Susan Christiansen
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Meet renowned musician, musical director and rock star Mark Rivera for an evening promoting his book Sideman: in Pursuit of the Next Gig. Best known as Billy Joel’s saxophonist as well as Musical Director for Ringo Starr and his All Starr Band, Mark Rivera has shared the stage with some of Rock ‘n’ Roll’s…
Meet Fox News Channel’s chief political anchor and #1 bestselling author Bret Baier at an exclusive book signing event celebrating the launch of his highly anticipated new book The Case For America. In this timely and thought-provoking work, Baier examines whether the founders’ ideals can still unite the country 250 years after the Declaration of…
Meet #1 bestselling author, Fox News host, and former White House Press Secretary Dana Perino as she introduces her debut novel, Purple State—a smart, politically and romantically charged story where red meets blue and love is never black and white. Books will be available for purchase at the event, and guests will have the…
Few writers shaped American literature as profoundly as Ernest Hemingway. A Nobel and Pulitzer Prize winner, Hemingway was known for his stark, economical prose, his deeply human characters, and his focus on themes such as courage, loss, and masculinity. He developed what he called the “iceberg theory” of writing—the idea that the most important elements…
Lauded by William Faulkner as “the father of American literature,” American writer, humorist, and publisher Mark Twain is widely regarded as one of the most influential figures in American literary history. Active during the latter half of the nineteenth century, Twain fundamentally redefined the American narrative, diverging from European literary models to cultivate a distinctly…
Matthew Raptis of Raptis Rare Books was recently featured in the Palm Beach Daily News in the article below: Book store owners in Palm Beach choose best books to read and give for holidays Kristina Webb Palm Beach Daily News Published Dec 18, 2024 The holidays can provide a perfect opportunity to grab a quiet…
Saturday, July 20th marks the 55th anniversary of the historic Apollo 11 moon landing. On July 20, 1969, Apollo 11 Commander Neil Armstrong and Lunar Module Pilot Buzz Aldrin landed the Apollo Lunar Module Eagle and Armstrong became the first person to step onto the Moon’s surface. The event effectively proved U.S. victory in…
One of the rarest and most significant books in American political history, The Federalist: A Collection of Essays, Written in Favour of the New Constitution remains the single most influential text in promoting the ratification of the Constitution of the United States of America. In 1787, Alexander Hamilton resolved to launch a measured defense and…
Raptis Rare Books was thrilled to partner with The Macallan on an exclusive tasting event featuring a selection of rare Macallan casks including the James Bond 60th Anniversary Release. This remarkable collection comprises six limited edition bottles inspired by each of The Six Decades of Bond, telling the story of innovation over 60 years and the…
Raptis Rare Books was recently featured in the July/August 2023 issue of The Magazine Antiques in the article: A Blueprint for Early America: Owen Biddle’s 1806 Book, The Young Carpenter’s Assistant by Benjamin Davidson and Pippa Biddle. Read the full article here.
Named by Harold Bloom as one of the four great American novelists of his time (alongside Thomas Pynchon, Philip Roth, and Don DeLillo), Cormac McCarthy published twelve novels over the course of his lifetime, spanning the Southern Gothic, Western and post-apocalyptic genres. Economic in style, his fiction was dark and often violent, featuring characters who,…
In celebration of International Women’s Day, we invite you to browse some of the most notable works by female authors that have graced our bookshelves in recent years: First published in 1818, Frankenstein is not only the “most famous English horror novel” but also, by some critics’ reckoning, “the first genuine science fiction…
The first President of the United States, George Washington served as Commander-in-Chief of the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War, and later presided over the 1787 convention that drafted the United States Constitution. He is popularly considered the driving force behind the nation’s establishment and came to be known as the “father of the…
One of the most enduring stories of the modern era, J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Hobbit remains one of the most popular stories in the English language and its publication in 1937 sparked a creative explosion in the genre of speculative fiction, paving the way for its sequel The Lord of the Rings and numerous adaptations for…
Widely considered one of the most influential American Presidents to date, Ronald Wilson Reagan remains one of the most iconic figures within the American Republican Party. As the leader of the modern conservative movement, Reagan altered the the political dynamic of the United States and his policies and beliefs have been frequently invoked by several…
Saturday, March 12th 2022 marks the centennial birthday of one of the greatest writers of the 20th century, Jack Kerouac. “The only people for me are the mad ones, the ones who are mad to live, mad to talk, mad to be saved, desirous of everything at the same time, the ones who…
In celebration of Black History Month, we invite you to browse some of the rarest, earliest, and most important works of African American literature currently in our collection. The earliest book published by an African American, Phillis Wheatley’s Poems on Various Subjects, Religious and Moral, was published in 1773, three years before American…
Rare King signed books at Raptis in honor of MLK Day The following article was posted by the Palm Beach Daily News Published 4:02 p.m. ET Jan. 15, 2022 To honor Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Raptis Rare Books is exhibiting several items Monday signed and inscribed by the slain civil rights icon. These items, which are…
Our current exhibition, Celebrating the Life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., features a curated selection of first editions and documents signed by Civil Rights leader Martin Luther King, Jr. as well as several of the most important works published related to African American history. One of the most important figures of the twentieth…
Celebrated annually during the final week of September, Banned Books Week was launched in the 1980s, following the highly popular 1982 American Booksellers Association BookExpo America trade show in Anaheim, California which showcased over 500 banned books. The week-long event spotlights both current and historical attempts to censor books in libraries and schools, celebrates the…
One of the most fascinating genres to collect, Americana encompasses a broad range of titles, the most rare and desirable being the earliest texts printed in America. Containing resounding messages that played a significant role in the foundation and political history of the United States, among the most important books in American history are Thomas…
One of the most celebrated figures of the Harlem Renaissance, poet, novelist and social activist Langston Hughes is widely considered one of the most important American writers of the 20th century. Through his poetry and fiction, Hughes sought not only to portray the experience of working-class blacks in America, but redefine, expand, and celebrate African…
Perhaps the most influential figure of the 1950s pop art movement, American artist Andy Warhol bridged the gaps between consumerism, celebrity culture, and high art with his conceptional sculptures and iconic silk screen paintings. Warhol began his career as a graphic artist, designing commercial advertising and artwork for such popular magazines as Glamour, Vogue, and…
International bestselling writer Haruki Murakami is best known for his magical realist novels that explore issues deeply rooted in the human experience. He has often been criticized by Japanese literary circles for being ‘un-Japanese’ because of the heavy influence of Western literature on his writing style. Opposing the Japanese ideal of the strong, independent…
