SKU: 66740501754

"Masterpieces Of Modern Literature: The Library Of Roger Rechler" 2002 Christie's New York (SOLD)

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"Masterpieces Of Modern Literature: The Library Of Roger Rechler" 2002 Christie's New York (SOLD)[450] pp. w 360 lots Christie's New York 2002 10 1 2" x 8 3 8" Fine Scroll Down for (10) Additional Scans: INTRODUCTION My collection was always blueprinted to be small; however, the goal of limiting it exclusively to modernist texts with significant literary or biographical associations came into sharp relief only after a number of false starts. Indeed, the decision to focus on the 20th century didn't reflect any particular prejudice. In an earlier

[450] pp.

w/ 360 lots

Christie's New York

2002

10 1/2" x 8 3/8"

Fine

Scroll Down for (10) Additional Scans:

INTRODUCTION My collection was always blueprinted to be small; however, the goal of limiting it exclusively to modernist texts with significant literary or biographical associations came into sharp relief only after a number of false starts. Indeed, the decision to focus on the 20th century didn't reflect any particular prejudice. In an earlier incarnation, the collection extended almost 100 years from where it now starts. But once the ambition to acquire only books with resonant presentations was isolated from the impulse to acquire books--the last leap in the evolution of a connoisseur--it soon became apparent that the opportunities to secure unique, big-time Romantic and Victorian titles was disproportionately thin to that provided by the Modernists. All logic and experience underwrote that thesis, and to build a memorable collection one needs a regular flow of memorable books. The mournful, ancient lament of book collectors--concurrent almost with the creation of printing presses--that great copies of great books are victims of some form of bibliophilic global warming, can really only be true when juxtaposed with specific periods. When it comes to the last century, at least, this library vividly demonstrates otherwise. The principle that guided the purchase of books was refined, after much reflection, to one that could be stated simply: significant text, significant association. Once a population of authors was posited, those two factors had to intersect to warrant a book being added. It wasn't sufficient, for example, for a copy of a lesser title to have a meaningful association; the book also needed to provide something of merit, either textually or bibliographically. Absent one or the other quality, the association deflated. That strict standard, now and again poignantly applied to the detriment of the collection, explains the absence of a number of canonical 20th-century titles. If the bar was set high, it made the game that much more difficult; but it also rendered the pleasure of success that much more satisfying. Imagine, for a moment, the delight of securing after a decade of waiting, Lolita inscribed by Nabokov to his wife. Many of these books have never been owned by earlier collectors. The number of volumes that migrated directly from their source to this collection is noteworthy. A partial list includes: The Marble Faun presented by Faulkner to his mother and father; The Good Soldier inscribed by Ford to Graham Greene to commemorate their only meeting; all of the Evelyn Waugh's with inscriptions to Greene; the copy of On the Road Kerouac presented to his lover, in which she preserved his letters about the impending publication of his masterwork; The Naked and the Dead Mailer inscribed to James Jones upon the publication of From Here to Eternity; and all of the lovingly inscribed and emended volumes Vladimir Nabokov and Ezra Pound each presented to the dominating female presence in his long, productive writing life. In addition, the collection is particularly rich in books from the libraries of the foundational collectors of modern literature: Dr. Guffey's Hemingways; James Gilvarry's Joyces, Yeatses, and Becketts; Mrs. Prescott's Houseman; L.D. Brodsky's Faulkners; Carter Burden's Henry Adamses and T.S. Eliots; and Cyril Connolly's Waughs. The additional lots (361-375) reflect my last-minute decision to include the handful of books I had originally intended to retain--the collecting urge is a difficult one to resist. In the main sequence of the catalogue, we have cross-referenced these added lots. Books remain perpetually in motion, passing from one set of hands to another. And then, often unpredictably, they pause in transit--some, alas, never to surface in public again. Many great books temporarily nested in my library. But now, confirming the lovely dynamic of collecting, they are stirring again. Take pleasure. Roger Rechler Summer 2002

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SKU: 66740501754

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Eric
Cuba, US
★★★★★ 2
Good finish, poor hardware.
Set screws are poor quality and are sometimes powdercoated on the exposed threads. Leads to striped hex sockets and inability to tighten properly. Durable finish as evidenced by no visible damage after throwing parts across the shop in frustration. Ended up running self tapping screws thru parts to complete assembly.
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Reviewed in the United States on February 26, 2024
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Kinda flimsy…
Thought the assembly was metal, it’s some kind of PVC.
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Reviewed in the United States on September 22, 2025
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DRJRRT
Bozeman, US
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Great references book.
Format: Hardcover
Excellent book for medical reference and refresh of knowledge.
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Ray Schaar
Charlottesville, US
★★★★★ 5
A Wonderful Update To A Great Old Reference Book!
Format: Hardcover
It's the Merck Manual! If you know medicine but are aware you don't know EVERYTHING about EVERYTHING! (Few if any do!) This is a wonderful reference. If you have no medical knowledge and think this will make you know what doctors know. Don't waste your money. You have to have a basic understanding for this to be helpful. This is a wonderful update to an old favorite.
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Majted
Dallas, US
★★★★★ 5
The most current and inclusive medical reference available mid-2018.
Format: Hardcover, Format: Hardcover
Here’s the review I wrote for the 19th edition on 2011: I've been getting and using the Merck Manual for over 30 years to answer questions about disease for family and friends (pediatrics through geriatrics) as well as preparing to ask germane questions of physicians responsible for care of family and friends. It is comprehensive in its coverage of the etiology, diagnosis, treatment and prognosis of diseases of the human body and contains the latest research results on the treatment options. It's really not that difficult for the layman to understand the medical terminology and the result is factual understanding of the major aspects of disease which you will NOT get from the standard home health care books from Johns Hopkins, Harvard, Mayo Clinic, the AMA or even the Merck Home Health handbook. And, unlike the Merck Manual, these books directed to the laity do not contain the diagnostic information upon which physicians decide precisely what disease they are presented with. Yes, there will be much superfluous information which you may never use, but, when you want and need the information about a specific disease, here's where you should start your education. The same holds true for the updated 2018 20th edition. I neglected to mention that this manual also contains a plethora of ancillary information including thorough sections on pediatrics, geriatrics, injuries, bites and stings, patient care, alternative medicine, dietary supplements, rehabilitation, normal test values and even legal issues such as advance directives. Yup, it’s pricey, but it’s always proved to be valuable to me.
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Reviewed in the United States on June 15, 2018

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