Available Copies from Independent Booksellers
William S. Burroughs. Dead Fingers Talk. John Calder, 1963.
Price: US$40.00 + shipping
Condition: Very Good
Description: 8vo in grey cloth, spine title in gilt. A bit of light soiling to the cloth, lacking the dustjacket.
Seller: Dunaway Books, St. Louis, MO, U.S.A.
Burroughs, William S.. Dead Fingers Talk. John Calder Ltd / The Olympia Press, London, 1963.
Price: US$44.90 + shipping
Condition: Very Good
Description: First UK edition, first impression. Jacket sadly quite tatty, with edge wear, chipping, creasing, closed tears and small loss to top and bottom of jacket and spine, corners rubbed with small loss, some overall creasing and time staining, some separation at folds, folds rubbed, browning to extremities and spine of jacket, some yellowing to page block. Not price clipped (25s), previous owner's name in red pen to ffep, internally clean, tight and square, overall a vg copy for its age. 215pp. 'Dead Fingers Talk' was the fifth novel published by American Beat Generation author and visual artist William S. Burroughs (1914-97). The book combines sections from Burroughs' earlier novels 'Naked Lunch', 'The Soft Machine' and 'The Ticket That Exploded', in an attempt to create a new narrative. It is sometimes referred to as a compilation, but this is technically incorrect. The plot cannot be easily described, although it can be said to focus on conspiracy and the hero getting away from the police. Although the publisher John Calder claimed that it contained previously unpublished material, this extra text has never been identified. 'Dead Fingers Talk', like many of Burroughs' works, was controversial upon its release. It was the subject of a scathing review in the Times Literary Supplement that resulted in a war of words between supporters and detractors of the novel (and Burroughs in general) that played out in the magazine's letters page for months. A scarce book.
Seller: The Print Room, Lilley nr Luton, United Kingdom
Price: US$45.00 + shipping
Condition: Good
Description: The book combines sections from Burroughs' earlier novels, Naked Lunch, The Soft Machine and The Ticket That Exploded, in an attempt to create a new narrative. This controversial when released due to its focus upon conspiracy and the hero getting away from the police. One of Burroughs rarer titles, not released in the US. CONDITION Grey bds, 215 pages. Bds faded to edges, small name to front pastedown, light foxed to eps. Size: 8vo - over 7¾" - 9¾" tall
Seller: Ariel Books IOBA, Auckland, New Zealand
Price: US$46.00 + shipping
Condition: Good
Description: The book combines sections from Burroughs' earlier novels, Naked Lunch, The Soft Machine and The Ticket That Exploded, in an attempt to create a new narrative. This controversial when released due to its focus upon conspiracy and the hero getting away from the police. One of Burroughs rarer titles, not released in the US. CONDITION Grey bds, 215 pages.Bds are slightly soiled, small name to front pastedown, first blank removed, light foxed to eps. Size: 8vo - over 7¾" - 9¾" tall
Seller: Ariel Books IOBA, Auckland, New Zealand
William Burroughs. Dead Fingers Talk. John Calder, 1963.
Price: US$48.00 + shipping
Condition: Good
Description: First Edition. First ed. Jacket in poor condition, has some loss at edges. General shelf/age wear. Pages clean.
Seller: Books From California, Simi Valley, CA, U.S.A.
William Burroughs. Dead Fingers Talk. John Calder, 1963.
Price: US$51.31 + shipping
Condition: Good
Description: A decent hardback first GB edition in a fair jacket only (see images). There is a bit of creasing at the head and tail of the spine, and a small crease on the top edge of the upper cover near the right-hand corner. There is some very minor foxing to the front free endpaper. The grey boards and contents are clean, and the binding is secure. The dust jacket has not been price-clipped and is protected by a non-adhesive transparent sleeve, but it has a few areas of loss: in the top left-hand corner of the upper cover (the largest area), the head of the spine, and to the 2 top outer corners. There is also some fine creasing and a small injury to the jacket in the top left-hand corner of the lower cover. The dust jacket's flaws are are diluted by the presence of the protective sleeve and its brown paper backing. An old pencilled price-in shillings-remains on the front paste-down. Overall, a lightly shelf worn first GB edition in a protected dust jacket which has a few areas of loss.
Seller: T S Hill Books, Dorking, United Kingdom
2BURROUGHS, WILLIAM. Dead Fingers Talk. John Calder 1963, 1963.
Price: US$51.97 + shipping
Description: First edition, octavo, grey cloth boards, gilt lettering to spine, 215pp, VG (light bruising to spine extrems, light soiling to board edges, light foxing to page edges, owners name in ink to fep, booksellers stamp to fep,) in d/w VG- (moderate soiling to front, light creasing to rear, light rubbing with loss to spine, chipping & small tears to spine extrems & flaps, moderate foxing to inner)
Seller: Hard to Find Books NZ (Internet) Ltd., Dunedin, OTAGO, New Zealand
BURROUGHS, William.. Dead Fingers Talk.. London John Calder, The Olympia Press., 1963.
Price: US$55.12 + shipping
Description: 8°. 2 nn. Bl., 215 S. Originalleinenen mit Rückentitel, (gering bestoßen und leicht gebräunt). Erste Ausgabe. - Einer der selteneren Titel von Burroughs, der in den USA nicht veröffentlicht wurde. In dem Roman werden Abschnitte aus Burroughs' früheren Romanen, Naked Lunch, The Soft Machine und The Ticket That Exploded kombiniert, in dem Versuch, eine neue Erzählung zu schaffen. Das Buch war bei seiner Veröffentlichung umstritten, da der Schwerpunkt auf Verschwörungen und der Flucht des Helden vor der Polizei lag. - Leicht gebräunt.
Seller: Antiquariat Tresor am Roemer, Frankfurt, Germany
William Burroughs. Dead Finger Talk. John Calder in association with Olympia Press, 1963.
Price: US$57.72 + shipping
Condition: Very Good
Description: Grey boards and spine, the latter lettered in gilt. Significant edge wear to price clipped jacket and its leading corners, with little actual loss; parts of edges reinforced with tape to rear. Internally clean and tight.
Seller: Hugh Hardinge Books, Cambridge, United Kingdom
BURROUGHS, William. DEAD FINGERS TALK. London : John Calder, 1963.
Price: US$70.55 + shipping
Description: First Edition. No dust jacket. The book is in very good condition. Bumping to the corners and a splash stain to the spine but otherwise a clean and tight copy free from any internal markings or inscriptions.
Seller: Surrey Hills Books, Cranleigh, United Kingdom
Price: US$100.00 + shipping
Condition: Very Good
Description: VG in Good+ dw. 8vo, 220pp, grey cloth with spine stamped in gold, printed dustwrapper. The first edition of this Burroughs work published in England only (Schottlaender v4.A7, Shoaf I-7). This copy from poet, artist, and experimental impresario Opal Louis Nations includes pencil notes by Nations (dated June 1964) to the front endpaper. Else an unmarked copy with a little soil; dustwrapper has edgewear and signs of removed tape reinforcement.
Seller: Philip Smith, Bookseller, Berkeley, CA, U.S.A.
William Burroughs. Dead Fingers Talk. John Calder, London, 1963.
Price: US$160.35 + shipping
Condition: Near Fine
Description: A splendid first edition of this rare novel by William Burroughs, with the unclipped dust wrapper. The first edition, first impression of this work. One of the rarer novels by Beat Generation author William Burroughs, it was out of print for almost fifty years before the 2020 restored edition. This novel is the result of a combination of Burroughs' earlier novels to create a new narrative. The lack of evident new material caused controversy upon its release although, in the restored edition, the early experimental mash-up is praised by editor Oliver Harris. In the original publisher's full cloth binding. Externally lovely with minor shelf wear only, minor bumping to the head and tail of the spine and extremities. Small inscription by a previous owner to the front pastedown, 'Melne London 1968.'The dust wrapper is smart and unclipped with minor shelf wear, with a minor chipping to the head and tail of the spine, small loss to the tail of the spine, with some rubbing to the wraps. Internally, firmly bound. The pages are bright and clean. Near Fine
Seller: Rooke Books PBFA, Bath, United Kingdom
Williams Burroughs. Dead Fingers Talk. John Calder in association with Olympia Press, 1963.
Price: US$192.41 + shipping
Condition: Very Good
Description: 1st edition / 1st impression. Grey cloth, gilt titles, unclipped dustjacket. Condition: Very good. Boards and spine clean, bright and tight. Faint foxing to endpapers, pencil writing to rear fep. Minor spotting to edge of text block. Otherwise, pages clean and bright. Binding firm. Dj not price clipped. Chips to top and bottom. Small hole near bottom of front panel. Now in removable plastic sleeve. Size: 8x5.5in / 20x14cm. 215pp. Weight: 430g.
Seller: Paperworks, Plymouth, United Kingdom
Burroughs, William. Dead Fingers Talk. John Calder / Olympia Press, 1963.
Price: US$224.48 + shipping
Condition: Very Good
Description: 1963 Calder/ Olympia Press Hardback 1st Edition 1st Impression. Very good+ clean tight binding in very good+ unclipped dustjacket. Wonderful jacket design as shown.
Seller: MacKellar Art & Books, Bournemouth, United Kingdom
Burroughs, William. Dead Fingers Talk. John Calder, 1963.
Price: US$224.48 + shipping
Condition: Very Good
Description: 1963 John Calder in association with Olympia Press. Hardback 1st edition 1st impression. Very good clean tight binding in very good unclipped dustjacket. Decorative endpapers as shown. Former owner's bookplate.
Seller: MacKellar Art & Books, Bournemouth, United Kingdom
BURROUGHS, William S.. DEAD FINGERS TALK. London: John Calder / Olympia Press, 1963.
Price: US$250.00 + shipping
Condition: Very Good
Description: Minor soil along lower foredge of pages, VG in dust jacket with wear and chipping along front flap fold, small chips at spine ends, NOT price clipped, free of any former owner markings. An elusive title, not published in the U.S.
Seller: Nicholas J. Certo, Newburgh, NY, U.S.A.
Burroughs, William. Dead Fingers Talk. John Calder in association with Olympia Press, London, 1963.
Price: US$1750.00 + shipping
Condition: Near Fine
Description: First edition. 8vo, 215pp, signed by Burroughs and dated in 1997, the year of his death, on the title page. This 5th novel from Burroughs was experimental in that it combined sections from his earlier works including Naked Lunch, with new material to form sort a conglomeration of narrative. It wasn't republished until 2020 in a restored edition that highlighted the new material, sections not taken from earlier novels, which had always been a part of the original publication, but overlooked by many. An important and scarce work from the influential, Beat Generation writer. Near fine in gray cloth boards with gilt lettering to spine. Price-clipped jacket shows some rubbing to spine, wear at corners, and a small tear and corresponding wrinkle to upper edge near head of spine.
Seller: Peruse the Stacks, Gig Harbor, WA, U.S.A.
Price: US$1800.00 + shipping
Description: Octavo, 215 pages. In Very Good condition with dust jacket in Very Good minus condition. Spine is off-white with black titling. Dust jacket protected with a mylar covering, but showing minor chipping to head and tail off spine and corners, along with minor shelfwear and a small dent and hole to middle of front hinge. Price cut. Signed flat by Burroughs on the title page below his printed name. Shelved in Case 2. Burroughs' fifth novel, this work combines sections from his earlier novels to create a new narrative. 1358048. Shelved Dupont Bookstore.
Seller: Second Story Books, ABAA, Rockville, MD, U.S.A.
Burroughs, William. Dead Fingers Talk. John Calder in association with Olympia Press, 1963.
Price: US$2250.00 + shipping
Condition: Fine
Description: John Calder: London, 1963. First edition. First and only hardcover edition. Light grey cloth with gilt lettering to the spine. Jacket design by Ian Sommerville: the front panel is a collage of photo of the Olympia editions of WSB's books with a ghostly hand superimposed (Maynard and Miles). Rear panel is a black and white photo of WSB. Price-clipped. Fine book in a near fine jacket. Signed by WSB on the title page and extremely uncommon as such. Ref: Maynard and Miles.
Seller: Paul Johnson Fine Books, IOBA, Temecula, CA, U.S.A.