Warlock by Oakley Hall

First edition of Warlock published by Viking Press in 1958

Oakley Hall's most famous novel is about the denizens of this eponymous town and their struggle to maintain order against criminals and cowboys in the Wild West. Amid a sprawling cast of characters in Warlock, Clay Blaisedell becomes the hero gunslinger meant to restore order to the lawless town and its people held captive under the oppressive rule of free-wielding outlaws. Hall's novel is lengthy and can be difficult at times, especially given its high degree of attention with regards to language—also one if its greatest feats. Thomas Pynchon and Richard Fariña initially bonded at Cornell over their shared passion for Hall's masterpiece, and according to Pynchon, spoke to each other "in Warlock dialogue, a kind of thoughtful, stylized, Victorian-Wild West diction." In reading their work it's clear to see the influence Hall's novel had on both of them. This first edition features great Western pistol cover artwork by Charles Egri and Evelyn Curro.

Henderson The Rain King by Saul Bellow

First edition published in 1959 by Viking Press

Saul Bellow's fifth novel is about a rich, waspish, middle-aged white man who becomes restless with all that he has and sets out to Africa to "find" himself. All sorts of adventures obviously ensue and Henderson finds himself entrenched in the native life of the Arnewi, where he befriends the leaders of the tribe and eventually matures to some degree. I read somewhere once that Bellow thought of Henderson the Rain King as his favorite of his own books (it is my favorite as well), and, ironically, is the only one of his novels without a Jewish protagonist. This first edition cover features a beautiful African "jacket painting" by Bill Preston, and pictured below is Bellow's signature.

Saul Bellow's signature on the front endpaper

Mr. Vertigo by Paul Auster

First Edition of Mr. Vertigo

Mr. Vertigo by Paul Auster isn't, in my opinion, the greatest book; its first edition cover is great though. With jacket illustration by Art Spiegelman, Mr. Vertigo was first published by Viking Press in 1994. The book is about a young runaway named Walt who is propositioned by a mysterious man calling himself Master Yehudi, and promises Walt he can teach him how to levitate—which he eventually does. Walt and Master Yehudi tour the nation with their spectacle and various plot twists ensue. I'll be perfectly honest and say that I've never been able to get through finishing this book, for whatever reasons, but that still doesn't mean physically it's not great. Auster inscribed this copy to someone named Adam right after its publication, who in turn more than likely sold it.