Rare and First Edition Books from Buckingham Books

Dealer in Rare and First-Edition Books:  Western Americana; Mystery, Detective, and Espionage Fiction

Capita De Mar I Guerra. PATRICK O'BRIAN

Capita De Mar I Guerra.

PATRICK O'BRIAN

Other works by PATRICK O'BRIAN

Publication: Barcelona: Columna-Edhasa, 1999 8vo,

First Catalan edition. Originally published in Philadelphia by Lippincott in 1969, and in London by Collins in 1970. This Catalan edition was the first of O'Brian's works to be published in the language, in which he was fluent, of the coastal French fishing village, Collioure, in which O'Brian had lived, with his wife Mary and their hawks and vineyard, since 1949. Collioure and its environs are the only Catalan region in France, and for years the locals had conspired with O'Brian to keep the knowledge that a world-famous writer lived there from the growing numbers of tourists and other outsiders who have been visiting the village in recent years. O'Brian had wished for a long time that there could be a Catalan version of one or more of his books, so the tradespeople and fishermen he talked with on the street could read his work in their own language. This copy is signed by O'Brian on the title page and also included is a handwritten letter from the author on his personal stationary that accompanied the book. The letter is 85 words and is dated 5 June 99. O'Brian states that he is appreciative to receive copies of "The Partisan Review" which were sent to him because his "Art of Fiction" interview and several previously unpublished poems had appeared ["I never thought to see them again," O'Brian says]. He goes on further to say, "Here ... is a copy of the most recent translation. My books have appeared in most European languages and in Japanese, but never before in Catalan, the language of my province, spoken by most of the people in this village. With best wishes, yours sincerely, Patrick O'Brian." In January 7, 2000, we read in the New York Times that Patrick O'Brian died in Dublin and his body was being sent to Collioure. Our copy is fine and unread in European-style pictorial wrappers with one of Samuel Scott's handsome paintings of British ships engaged in battle on the front cover. If you wished to represent the foreign translations of O'Brian's work in your collection with but a single example, this signed copy of his long-wished-for Catalan edition of the first Aubrey and Maturin novels would seem a perfect choice. With his handwritten presentation letter on his personal stationary, c

Inventory Number: 18303Sold -- Contact us