Nabokov's Butterfly: And Other Stories of Great Authors and Rare Books

by Rick Gekoski

A first edition of Ulysses sold for 460,000 in auction at Christie's in 2002. The price might have upset the union chief, convicted gangster, and major-league James Joyce book collector Dennis Silverman, who had sold his copy, signed and inscribed by the author, for a mere 135,000 ten years earlier. Great books attract all kinds and come to fascinating destinies of their own, as Nabokov's Butterfly amply demonstrates. Here, noted author and rare book dealer Rick Gekoski — whose vocation led to the BBC radio series titled Rare Books, Rare People, — profiles twenty editions of major books that have passed through his hands and made publishing history, as they have become the legends of rare book collectors. Sued by J. D. Salinger, harassed by Harold Pinter, berated by Ted Hughes who unloaded his personal and passionately inscribed copy of Sylvia Plath's The Colossus, Gekoski is a convivial participant in these histories, including his sale of Mr. Tolkien's college gown. He recalls one day purchasing from Graham Greene his first edition of Lolita, with Nabokov's signature drawing of a butterfly inside, and on the next day he sold it to Elton John's lyricist at a 10,000 profit.

Genres: Books About Books, Nonfiction, Essays, Biography, Memoir, History

240 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2004

Reviews

[Fred Jenkins · Rating 4 out of 5]

As in Guarded by Dragons Gekoski focuses entirely on twentieth-century books and authors: Nabokov, Tolkien, Hughes, Plath, Joyce, the Lawrences (DH and TE), and others. He is far too concerned with prices of books (mostly ridiculous), but he does provide many interesting details of publication histories and anecdotes about authors. Overall, quite enjoyable.

[M. D. Hudson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Here’s another example of the bookseller’s recollections to which I am addicted. This one is pretty good but was somewhat blighted as it was by the usual bookseller’s tendency to boast and spend too much time on money instead of the books. I am interested in the money too, but I’d rather have more of the books. At first I thought Gekoski was kind of a jerk – little comments here and there revealed a cruel streak that seemed gratuitous (a comment to a colleague of his at a provincial UK college when he quit his teaching job to become a full-time book dealer seemed pointlessly cruel and yet Gekoski reports it with such relish and evident self-satisfaction). Booksellers who write memoirs tend to think they are cleverer than they really are, so you tend to have to wade through tedious aperҫus and bon mots that aren’t very bon (that kind of comment, about the bon mots that aren’t very bon is an example of the sort of tediousness I mean. To wax on in this fashion, let me add that Gekoski is fond of the tale involving the beau geste where he is the beau. I’ll stop now.)

But still, Nabokov’s Butterfly is not a bad book, and once you get past Gekoski’s showing off, there is good stuff here. One of the things I liked about Gekoski was that pretty much agreed with him all the time when it came to his literary opinions – and he has some very cranky literary opinions. Some of his personal encounters with the great and near-great and pseudo-great were really good reads. His friendship with Graham Green was nice, despite being spoiled by Gekoski’s occasional overly strenuous efforts to prove how close they were. However, his encounters with (you might say conflicts with) with J. D. Salinger and the quite strange William Golding were pungently recounted. He never met Tolkien, but he saw him around campus a lot while he was a student and I liked the story about Tolkien’s gown. My absolute favorite part was Gekoski’s dealings with Ted Hughes when Hughes sold him his personal (and lovingly inscribed) copy of his wife’s first book – Sylvia Plath’s The Colossus. Gekoski’s descriptions of his transactions with Hughes were marvelous and confirmed something I’d long resisted, that Ted Hughes was an full-blown jerk. It was during moments like these that I wished the book were longer – it is in fact not very long at all, a very small format book printed in giant type, which makes it easy to polish off, but makes me wonder if I read a memoir in novella format (the book lists at $14.95, which makes it not a dollar-per-word bargain – but I found my copy remaindered). Another thing that pleased me about Gekoski’s book was that he actually talks about and describes in detail actual books. This is not something you will always find in booksellers’ recollections.

Interesting note about this book: while reading the Introduction, the author kept referring to something called Tolkien’s Gown as if it were the book in question. This was puzzling. When I had about finished the book, an errata slip fell out: “Due to an editing error, the title of this book is mistakenly referred to twice in the author’s Introduction as Tolkien’s Gown, the title of the original British edition.” I mention this here because I didn’t know publishers bothered with errata slips anymore. God knows they commit a lot of errors though!

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

Even though the author is a bit taken with himself and has a bit of an overfondness for name-dropping, this book is a really fun read.

[Michael Reilly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rick Gekoski is a high-end book dealer. This 2004 memoir tells the stories around some of the significant books he has bought and sold.

He sold a letter from Jack Kerouc to his mother. It gives him a chance to tell the story of how "On the Road" became a big hit. Oliver Prescott, the normal New York Times book reviewer hated the whole beat movement. He happened to be on vacation when "On the Road" was released and a fill-in reviewer gave it a rave. Prescott was so mad that the fill-in never appeared in the NYT again.

Graham Greene sold him a copy of a limited friends only edition of "Brideshead Revisited" with a dedication from Evelyn Waugh to Greene. It gives him a chance to tell the story of Waugh writing the book and his conversation with Greene when he sold it at a large profit.

There are very interesting chapters on "Lolita", "Ulysses", " A Confederacy of Dunces"., "Harry Potter", "Animal Farm, "The Satanic Verses" and more. He has dealt in premium copies of each of these books and he has interesting stuff about the books and authors.

Gekoski is a relaxed storyteller. He has nothing of the stuffiness that is often found in rare book dealers. He seems to be enjoying himself.

It is striking that the current prices for most rare books have doubled, or more, since 2004.

[Weinz · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another book about books that could go either way. Pedantic egotist full of name drops, bragging rights and no passion for what's between the covers OR hopeless bibliophile destined to forever be forced to let go the literary treasures he finds. My personal take is that he has his own inner battle tween the two and in the end was part eye-rolling boring and part witty and interesting. I leave you to discover the rest for yourself.

[J.A. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Found this on the sale shelf at Malaprop's and couldn't resist!

Starts out strong with chapters on Lolita and The Hobbit, but it wanes from there.

[John Dunbar · Rating 2 out of 5]

The book went in depth about some of the most sought after books by collectors and dealers.

[Robert Armstrong · Rating 3 out of 5]

from pleasant to delightful; for anyone who collects as well as reads.

[Nethra Ram · Rating 1 out of 5]

Not really my thing.

[David Lewis · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved it! If you enjoy reading about famous authors and a bit of history about when and how they published their famous books and what early editions have been and are now worth, check it out!

[Matt Evans · Rating 3 out of 5]

You'd have to be a rare-book collecting nerd like me to thoroughly enjoy this book. Even still, the author does a very good job detailing some of the world's biggest rare-book deals -- most of which he conveniently was involved with one way or another. You'll learn about rare editions of: Lolita, The Hobbit, Lord of the Flies, The Pictures of Dorian Gray, On the Road, Ulysses, Sons and Lovers, The Catcher in the Rye, Seven Pillars of Wisdom, The Colossus, A Confederacy of Dunces, Animal Farm, and Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone.

[Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was pleasant and easy to read, though it taught me many things about the publication history of many of the 20th Century most famed books that I knew nothing about. Gekoski inspires jealousy. He's smart, well-read, and (here's the autobiographical part) abandoned his career as an academic a mere few years after getting started to sell rare books. In his first year doing so, he doubled his salary. Sigh. In any case, this book would likely be enjoyable to any reader, and shouldn't just be taken up by those of us who also fancy ourselves leading secret lives as successful booksellers.

[Lundy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Overall I thought this was an interesting look at the back story behind books such as Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, Ulysses and On The Road. It was a little uneven at times. I also wish that he had written more about books and authors that he had experience working with and or/selling.

[Claudia Turner · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's a pretty ridiculous book title. It's like if I made a film with one scene where an actor wears one yellow sock, so I decide to name the film One Yellow Sock. However it's a somewhat interesting quick read on some truly interesting, great books.

[Leslie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this book. It's cool, smart and full of those little details of the bookseller's trade that I find endlessly fascinating. I only wish it were longer. I found it in a bookstore this afternoon and finished before bedtime. Write a series of these Mr Gekoski!

[Sarah · Rating 2 out of 5]

While an interesting read, some of the stories of books were so-so. If you enjoy quirky history and literature, it will be an entertaining read. By nature of a 'chapter' per book, it is easy to pick up, put down, and return to later without getting lost.

[Jac · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not quite what I was expecting, more like vignettes, sometimes about an author, sometimes about a particular book, sometimes about something else. [On rereading the title, I guess it states it pretty accurately...not sure what I was expecting]. Entertaining but lightweight.

[Rose · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a thoroughly delightful collection of tales about collectible books that Gekoski has encountered in his rare-book business, along with anecdotes about their authors. Its original title was Tolkien's Gown.

[Ever · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting, funny collection of stories. I'm hoping the author considers a second collection in the future.

[Christina Feindt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bought it due to the title, but really liked the vignettes of these awesome books passing thru the hands of a book dealer. Interesting stuff.

[Mbarkle · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked this book. Basically it's a collector of rare books telling about the big scores and near misses of his long career. It has very interesting back stories about the writers and their lives.

[Cooper Renner · Rating 3 out of 5]

Light, breezy and interesting look at some of the notable books of the last 100 years or so, especially as collectibles after the fact.

[David · Rating 3 out of 5]

A book lover"s book. Individual vignettes of a book dealer"s interaction with rare books. I read the UK version called Tolkien"s Gown and have net the author.