BIZARRE compiled by BARRY HUMPHRIES (aka DAME EDNA) (First Edition)
Bell Publishing Company, 1965. 8 3/4" x 9". 240 pages. First printing and the first appearance in print of the eccentric Australian humorist who is famous around the world as Dame Edna Everage. An anthology of the bizarre, odd, and grotesque in both art and nature. Profusely illustrated and chock full of unusual people, places, and things. Lots of sideshow/freak show material. With works by Sacher-Masoch, Jarry, Rops, Huysmans, Verlaine, Louys, et al. Fans of surrealism with find this book particularly fascinating. Great author photo of Humphries where he looks like a playboy mesmerist dandy. (BTW, he has been married four times and is known to be quite the ladies' man, as well as a lady/man.)
CONDITION: Some fading and edgewear to non-price clipped dust jacket. Bumping to top and bottom of spine of black and yellow cloth cover. Bumping to lower corners as well. Some dirt and edgewear to dj. Interior is in great shape with clean, crisp white pages with no marks and tight binding. $30

KENNYWOOD: ROLLER COASTER CAPITAL OF THE WORLD by CHARLES J. JACQUES (First Edition)
The Vestal Press Ltd, 1982. Presumed First Edition (not stated). 8 3/4" x 11 1/4". 203 pages. Wonderful vintage photos throughout. A thorough and well-researched history of the famous Kennywood Amusement Park in Pennsylvania, located twelve miles from Pittsburgh.The park opened in 1898 (as a trolley park) and, in 1987, was designated a National Historic Landmark. This is one of America's oldest existing amusement parks, featuring a classic collection of rollercoasters (and a vintage carousel as well). Sadly, there is no more vaudeville, or people in hobble skirts and bowler hats wandering around, but Kennywood is still in existence...go visit! Author Jacques was the editor of AMUSEMENT PARK JOURNAL, so he is quite an expert on the subject. (Note: The movie Adventureland was filmed here.)
CONDITION: Non-price clipped dust jacket. Has a number of tears (1/2 inch to 1 inch deep) and a few large chips missing. Some shmutz and a few small stains. Red cloth cover is in excellent condition. Old price in pencil on endpaper. Interior like-new with clean, crisp paper and tight binding. $25

THE INCREDIBLE THRILLING ADVENTURES OF THE ROCK by MICHAEL O'DONOGHUE (First Edition)
Random House, 1968. Paperback. First printing. Illustrated by Philip Wende. First book published by the infamous, sharp-witted, and macabre National Lampoon/SNL writer. (A collection of his comic book adventure series "The Adventures of Phoebe Zeit-Geist"-- previously published in The Evergreen Review--came out in the same year.) A short, succinct tale about the longing of a rock for some adventure. Some say this foreshadowed or somehow inspired the Pet Rock craze. His cynical view of the world is already in evidence here. The book's editor Christopher Cerf, a Harvard Lampoon alumni, introduced O'D to George W.S. Trow and some other funny people. This eventually led to his inclusion in the original National Lampoon "crowd"--as the only non Harvard guy in the very first editorial meetings. And thus, his unique brand of humor was inflicted on the world, including the beautifully composed line "I would like to feed your fingertips to the wolverines."
CONDITION: Bumping to corners. Slight shelfwear to paperback cover. Former owners name (and dorm room) in pen on inside front cover. Clean interior with tight binding and no marks. $25 SOLD!

MAN AND DOLPHIN by JOHN C. LILLY (First Edition)
Doubleday and Company, 1961. 312 pages. This book isn't THAT odd, but John C, Lilly sure was! Based on thirteen years of research spent studying the animal family that includes dolphins, during which time he discovered that the vocal chord and brain of the dolphin could accomodate communication with humans. Research methods, dolphin training, vocalizations, anatomy, intelligence, brain weight and comparison, evolutionary origins. A must-read on the subject of interspecies communication. (BRRRRR CLICK CLICK DRKKKKKL!) Lots of photos of people stroking dolphins. They seem to like it (the people AND the dolphins!) Lily invented the isolation tank, hung out with Timothy Leary, and (not surprisingly) took a lot of psychedelic drugs. Sometimes he took psychedelic drugs IN an isolation tank OR in the company of dolphins, thereby saving time and combining interests.
CONDITION: Ex-library. Blank front endpaper torn out. In typical ex-library condition with mylar sleeve, library stamp, and some pen markings. Interior text pages clean with no marks or notes. $5