Skip to main content

Lorne Bair Rare Books

Lorne Bair Rare Books Logo
Account | Cart
Advanced Search

Main Navigation

Toggle main navigation
  • Home
  • About Us
  • Contact
  • Search
  • Browse
  • Wants
  • New Arrivals
  • Catalogs

PROLETARIAN LITERATURE

PROLETARIAN LITERATURE

We have established ourselves as leading specialists in collectible books by American radical and proletarian writers, from the social reform literature of the 19th century to the literary counterculture of the 1960s, with many stops in between: Utopian fiction, literature of the Great Depression, Women's novels, African-American literature and much more. As with all of our inventory, we place a very strong emphasis on condition, and strive to offer the very best copies available.

At any given time only a fraction of our inventory is catalogued and listed on-line. If you're searching for a specific author, title or subject area, please click here to access our extremely functional and easy-to-use automatic wants-matching system.

See All Books in
this Category

  • "Trash?" [Anonymous manuscript poem of 149 lines (5pp) in the voice of a Depression-era refugee. RADICAL, PROLETARIAN LITERATURE.

    "Trash?" [Anonymous manuscript poem of 149 lines (5pp) in the voice of...

    [RADICAL & PROLETARIAN LITERATURE] Anon.

    Original typescript, 5pp on ruled bond. Typed rectos-only. Light soil; single horizontal fold; Very Good.

    More info about "Trash?" [Anonymous manuscript poem of 149 lines (5pp) in the voice of a Depression-era refugee

  • The Winning of Sarenne. St. Clair BEALL, Louis F. Grant, pseud. Upton Sinclair.

    The Winning of Sarenne

    BEALL, St. Clair [pseud. Upton Sinclair]; Louis F. Grant, illus.

    Octavo (19.25cm.); publisher's grey-green decorative cloth embossed in darker green, pictorial plate mounted to upper cover; 343pp.; frontispiece, two plates. Boards a bit rubbed, front hinge just starting, else a Very Good and sound copy, much better than usually seen.

    More info about The Winning of Sarenne

  • We, the People: A Play in Twenty Scenes. Elmer RICE.

    We, the People: A Play in Twenty Scenes

    RICE, Elmer

    First Printing. Octavo (19.5cm); orange cloth with titles stamped in black on spine and front panel; dustjacket; x,253pp.; photographic frontispiece. Light edge wear to jacket extremities, including tiny close tear at top edge of upper panel, spine just a hint faded, tiny dampspot to upper panel, top textblock edge foxed.....

    More info about We, the People: A Play in Twenty Scenes

  • 100%: The Story of a Patriot. RADICAL, PROLETARIAN LITERATURE.

    100%: The Story of a Patriot

    [RADICAL & PROLETARIAN LITERATURE] SINCLAIR, Upton

    First Printing, cloth issue. Octavo (19.25cm); maroon cloth, with titles stamped in gilt on spine and front cover; dustjacket; 329,[1],[5]pp ads. Crown gently nudged, small circular sticker shadow to upper right corner of front endpaper, else Near Fine. Dustjacket is gently spine-sunned, showing moderate edgewear and dust-soil overall, with several.....

    More info about 100%: The Story of a Patriot

  • Russian Lyrics: Songs of Cossack, Lover, Patriot and Peasant, done into English verse. Martha Gilbert Dickinson BIANCHI, trans.

    Russian Lyrics: Songs of Cossack, Lover, Patriot and Peasant, done into English...

    BIANCHI, Martha Gilbert Dickinson, trans.

    12mo (19.25cm.); original red cloth, red printed paper label mounted to upper cover; [12],139pp. Some edge wear, small hole to spine cloth, else Very Good, internally near fine. Includes works by Pushkin, Tolstoy, Lermontov, and others, compiled and translated by Emily Dickinson's niece and editor.

    More info about Russian Lyrics: Songs of Cossack, Lover, Patriot and Peasant, done into English verse

  • Le Avventure di Una Piccola Capra (Novella. ANARCHISM, Amedeo BOSCHI, FICTION.

    Le Avventure di Una Piccola Capra (Novella)

    [ANARCHISM] [FICTION] BOSCHI, Amedeo

    Octavo. Printed wrappers; 32p. Covers slightly worn and soiled; text tanned at margins; Very Good. Boschi (1871-1956) was a militant anarchist and close associate of Malatesta. We find only three institutional holdings for this uncommon Anarchist fable; the first edition was published in 1933 and is held only by the.....

    More info about Le Avventure di Una Piccola Capra (Novella

  • A Cure for Unemployment. Liam O'FLAHERTY.

    A Cure for Unemployment

    O'FLAHERTY, Liam

    Staple-bound pamphlet; printed wrappers; 14pp. Covers slightly worn; front cover stamped "With compliments of American Ethnological Press." Very Good.

    More info about A Cure for Unemployment

  • The Alibi. PRISON FICTION, RADICAL, PROLETARIAN LITERATURE.

    The Alibi

    [RADICAL & PROLETARIAN LITERATURE] [PRISON FICTION] ENGLAND, George Allan

    Green cloth boards stamped in white; 363pp; frontis. Light wear to tips of corners and spine ends; brief splits to front hinge (internal); bit of offsetting to title page from color frontispiece. A solidly Very Good copy. HANNA 1096: "...young bank employee, falsely convicted of embezzlement, spends two years in.....

    More info about The Alibi

  • First of May Magazine. A Journal of Constructive Revolution [2 Annual Issues. SOCIALISM - WIIU, Karl DANNENBERG.

    First of May Magazine. A Journal of Constructive Revolution [2 Annual Issues]

    [SOCIALISM - WIIU] DANNENBERG, Karl (ed)

    Quarto (30cm). Staple-bound pictorial card wrappers; 40pp; illus. Issue for 1919 in clean, unmarked condition, Very Good or better. Issue for 1923 worn, with wrappers darkened and stained, contents slightly age-toned, with corner-creases and occasional thumb-soil; complete and just Good. Annual souvenir of the Workers' International Industrial Union.

    More info about First of May Magazine. A Journal of Constructive Revolution [2 Annual Issues

  • The Masses - Vol.IX, No.1 (November, 1916. RADICAL, PROLETARIAN LITERATURE, Max EASTMAN, Hugo GELLERT, cover art.

    The Masses - Vol.IX, No.1 (November, 1916)

    [RADICAL & PROLETARIAN LITERATURE] EASTMAN, Max (editor); GELLERT, Hugo (cover art)

    Large quarto (34.75cm); pictorial wrappers, stapled; 22pp; illus. Oxidation to staples, a few faint creases to wrappers, else a bright, very Near Fine copy.

    More info about The Masses - Vol.IX, No.1 (November, 1916

  • Gas-House McGinty: A Novel. James T. FARRELL.

    Gas-House McGinty: A Novel

    FARRELL, James T.

    Octavo (21cm.); original cloth in black and tan decorative dust jacket, red topstain; [10],364pp. Dampstaining to bottom edge of jacket only showing through to rear panel with some bleeding to endpapers; spine toned with shallow loss to spine head. Still, a Very Good copy. Labor novel set in a distributing.....

    More info about Gas-House McGinty: A Novel

  • The Sale of an Appetite. RADICAL, PROLETARIAN LITERATURE.

    The Sale of an Appetite

    [RADICAL & PROLETARIAN LITERATURE] LAFARGUE, Paul

    Octavo (22cm). Publisher's gray cloth boards, decorated and lettered in black on front cover with pictorial paste-on; 57pp; frontispiece and two inserted leaves of plates with tissue guards. Light bumps to corners, light wear; Near Fine, with stamped ownership signature of John G. Hughes to front endpaper.

    More info about The Sale of an Appetite

  • On the Drumhead: A Selection of the Writing of Mike Quin. A memorial volume. Mike QUIN, ed. Harry Carlisle, Victor Arnautoff, pseud. Paul Willia Ryan.

    On the Drumhead: A Selection of the Writing of Mike Quin. A....

    QUIN, Mike [pseud. Paul Willia Ryan]; Harry Carlisle, ed.; Victor Arnautoff, illus.

    Octavo (24.25cm.); original black morocco-backed pictorial boards in paper-covered slipcase; xliv,341pp.; woodcuts throughout. Slipcase a bit rubbed and discolored from dust-soil, ownership signature to front free endpaper else Near Fine in Very Good slipcase. Posthumously published writings of the Communist journalist and author Mike Quin (1906-1947) who also wrote pulp.....

    More info about On the Drumhead: A Selection of the Writing of Mike Quin. A memorial volume

  • The Grapple: A Story of the Illinois Coal Region [&c. RADICAL, PROLETARIAN LITERATURE.

    The Grapple: A Story of the Illinois Coal Region [&c...]

    [RADICAL & PROLETARIAN LITERATURE] COOKE, Grace MacGowan

    Octavo (19.5cm); publisher's olive green pictorial cloth boards, stamped in colors on spine and front cover; [iv], [1]-415 + 2pp ads. Color frontispiece by Arthur W. Brown. Rubbing and wear to joints and extremities, a few faint stains scattered to boards, and both hinges starting, mended with clear tape; a......

    More info about The Grapple: A Story of the Illinois Coal Region [&c

  • The Break-Up of Our Camp. Stories 1932-1935 (Volume One of the Collected Stories, Edited By. GAY AUTHORS, RADICAL, PROLETARIAN FICTION.

    The Break-Up of Our Camp. Stories 1932-1935 (Volume One of the Collected...

    [RADICAL & PROLETARIAN FICTION] [GAY AUTHORS] GOODMAN, Paul

    Cloth-backed boards; acetate dustjacket. One of 200 Special copies, bound in boards by Earle Gray. Fine copy in original acetate dustjacket.

    More info about The Break-Up of Our Camp. Stories 1932-1935 (Volume One of the Collected Stories, Edited By...

  • Lo Sciopero dei Risaiuoli. Dramma Rivoluzionario in 4 Atti Con Prologo D'Introduzione. 2e Edizione. ANARCHIST LITERATURE - ITALY, Tomaso CONCORDIA.

    Lo Sciopero dei Risaiuoli. Dramma Rivoluzionario in 4 Atti Con Prologo D'Introduzione...

    [ANARCHIST LITERATURE - ITALY] CONCORDIA, Tomaso

    Second edition. Octavo (23cm x 17cm). Pictorial paper wrappers; 117,[8]pp. Slight raggedness and small losses to paper on spine, partially obscuring title, else a fresh, Very Good or better copy. With a Preface by Gino Piastra and an "Introductory Monologue" by "Right" (pseud?). Text entirely in Italian. Extremely uncommon anarchist.....

    More info about Lo Sciopero dei Risaiuoli. Dramma Rivoluzionario in 4 Atti Con Prologo D'Introduzione. 2e Edizione

  • The Golden Village. SOCIAL FICTION, Joseph ANTHONY.

    The Golden Village

    [SOCIAL FICTION] ANTHONY, Joseph

    Cloth boards; dusjtacket; 318pp. Tight, Near Fine copy in unclipped dustjacket, slightly soiled and edgeworn, Very Good or better.

    More info about The Golden Village

  • A Long Day In A Short Life. RADICAL FICTION, Albert MALTZ.

    A Long Day In A Short Life

    [RADICAL FICTION] MALTZ, Albert

    octavo (20.5cm). Gray cloth boards, spine stamped in blue; dustjacket; 350pp. Tight, Near Fine copy in lightly rubbed pictorial dustwrapper, unclipped, Very Good to Near Fine.

    More info about A Long Day In A Short Life

  • 1919. John DOS PASSOS.

    1919

    DOS PASSOS, John

    First printing. Octavo; orange cloth, titles stamped in silver on spine and front cover; 473pp. Tight and clean, with just mild external wear and soil; spine cloth sunned, with fading to spine lettering; Very Good, lacking the dustwrapper. The second volume in Dos Passos' acclaimed "USA Trilogy."

    More info about 1919

  • The Battle. SOCIAL FICTION, Cleveland MOFFETT.

    The Battle

    [SOCIAL FICTION] MOFFETT, Cleveland

    Small octavo. Cloth boards; dustjacket; 303pp. Minor wear; text slightly toned; Very Good, retaining the scarce illustrated dustwrapper which is nearly Fine with just trivial dusting and a tiny chip at bottom edge.

    More info about The Battle

  • The Real Bohemia: A Sociological and Psychological Study of the "Beats" [Inscribed Presentation. BEATS, Francis J. RIGNEY, L. Douglas SMITH.

    The Real Bohemia: A Sociological and Psychological Study of the "Beats" [Inscribed...

    [BEATS] RIGNEY, Francis J. and L. Douglas SMITH

    Octavo. Red cloth boards, lettered in gilt on spine; dustjacket; 250pp. Warmly inscribed by editor Rigney to David Meltzer (contributor to the work) and his wife: "To David & Tina Meltzer with my deep appreciation for their very real help in producing this book - Francis Rigney." Undated, but clearly.....

    More info about The Real Bohemia: A Sociological and Psychological Study of the "Beats" [Inscribed Presentation...

  • Debs and the Poets [Two Copies, Inscribed by Eugene Debs and Ruth Le Prade to Helen L. Gardner. RADICAL, PROLETARIAN LITERATURE, Ruth LE PRADE, Upton SINCLAIR, introduction.

    Debs and the Poets [Two Copies, Inscribed by Eugene Debs and Ruth...

    [RADICAL & PROLETARIAN LITERATURE] LE PRADE, Ruth (editor); SINCLAIR, Upton (introduction)

    Two octavo volumes (18.75cm); maroon cloth, with titles stamped in gilt on spine and front cover; [ii],99,[11]pp. The first copy is inscribed by Eugene Debs to American film actress, screenwriter, and editor Helen Louise Gardner on the front endpaper: "To Helen L. Gardner / With love and greetings, and with.....

    More info about Debs and the Poets [Two Copies, Inscribed by Eugene Debs and Ruth Le Prade to Helen L. Gardner

  • Down All Your Streets. SOCIAL FICTION, Leonard BISHOP.

    Down All Your Streets

    [SOCIAL FICTION] BISHOP, Leonard

    Octavo. Cloth boards; dustjacket; 689pp. Mild rubbing to bottom board edges, else about Fine in bright, unclipped jacket with a hint of rubbing and soil at extremities. Crisp copy of Bishop's undeservedly forgotten first novel, a hard-boiled account of drug addiction, prostitution and extreme poverty based on the author's own.....

    More info about Down All Your Streets

  • Broadside: In Defense of Myself [Limited Edition, Signed. Erskine CALDWELL.

    Broadside: In Defense of Myself [Limited Edition, Signed]

    CALDWELL, Erskine

    One of 100 numbered copies signed by the author, this being copy no.30. Broadside, with text letterpress printed in black on white deckle-edged stock, measuring 23.5cm x 33cm (9" x 13"). A Fine copy. Facsimile reprint of Caldwell's privately printed 1929 statement concering the suppression of his debut novel, The.....

    More info about Broadside: In Defense of Myself [Limited Edition, Signed

  • Africa in Brooklyn. Hutch WATERS.

    Africa in Brooklyn

    WATERS, Hutch

    First Printing. Slim octavo (21cm); photo-illustrated wrappers, stapled; [32pp]. A Fine copy.

    More info about Africa in Brooklyn

  • Queen Mab. SHELLEY, sshe.

    Queen Mab

    SHELLEY, Percy Bysshe

    Stated second American edition. 12mo (18.5cm). In original cream paper-covered boards, backed in light green muslin, with original printed paper label to spine, largely intact; plain endpapers; viii [9] 10-120pp. Ink ownership inscription of H. A. Fletcher to title page. Temoin on final leaf of text. Straight, tight, and clean.....

    More info about Queen Mab

  • Trial by Ordeal. PRISON NARRATIVES, CRIME, THE UNDERWORLD.

    Trial by Ordeal

    [CRIME & THE UNDERWORLD] [PRISON NARRATIVES] CHESSMAN, Caryl

    Octavo. Gray cloth boards, stamped in red and black; dustjacket; 309pp. Tight, fine copy in lightly rubbed dustwrapper, Very Good or better.

    More info about Trial by Ordeal

  • The Masses - Vol.IV, No.X (July, 1913. Max EASTMAN, John SLOAN, Stuart Davis, cover art.

    The Masses - Vol.IV, No.X (July, 1913)

    EASTMAN, Max (editor); SLOAN, John and Stuart Davis (cover art)

    Large quarto (34.5cm); pictorial wrappers, stapled; 20pp; illus. Light wear to extremities, faint finger-soil to upper right corner of front wrapper, with a small tear to left edge of rear wrapper, and a few creases to several page corners smoothed-out; Near Fine.

    More info about The Masses - Vol.IV, No.X (July, 1913

  • From Broadway to Moscow. RUSSIAN REVOLUTION, Marjorie E. SMITH.

    From Broadway to Moscow

    [RUSSIAN REVOLUTION] SMITH, Marjorie E.

    Octavo (20cm). Red cloth boards, lettered in black on front cover and spine; red top-stain; dustjacket; 317pp. Clean, tight copy, Very Good to Near Fine, in Very Good example of the uncommon pictorial dustwrapper, with a few tiny losses at extremities and soil to lighter portions of rear panel.

    More info about From Broadway to Moscow

  • Quicksilver Times - Vol.IV, No.3 (February 15-28, 1972. UNDERGROUND NEWSPAPERS, WASHINGTON D. C.

    Quicksilver Times - Vol.IV, No.3 (February 15-28, 1972)

    [UNDERGROUND NEWSPAPERS] [WASHINGTON D.C.]

    Tabloid (42cm); illustrated newsprint wrappers; 24pp; illus. A few tiny tears to left edge of rear wrapper, else Fine, unfolded and without postal markings.

    More info about Quicksilver Times - Vol.IV, No.3 (February 15-28, 1972

  • First of May Magazine. A Journal of Constructive Revolution [1919. SOCIALISM - WIIU, Karl DANNENBERG.

    First of May Magazine. A Journal of Constructive Revolution [1919]

    [SOCIALISM - WIIU] DANNENBERG, Karl (ed)

    Quarto (30cm). Staple-bound pictorial card wrappers; 40pp; illus. Issue for 1919 ; slightly worn, with wrappers darkened and stained, contents slightly age-toned, with corner-creases and occasional thumb-soil; Just Good. Hand-stamp of the SLP / Detroit to front cover. Annual souvenir of the Workers' International Industrial Union.

    More info about First of May Magazine. A Journal of Constructive Revolution [1919

  • A Strange Cruise; or, Clif Faraday's Yacht Chase. Clarke FITCH, pseud. Upton Sinclair.

    A Strange Cruise; or, Clif Faraday's Yacht Chase

    FITCH, Clarke [pseud. Upton Sinclair]

    Octavo (19cm.); publisher's grey pictorial cloth stamped in tan, green, and blue, gilt-lettered spine; [6],ii,[7]-268pp.; frontispiece. Cloth extremities a bit rubbed, some spotting and minor discoloration, spine rather toned, contemporary ownership rubberstamp to front free endpaper, else contents near fine. About Very Good overall. Sinclair's fifth published novel, forming part.....

    More info about A Strange Cruise; or, Clif Faraday's Yacht Chase

  • Quicksilver Times - Vol.III, No.18 (September 26-October 11, 1971. UNDERGROUND NEWSPAPERS, WASHINGTON D. C.

    Quicksilver Times - Vol.III, No.18 (September 26-October 11, 1971)

    [UNDERGROUND NEWSPAPERS] [WASHINGTON D.C.]

    Tabloid (42cm); illustrated newsprint wrappers; 24pp; illus. Light wear and dustiness to wrappers, a few small tears, and one faint stain; Near Fine, unfolded and without postal markings.

    More info about Quicksilver Times - Vol.III, No.18 (September 26-October 11, 1971

  • President John Smith: The Story of A Peaceful Revolution (Written in 1920. RADICAL, PROLETARIAN LITERATURE.

    President John Smith: The Story of A Peaceful Revolution (Written in 1920)

    [RADICAL & PROLETARIAN LITERATURE] ADAMS, Frederick Upham

    12mo (18cm). Original decorated wrappers; 289,(9),23pp. Covers rubbed and acidic text paper tanned, as usual; still a complete, tightly-bound copy, Good.

    More info about President John Smith: The Story of A Peaceful Revolution (Written in 1920

  • From Port to Port; or, Clif Faraday in Many Waters. Clarke FITCH, pseud. Upton Sinclair.

    From Port to Port; or, Clif Faraday in Many Waters

    FITCH, Clarke [pseud. Upton Sinclair]

    Octavo (19cm.); publisher's blue pictorial cloth stamped in gilt, yellow, blue, and green; [4],ii,[7]-250,vpp.; frontispiece. Boards a bit rubbed and corners bumped, some light soiling, spine cloth a bit dulled, else Very Good and sound. Slightly later (1928) gift inscription to front free endpaper.

    More info about From Port to Port; or, Clif Faraday in Many Waters

  • A Lesson from the Chicken Coop: How One Smart Chicken Squeezed All the Other Chickens Out of the. RADICAL, PROLETARIAN FICTION.

    A Lesson from the Chicken Coop: How One Smart Chicken Squeezed All...

    [RADICAL & PROLETARIAN FICTION] YOUNG, Daniel K

    Octavo. Bifolium (single folded sheet); 4pp. On newsprint. Paper slightly age-toned, but still Very Good, with minimal evidence of handling.

    More info about A Lesson from the Chicken Coop: How One Smart Chicken Squeezed All the Other Chickens Out of the...

  • New Masses - Vol.XXVIII, No.10 (August 30, 1938. Gregor DUNCAN, cover art.

    New Masses - Vol.XXVIII, No.10 (August 30, 1938)

    DUNCAN, Gregor (cover art)

    Quarto (31cm); illustrated wrappers, stapled; 32pp; illus. Light wear and toning, some faint, shallow staining along right margin, with several nicks and small tears to same; Very Good.

    More info about New Masses - Vol.XXVIII, No.10 (August 30, 1938

  • The Big Money. John DOS PASSOS.

    The Big Money

    DOS PASSOS, John

    First printing. Octavo; blue cloth, titles stamped in silver on spine and front cover; 561pp. Tight and clean, with board corners just touched; titling remains bright and unfaded on spine and front cover; Near Fine, lacking the dustwrapper. The third volume in Dos Passos' acclaimed "USA Trilogy."

    More info about The Big Money

  • Aime Cesaire [Cambridge Studies in African and Caribbean Literature. AIMÉ CÉSAIRE, Gregson DAVIS.

    Aime Cesaire [Cambridge Studies in African and Caribbean Literature]

    [AIMÉ CÉSAIRE] DAVIS, Gregson

    First impression. Octavo; cloth hardcover, dustjacket; 208pp. Fine, unmarked copy in a barely edge-rubbed dustwrapper.

    More info about Aime Cesaire [Cambridge Studies in African and Caribbean Literature

  • Poetry for my Friends [from half-title: Greens and Blues and All the Rhythms in Between. Bryant ROLLINS.

    Poetry for my Friends [from half-title: Greens and Blues and All the...

    ROLLINS, Bryant

    Quarto. Pictorial card wrappers; [18pp]. Text continues onto rear wrapper. Early collection by the author of the acclaimed novel Danger Song (1967). Fine in original wrappers. Uncommon; OCLC gives 4 locations only.

    More info about Poetry for my Friends [from half-title: Greens and Blues and All the Rhythms in Between

Not finding what you're looking for? Please visit our wants matching system.

  • Lorne Bair Rare Books
  • 661 Millwood Ave. Suite 206, Winchester, VA 22601 USA
  • Phone (540) 665-0855

© 2022 Lorne Bair Rare Books. All rights reserved. Privacy | Accessibility | Site Map | Site by Bibliopolis

Find on FacebookFollow on Instagram

I'd like to be notified of new arrivals in the following categories.

Check all categories that are of interest to you.