.50  

History and Study of the American Battle Monuments Commission

Conner, Thomas H., James Scott Wheeler [foreword by].
War and Remembrance: The Story of the American Battle Monuments Commission.
Lexington, KY: University Press of Kentucky, (2018).

In this "first comprehensive study of the American Battle Monuments Commission, Thomas H. Conner traces how the agency came to be crated by Congress in the aftermath of World War I, how the cemeteries and monuments the agency built were designed and their locations chosen, and how the commemorative sites have become important 'outposts of remembrance' on foreign soil. War and Remembrance powerfully demonstrates that these monuments - living sites that embody the role Americans played in the defense of freedom far from their own shores - assist in understanding the interconnections of memory and history and serve as an inspiration to later generations" (back cover).

Size: 8vo. Fine in pictorially illustrated paper covered boards with black and blue title to front board and white title to grey and orange spine. Pristine interior with illustrations throughout. Index, 334 pages. Fine. (#33319)

Price: $45.00 save 30% $31.50  

Love Letters from WWII

Dumas, Ernie [editor].
Dearest Letty: The World War II Love Letters of Sgt. Leland Duvall.
University of Arkansas Press, (2011).

"Leland Duvall was a now-and-again farm worker with a grade-school education when he received his WWII draft notice at his father's farm near Moreland, Arkansas, in March 1942. He departed for training in California, where he began to write to Letty Jones, a Pottsville girl he'd had a crush on for several years. From the first correspondence through the end of the war, Leland sent Letty a torrent of letters, hundreds of careful and undeniably heartfelt missives  ... That Duvall's writing is a tour de force of wit, elegance, and erudition is all the more poignant because he was a man who was almost entirely self-taught. The letters, discovered by Duvall's daughter after his death, are here enriched by his longtime friend and colleague Ernie Dumas, who provides facts about where Duvall was and the perils he endured while penning his letters, information that was often missing in dispatches that were necessarily censored ... Duvall's lively intelligence and obvious joy in writing come through on every page, joining the patina of the era and the warm glow of a timeless love affair" (jacket).

Size: 8vo. Red cloth covered boards with black title to spine. Pristine interior with printed letter laid in. Beige illustrated dust jacket with red title to front and spine panels. 303 pages. Fine in Fine Dust Jacket. (#25523)

Price: $25.00 save 30% $17.50  

Artwork & Biographies of 3 French Soldiers

Goetschy, Gustave.
Les Jeunes Peintres Militaires: De Neuville - Detaille - Dupray.
Paris: Ludovic Basche, 1878.

An interesting folio volume featuring the biography and art work of three young military painters, De Neuville, Detaille, and Dupray. Each painter has a section of the book devoted to his biography and his art. There is a mounted photograph of each artist, a brief biography and description of his work, three or four full page engraved plates from paintings or drawings, and several copies of the artist's many sketches of his fellow soldiers.

Bound in three quarter red leather and black pebbled cloth with gilt titling to spine and front cover. Covers are frayed, bumped, and chipped but interior pages are very good+. Unpaginated. Very Good. (#34850)

Price: $120.00 save 30% $84.00  

Negative Relationships Between the Military and the Media - during Vietnam
Presentation Copy from Author to U.S. spokesman to the media - Barry Zorthian

Hammond, William M.
Reporting Vietnam: Media and Military at War.

Lawrence, KS: University Press of Kansas, [1998].

Nice presentation copy. Inscribed "For Barry Zorthian With deepest appreciation for all you've done! William Hammond 6 December 1998." The author was a senior historian at the U.S. Army's Center of Military History. In this book he analyzes how the relations between the media and the military evolved during the Vietnam War from one of shared views to a state of animosity and mistrust. Barry Zorthian was the U.S. spokesman to the media during the 1960s in Saigon. He remained a trusted and well-regarded figure during his tenure there.

Bound in black cloth with title and author in green to spine. In pictorial dust jacket with photograph of soldier next to helicopter on front. Fine in near fine dust jacket. 362 pages.  (#26558)

Price: $60.00 save 30% $42.00  

Robert E. Lee's Cousin - General Edwin Gray Lee
A Biography & Details on a Secret Confederate Mission to Canada
Signed by Author, First Edition

Levin, Alexandra Lee.
"This Awful Drama" General Edwin Gray Lee, C. S. A., and His Family.
New York, Atlanta. Los Angeles, Chicago: Vantage Press, (1987).

1ST EDITION, SIGNED BY THE AUTHOR. "A cousin of Robert E. Lee, Edwin Gray Lee was the scion of an influential Virginian family ... Although his combat service (in the Confederate Army) was shortened by recurrences of the tuberculosis he had suffered since his youth, Lee was too valuable a man to be sent to pasture in a Richmond office ... [He] was sent to Canada on a secret mission to aid Confederate couriers and escaped prisoners of war. Until now, many of the facts concerning his mission have remained a mystery to scholars, but Alexandra Lee Levin's research brings to light many of its intriguing details" (jacket).

Size: 8vo. Blue cloth covered boards with silver title to spine. Light bump to head of spine. Author's signature to front free end page. Else is pristine. White illustrated price clipped dust jacket with dark blue title to front and spine panels. Light soiling and rubbing to dust jacket. Index, 248 pages. Very Good + in Very Good DJ. (#24539)

Price: $30.00 save 30% $21.00  

Sailors, a Great Civil War Naval Battle, & Two Warships

Marvel, William.
The Alabama & the Kearsarge: The Sailor's Civil War.
Chapel Hill and London: University of North Carolina Press, (1996).

Author William Marvel "interweaves the stories of the two ships (The Alabama and the Kearsarge) from their construction in Liverpool and New Hampshire, to the climactic encounter off Cherbourg and he also illuminates the day-to-day experiences of deepwater sailors, one of the most ignored groups of the Civil War" (jacket). He used original source material including muster rolls, logbooks, letters, census and pension records, diaries of officers and crewmen, and French sources. In this book he challenges the accuracy of key memoirs on which previous histories of the Alabama have been based. Perhaps most interesting is his description of the everyday life of the sailors.

Size: 8vo. Blue cloth covered boards with gilt title to spine. Pristine interior with 20 pages of illustrations. Blue illustrated dust jacket with purple title to spine. Index, 337 pages. Fine in Fine Dust Jacket. (#25093)

Price: $25.00 save 30% $17.50  

A 50 Year History of the Marian Corps
Inscribed by the Author to Barry Zorthian - US Spokesman & Diplomat

McCahill, William P., (editor).
The Marine Corps Reserve: A History.
Washington DC: Division of Reserve, Headquarters, U.S. Marine Corps, 1966.

Inscribed, "To Barry & Family With best wishes from the foot warmers by the fireside to the front line folks. Bill McCahill 1966 Colonel, USMCR." Colonel McCahill led the effort to write and publish the history of the Marine Corps Reserve on their Golden Anniversary. This edition covers the 50 years since the Corps was authorized by Congress in 1916. It is inscribed to Barry Zorthian, an American diplomat who was the U.S. government spokesman in Saigon during the Vietnam War.

Bound in red cloth with the Marine Corps seal in gilt on the front cover, and title on spine. In very good condition. 311 pages. Very Good. (#26575)

Price: $90.00 save 30% $63.00  

Civil War Era Songs & Poetry - with War Anecdotes

Moore, Frank.
Anecdotes, Poetry and Incidents of the War: North and South. 1860-1865.
New York: Publication Office, Bible House, (1867).

Later printing of this scarce compilation compiled, edited, and arranged by Frank Moore. Moore was also the editor of The Rebellion Record and Diary of the American Revolution. In the introduction he writes: "In the preparation of this volume, it has been the design of the editor to preserve, as far as possible, the most notable anecdotes and incidents of the late war, and also such songs, ballads, and other pieces of versification, as have been well received, and are considered worthy of perpetuation by the reading public."

Bound in three quarter brown leather with red, cream and blue marbled paper boards and endpapers. Leather is chipped, bumped and rubbed. Scuffing to paper boards. Front hinge is cracked and rear hinge is tender but text block is tight and holding. Interior pages are generally clean and bright with a library de-accession stamp on title page. With handsome engraved plates of some of the wars major figures, including Lincoln, Grant, Lee, Sherman, Stuart, Sheridan, and Farragut among others. A nice copy in very good condition. Measures 6.5 x 9.75 inches. 560 pages including detailed index.  (#35158)

Price: $120.00 save 30% $84.00  

An Italian Travelogue (in letters) - from the eighteenth century

Moore, John, M.D.
A View of Society and Manners in Italy: With Anecdotes Relating to Some Eminent Characters Two Volumes.
London: W. Strahan and T. Cadell, 1781.

Second edition of this interesting account by the author of his observations and experiences in Italy, told through a series of letters. John Moore (1729 – 1802) was a Scottish physician and travel author. He also edited the works of Tobias Smollett. From 1769 to 1778 he accompanied the Duke of Hamilton on a Grand Tour of Europe. On his return he took up residence in London. This book was written based on his experiences on that tour.

Bound by Riviere & Son in full brown leather with gilt decorated rulings to covers and ornate spine decorations and titling labels. Leather is scuffed, stained. rubbed, and bumped. Spines are faded, with title labels missing, and spine piece to Volume Front cover of Volume I is almost detached and rear joint is cracked. Front cover to Volume II is cracked and rear joint is tender. Offsetting to pastedowns and free endpapers. The text has scattered light browning and spotting but the text is quite legible throughout. Ownership signature on title pages and of St. Paul's Working Men's Club Carlisle on ffep. Still a nice copy despite noted flaws. Measures 5 x 8 inches. Volume I: 518 + [11] pages; Volume II: 502 + [8] pages. Good +. (#35323)

Price: $110.00 save 30% $77.00  

Landscape Watercolors of Italy

Roscoe, Thomas.
[Landscape Annual] The Tourist in Italy.
London: Robert Jennings and William Chapman, 1831.

Published in the Jennings Landscape Annual for 1831. With 26 beautiful engraved b&w plates taken from the drawings of the famed watercolor artist Samuel Prout.

Bound in the publisher's green leather with gilt titling to spine. Covers are rubbed, scuffed, and bumped. Spine is torn at the top and hinges are cracked. All edges gilt. Front free endpaper has tear at bottom of page. Text is generally clean with some offsetting by plates to their tissue guards. A nice copy in very good condition. Octavo. 271 pages. Very Good. (#35539)

Price: $40.00 save 30% $28.00  

Review Copy of a League of Nations Document

League of Nations. Conference for the Reduction and Limitation of Armaments. National Control of the Manufacture of and Trade in Arms.
Allen and Unwin, 1938; League of Nations Publications Dept., Geneva.

RARE. "Information as to Present Position collected by the Secretariat in accordance with the Resolution adopted on May 31st, 1937, by the Bureau of the Conference." REVIEW COPY. Includes sections on the following countries: Belgium, the United Kingdom & Northern Ireland, Czechoslovakia, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Sweden, Switzerland, the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, and the U.S.A.

Blue paper wrappers with black title to spine and front panel. Browning to spine. Publisher's stamp and "review copy" stamp to front wrapper. Top corner of front wrapper is no longer present. Fading and minor wear to edges of wrappers. Chipping to head of spine and closed tears along top and bottom of front hinge, though front cover remains securely attached. Clean interior overall, though there is damp staining to the bottom corner of the first few pages. Includes tipped-in corrigenda slip. 241 pages. Very Good. (#18745)

Price: $75.00 save 30% $52.50  

An African American Soldier's Experiences in WWII and Korean War

Walker, Wilbert L.
We Are Men. Memoirs of World War II and The Korean War.
Baltimore: Heritage Press, (1972).

SCARCE. "My experiences in the Navy were shared by untold thousands of black men and women during WWII. Indeed, segregation and discrimination was practiced widely in military and civilian life. Despite these barriers, we were willing to do our part to defeat the enemies of democracy. Much of my energy, however, was devoted to fighting these undemocratic practices" (jacket). William L. Walker holds degrees from Morgan State University and Howard University. He served in WWII as an aviation metalsmith, and as first lieutenant in the Korean War, he won the Combat Infantryman badge. He has authored several books and spent many years as a social worker.

Size: 8vo. Very good in blue cloth covered boards with gilt title to front board and to spine. Pristine interior. White dust jacket with blue title to front and spine panels. Slight rubbing and edgewear to dust jacket. 129 pages. World War II. Near Fine / Near Fine. (#1684)

Price: $25.00 save 30% $17.50  

A History of the Veronese Territory (in Italian)

Borelli, Giorgio [edited by].
Uomini e Civilta Agraria in Territorio Veronese Volumes I and II. (Men and Agricultural Civilization in the Veronese Territory )
Banca Popolare di Verona, (1982).

TWO VOLUME SET. 4to. Volume I is the 9th-17th centuries and Volume II is the 18th-20th centuries. Blue cloth boards with gilt titles to spine. Minor rubbing to spine ends of both volumes and Light bumping to corners. Both volumes have a small bump to the bottom edge of the front board and a small and light scratch to the bottom edge of the text block. Very very slight, barely noticeable yellowing to the edges of the pages. Else is clean and bright with many illustrations throughout. Dark blue illustrated dust jackets with white titles to front and spine panels. One small closed tear to bottom edge of front dust jacket panel on volume I corresponding with the bump on the board. Slight rubbing to edges of dust jackets. TEXT IN ITALIAN. Italian History.   Very Good+ / Very Good+. (#5928)   

Price: $125.00 save 30% $87.50  

Self-Critique by Noted Italian Philosopher & Influential Author

Croce, Benedetto.
Contributo alla Critica di me Stesso. (Contribution to the Critique of Myself)
Bari: Laterza & Figli, 1926.

Benedetto Croce (1866 - 1952) was an Italian idealist philosopher, historian, prolific author, and politician who was nominated for the Nobel Prize in Literature 16 times and has been commended for his major contributions towards the rebirth of Italian democracy.

Later printing. Very good in three-quarter leather with gilt lettering and tan cloth boards. Lettering on spine is a bit faded; some fraying along interior front hinge. Brown paste paper endpages. A few chips to leather. Previous owner's inscription on half title. Italian History. Minor browning to endpages, else the interior is clean. 75 pages. Italian History. Very Good. (#5939)

Price: $75.00 save 30% $52.50  

Italian Genius

Olschki, Leonardo.
L'Italia e il suo Genio.
Arnoldo Mondadori Editore, 1964.

With color illustrations, many fold out. Very good in red cloth boards with gilt title to spine. Inscription on front endpage to Charles Singleton, renowned classics scholar from John Hopkins University (as an expression of gratitude, not by the author, in 1970). In beige dust jacket with black title to spine. Minor wear and minor browning to edges of dust jacket. Clean and bright. A thick octavo. 483 pages. Very Good / Very Good. (#27387)

Price: $25.00 save 30% $17.50