BURROUGHS, William S. (1914-1997)

[Red Night Trilogy, comprising] Cities of the Red Night, [together with] The Place of Dead Roads, [and with] The Western Lands [All Signed]

New York: Holt, Rinehart and Winston / Viking [through 1987], 1981. First Edition. Hardcover. Three volumes, all First Printings and all signed (but not inscribed) by Burroughs on title pages. Demy 8vo (228 x 150mm): xviii (including frontispiece and title page),332; [12],306, with double-page map; [12],258pp. Red Night: Publisher's beige paper-covered boards initialed in blind, terracotta cloth spine stamped in gold, illustrated end papers; pictorial wraparound dust jacket (detail from painting by Pieter Brueghel), priced-clipped but with correct 0381 publisher's code on front flap. Fine and unread. Dead Roads: Publisher's brown cloth, upper covers blind-stamped with author's name, spine lettered in bronze, illustrated wraparound dust jacket priced $15.95. Fine and unread. Western Lands: Publisher's black paper-covered boards, marine blue cloth spine lettered in bronze and black, illustrated end papers and title page; wraparound illustrated dust jacket priced $18.95.. About Fine (top edge stained, spine lettering lightly rubbed). Fine- / Fine. Item #BB1551

The writing of Cities of the Red Night, first installment of this trilogy, coincided with Burrough's move from Manhattan's Bowery to Lawrence, Kansas, in 1981. The trilogy "proposes a revisionary history of the Americas that would avoid the horrors of colonialism, slavery and despotism. The first volume rewrites history to make gay pirates founders of pan-American communes that become havens for nonconformists from all over the world. In the sequels, libertarian gunslingers attempt to prevent the formation of despotic centralised governments (The Place of Dead Roads) and independent secret agencies struggle to protect individual freedom from the depredations of global corporations (The Western Lands). . . . Fragments [of The Western Lands] are autobiographical, and show the aging writer’s anxieties about his own mortality." (Literary Encyclopedia) N. B. With few exceptions (always identified), we only stock books in exceptional condition, with dust jackets carefully preserved in archival, removable mylar sleeves. All orders are packaged with care and posted promptly. Satisfaction guaranteed. (Fine Editions Ltd is a member of the Independent Online Booksellers Association, and we subscribe to its codes of ethics.).

Price: $574.00