Available Copies from Independent Booksellers
WRIGHT, James. THE GREEN WALL. Yale University Press, New Haven, 1957.
Price: US$45.00 + shipping
Condition: Fair
Description: Octavo, 93 pages, wavy striped boards; x-library with markings, perforations, discharged Wright's first book, issued in the Yale Younger Poets Series.
Seller: Thomas J. Joyce And Company, Chicago, IL, U.S.A.
WRIGHT, James. The Green Wall. Yale University Press, New Haven, 1957.
Price: US$150.00 + shipping
Condition: Fine
Description: First edition. Foreword by W. H. Auden. Top edge is lightly foxed else fine copy in fine second printing dust jacket, stating "Second Printing" on front flap. Author's first book issued as Volume 53 in the Yale Series of Younger Poets.
Seller: Between the Covers-Rare Books, Inc. ABAA, Gloucester City, NJ, U.S.A.
Price: US$150.00 + shipping
Condition: Fine
Description: Patterned light tan and ivory paper covered boards, gold foil on burgundy title cartouche on spine panel. xix,93 pp. Perhaps ever so slightly toned, but essentially as issued. Miniscule blemish midway along fore-edge of 2 early leaves, mentioned only in the interests of the most persnickety accuracy. Dust jacket mildly rubbed at corners, chipped with slight loss at head of spine, short closed tear at bottom rear flap fold/corner, slightly toned spine panel evident only by slightly darkened white lettering, now in mylar. $2.50 publisher's price intact at front flap corner. 1st edition, with no indication of subsequent printings. Author's first book, scarce, especially in this condition. Size: 12mo - over 6¾" - 7¾" tall
Seller: Saucony Book Shop, Kutztown, PA, U.S.A.
WRIGHT, James. The Green Wall. Yale University Press, New Haven, CT, 1957.
Price: US$175.00 + shipping
Description: First edition. Hardcover. His first book, a collection of poetry. A near fine copy with a rubber stamp from a Newspaper receiving the book in 1957 on the front pastedown obscured by the flap of the very good dust jacket that has some edge wear at the spine ends and corners as well as a skinned area at the bottom of the rear panel. Still, a very presentable copy of this important debut.
Seller: Jeff Hirsch Books, ABAA, Wadsworth, IL, U.S.A.
Wright, James.. THE GREEN WALL.. Yale University Press: New Haven., 1957.
Price: US$224.25 + shipping
Description: 8.25 x 5, boards, 93 pp, minor bump to bottom edge of back cover else ok in slightly edge worn dw. FIRST ED OF AUTHOR'S FIRST BOOK.
Seller: John K King Used & Rare Books, Detroit, MI, U.S.A.
WRIGHT, James.. The Green Wall.. New Haven: Yale University Press,, 1957.
Price: US$250.00 + shipping
Description: xix + 93 pp. Very near fine in near fine dust jacket with light wear to tips of flap folds, and base and crown of spine. Foreword by W.H. Auden. Wright's first book, issued as the 53rd volume in the Yale Series of Younger Poets.
Seller: Jeff Maser, Bookseller - ABAA, Berkeley, CA, U.S.A.
Wright, James. The Green Wall. Yale University Press, New Haven, 1957.
Price: US$250.00 + shipping
Condition: Near Fine
Description: Small hardbound octavo in dustwrapper. First edition of the poet's first book. 93 pp. With a foreword by W. H. Auden. Part of this publisher's Yale Series of Younger Poets books. A handsome near fine copy in just lightly edge-worn dustwrapper. The original $2.50 price is present on the front flap. Although not a particularly uncommon book, this copy is one of the nicer examples we have handled.
Seller: Derringer Books, Member ABAA, Avon, CT, U.S.A.
WRIGHT, James. The Green Wall. Yale University Press, New Haven, 1957.
Price: US$300.00 + shipping
Condition: Fine
Description: First edition. Foreword by W. H. Auden. Faint offset tanning on rear endpapers, else fine copy in near fine dust jacket with a little wear at the spine ends. Author's first book, issued as Volume 53 in the Yale Series of Younger Poets.
Seller: Between the Covers-Rare Books, Inc. ABAA, Gloucester City, NJ, U.S.A.
Wright, James.. The Green Wall.. Yale University Press, New Haven, 1957.
Price: US$300.00 + shipping
Condition: Fine
Description: First Printing. A Fine copy in patterned cream paper covered boards, in a Near Fine dustwrapper, not price-clipped, unfaded, with tiny toning to points. 91pp. Wright's first book, the Yale Younger Poets Prize selection #53, with a Foreword by W.H. Auden, the judge of the competition. Q13483
Seller: Compass Rose Books, ABAA-ILAB, Kensington, CA, U.S.A.
James Wright. The Green Wall (Review Copy). Yale University Press, 1957.
Price: US$375.00 + shipping
Condition: Near Fine
Description: Wright's first book, formal and traditional, was honored with being published as part of the Yale Series of Younger Poets, and introduced by W.H. Auden. But Wright soon sickened of what he saw as his lifeless poetry. Robert Bly threw him a lifeline, and Wright became the poet most of us know. Slip from the publisher laid in. Jacket has slight toning on spine, a 1/4" closed tear and minor chipping near head of spine, otherwise very attractive.
Seller: Mark Gustafson's Books, Minneapolis, MN, U.S.A.
WRIGHT, James. The Green Wall. Yale University Press, New Haven, 1957.
Price: US$400.00 + shipping
Condition: Fine
Description: First edition. Foreword by W.H. Auden. Fine in very near fine dustwrapper with a short tear on the rear panel, a little rubbing, and the slightest of tanning to the spine-lettering. The poet's first book. A very nice copy.
Seller: Between the Covers-Rare Books, Inc. ABAA, Gloucester City, NJ, U.S.A.
WRIGHT, James.. The Green Wall.. New Haven: Yale University Press,, 1957.
Price: US$450.00 + shipping
Description: xix + 93 pp. Very near fine in like dust jacket with a sliver of toning along top edge. Foreword by W.H. Auden. Wright's first book, issued as the 53rd volume in the Yale Series of Younger Poets.
Seller: Jeff Maser, Bookseller - ABAA, Berkeley, CA, U.S.A.
Wright, James.. The Green Wall: Poems.. Yale University Press, 1957.
Price: US$450.00 + shipping
Condition: Fine
Description: A Fine tight copy in a Near Fine bright price clipped dust jacket with a touch of wear to the head of the spine. This is Wright's first book. The subjects of Wright s The Green Wall (winner of the Yale Series of Younger Poets award, 1957), include men and women who have lost love or have been marginalized from society for such reasons as poverty and sexual orientation, and they invite the reader to step in and experience the pain of their isolation. Wright possessed the ability to reinvent his writing style at will, moving easily from stage to stage.
Seller: Gregor Rare Books, Langley, WA, U.S.A.
Wright, James. THE GREEN WALL. Yale University Press, New Haven, 1957.
Price: US$660.00 + shipping
Description: Patterned paper-covered boards in dust jacket; small 8vo. 93 pp. Review copy with reviewer's slip laid in. Prior owner's name in blue pencil. At the end of Auden's introduction quoting lines from Wright someone has written (in pencil) the final quatrain in reverse, and commented interestingly: "note the hovering image of the turn-ed worm". At any rate other than these marks in pencil, and some light edgewear a lovely copy of one of the most important first books of poetry of the second half of the 20th C. As a review copy - scarce. Hardcover. Near Fine in Near Fine Dust Jacket.
Seller: Lorne Bair Rare Books, ABAA, Winchester, VA, U.S.A.
James Wright. The Green Wall. Yale University Press, 1957.
Price: US$750.00 + shipping
Condition: Very Good
Description: ISBN . Hardback. First Printing of the First Edition as designated by the date 1957 on both the title and copyright pages with no other dates or later printings listed on those pages. Book is signed by James Wright with his full name only , JAMES WRIGHT, on the front free endpaper, otherwise book is in Very Good to Near Fine condition, a Tight bright attractive copy with no other markings to the book. Dustjacket is in Very Good condition with slight edgewear and two very small minute chips out of the bottom edge of the back cover. $2.50 original price is still present and unclipped on the front dustjacket flap. We have placed the dustjacket in a Brodart clear plastic protective cover and it looks much better than described.
Seller: Tacoma Book Center, Tacoma, WA, U.S.A.
Price: US$750.00 + shipping
Description: 8vo, original boards, dust jacket. Review date stamped on back paste-down, spine a bit cocked, otherwise a fine copy in dust jacket that is lightly rubbed at extremities. Review date stamped on back paste-down, spine a bit cocked, otherwise a fine copy in dust jacket that is lightly rubbed at extremities First edition of Wright's first book. Inscribed by the poet to his fellow poet, Sandy McClatchy on the front free endpaper: "for Sandy McClatchy with friendship, James Wright".
Seller: James S. Jaffe Rare Books, LLC, ABAA, Deep River, CT, U.S.A.
Wright, James. THE GREEN WALL. Yale University Press, New Haven, 1957.
Price: US$825.00 + shipping
Description: Patterned paper-covered boards in dust jacket; small 8vo. 93 pp. Inscribed on the front flyleaf "For Leyta (?) Willis, With gratitude and high regards from [and signed] Jim Wright June 1957". This is an early copy: the book was published in mid-April; although the inscribee is not known to us the inscription would suggest a colleague or the like. Except for a business card sized offest on the fly verso and opposite half-title a fine copy; in a worn at the edges very good and complete (not price-clipped) Dust Jacket.
Seller: Lorne Bair Rare Books, ABAA, Winchester, VA, U.S.A.
Price: US$950.00 + shipping
Description: Signed Edition xix, 93 pp., Signed first edition, with dedication in ink on the ffly, to a prominent English scholar who taught at various US universities, last at York University, Canada.with warm regards from Jim Wright May, 1957. Paper over board, blue/green dw. A few underlinings in Auden,s foreword, o/w v.g. unmarked copy. Dust jacket is worn at edges with some loss. Not price-clipped.
Seller: Book Stage, Stratford, ON, Canada
Wright, James. The Green Wall. Yale University Press, 1957.
Price: US$4750.00 + shipping
Condition: Fine
Description: A Superb Association copy, inscribed by Wright to fellow poet William Matchett (who was on the faculty of the UW English Dept. when Wright was there doing his graduate work 1954-57): For Judy & Bill / with love & gratitude from / Annie & Jim Wright (ca. 1970); additionally laid in loose is 5 typed pages of poems (ca. 1955), also inscribed in pencil: Dear Bill, Sorry I was late with these (signed) Jim Wright, and signed on another page in pen Jim Wright. The poems include: A Complaint For George Doty In The Death House (included in The Green Wall); Morning Under A Tree; My Friend The Milkman Explains The Variety Of Love In A Tavern (unpublished?); The Presentation Of Two Birds To My Son (Poetry Mag. Vol. 85, No. 1, January 1955); The Shade Of Andrew Marvel Appears To His Housekeeper. (Hudson Review, Autumn 1955). Winner of the Yale Series of Younger Poets award, 1957 (selected by Auden); Volume 53 of the Yale Series of Younger Poets; and Finalist, National Book Awards 1958 for Poetry; also the poets first book. xix + 93pp. Off-white patterned paper over boards with titles and devices stamped in gilt over brown on spine. A Fine copy in a Near Fine jacket that has a touch of light wear.
Seller: Arundel Books, Seattle, WA, U.S.A.
WRIGHT, James. THE GREEN WALL. Yale University Press, New Haven, 1957.
Price: US$6250.00 + shipping
Description: Poet's very scarce first book, part of the Yale Series of Younger Poets, with an introduction by W. H. Auden. This copy belonged to Wright's wife, Liberty, with her SIGNATURE at the top of the front free endpaper and below that a SIGNED INSCRIPTION by the poet quoting two lines from a poem in the book, "Eleutheria," and adding a bittersweet, revealing commentary: "for Lib,/and the ground's deliberate/riches, the fallen pears, the/bewildered apples blown to/mounds of shade, and mainly/for the poison ivy, which I kept/out of the poem, not because/it didn't scan or rhyme, but/because it was the sweet/and secret root from which/the poem came./Love and grief,/Jim." Liberty Kardules was Wright's high school sweetheart and the mother of his sons Franz and Marshall. Wright left Liberty two years after publication of this book and divorced her in 1962. Franz Wright is now an accomplished poet. He and his father are the only parent/child pair to have won a Pulitzer Prize in the same category. Near Fine in a Good dustwrapper, worn but complete but for small chips at the spine tips and corners and a long closed split between the front panel and inside flap. Exceptional Association Copy
Seller: Charles Agvent, est. 1987, ABAA, ILAB, Fleetwood, PA, U.S.A.