Shelf improvement: 5 reads to savour in the new year

It was Oscar Wilde who once said, ‘It is what you read when you don’t have to that determines what you will be when you can’t help it.’ As you turn the page on 2024, start the new year right with these celebrated classics.

Read on for five exceptional works of literature offered in our upcoming Books and Manuscripts sales.

A literary masterpiece that took James Joyce seven years to write, Ulysses redefined contemporary fiction and remains a cornerstone of English literature. From the personal collection of pioneering collector Annette-Campbell White, this copy is one of 100 printed on Dutch handmade paper and signed by the Irish author.

When master dramatist Oscar Wilde debuted The Importance of Being Earnest at St. James’s Theatre in 1895, it transformed the comedy of manners genre. From the collection of Australian comedian Barry Humphries, this first-edition copy of the play was inscribed by Wilde to the book’s innovative publisher Leonard Smithers.

A timeless reflection on adolescence, The Catcher in the Rye remains the archetypal coming-of-age novel. This pristine first edition from the first printing is a wonderful example of the original dust-jacket’s iconic carousel design.

A masterclass in storytelling, The Godfather revolutionised cinema through its blend of crime drama, narrative complexity and outstanding performances. This lot includes 66 pages of the film’s original script, cowritten by Mario Puzo and Francis Ford Coppola, with six pages edited in Marlon Brando’s hand. The actor’s edits and comments offer a unique window into his approach to a role that won him an Academy Award.

Often regarded as Scotland’s national poet, Robert Burns was also renowned for his mastery of the Scots language and folk traditions. This 25 January marks his 265th birthday, celebrated throughout the UK as Burns Night. Embrace the revelry with Burns’ Geordie, in which the lover of the eponymous hero pleads for his life. This 60-line manuscript was autographed by the music engraver James Johnson and notably includes a letter from the original recipient’s daughter.