20th Century Classics

Doctor Fischer of Geneva or The Bomb Party – Graham Greene – First Edition 1980

A first edition published by The Bodley Head 1980. Octavo, 140 pages, complete dust jacket, a very good copy.

Seriously hilarious – a shorter tale [Greene would call it an “Entertainment”] about greedy people – Dr Fischer was a naughty man – Greene sees it all!

The unusual double “choice” title makes sense once read.

Greene- Bomb’s Going off in Geneva

$30.00

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SO (Ten Romances) – John Crombie and The Kickshaws Private Press – Limited to 175 copies – Unusual Permutational Book.

A first and only limited edition by the talented writer and book designer John Crombie. Published by his Kickshaws Press in Paris in 1988.

This is a unique example of a what can be referred to as a permutational book. The book is bound on the left hand edge but the text runs like a maze left to right continuously around the book until each of ten romances is complete. At the end of each section the reader is presented with options on new lines as to how to proceed and must make a choice. There are also vertical groups of connecting words that rhyme or free-associate with the ones above and below. The text is worthy, funny and at times a little naughty. Once you have completed the ”maze” the stories can be read in a different order [we challenge you to remember which way you went the first time] giving them a whole new meaning.

Unpaginated, 20cm by 25cm, the book narrative is printed and bound separately from the fuchsia three-fold heavy paper wrap around, the latter containing an introduction that describes in more words than ours the recommended method of reading

A really super item … challenging, enlightening and entertaining. Would make a special gift.

Crombie’s “SO” a most unusual book from the Paris Kickshaws Press.

$120.00

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The Duke of York’s Steps – Henry Wade – First Edition 1929.

A super scarce first edition of Henry Wade’s early novel. From the “Golden Age of Detective Fiction”.

Published by Constable, London in 1929. Octavo, 317 pages. Green cloth covered boards with embossed titles in black and spine in rather full form. Unclipped dust jacket with a few chips around the spine ends … generally all in very good condition. Jacket design by Morton Sale.

This was the first in a series of seven novels featuring Chief Inspector Poole. The steps referred to connect the Duke of York Column with the Mall in London. A German Jewish banker seeks revenge for his mistreatment by murdering a fellow banker… Sir Garth Fratten. At the time the book was highly praised.

Henry Wade was the pen name of Sir Henry Lancelot Aubrey-Fletcher (1887-1969) Lord Lieutenant of Buckinghamshire. He had a distinguished military a career in both World Wars and played cricket for his county. He was very successful as a writer and a founding member of the Detection Club.

Scarce First Edition of a very worthwhile detection novel.

$90.00

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Doctor at Large – Richard Gordon – 1950′s

Published by Michael Joseph for the Quality Book Club, London 1953 a first of type. Octavo and 248 pages of hilarity, top edge stained maroon as required. A very good copy.

A young Doctor Gordon finds himself in the usual spot as anew entrant .. competition for promotion does not go his way and he is shuttled off to the Midlands. An experienced practitioner suggests that getting to know fellow doctors wives is a good tactic. Not sure the advisor had in mind Gordan’s interpretation … all good clean fun viz the period.

Doctors Gordon Larger than Life

$30.00

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The Final Hours [A Novel of the Night Life of Madrid] – Jose Suarez Carreno – First English Language Edition 1954– Typography, Binding and Jacket Design by Alvin Lustig.

Published by Alfred Knopf, New York 1954. Octavo, 273 pages printed by the Kingsport Press Tennessee under the art instructions of Alvin Lustig. It is interesting how the striking graphic jacket image has been repeated in blind on the front red cloth covered board. Very good if not better copy.

Translated from the original Spanish by Anthony Kerrigan.

The author Jose Suarez Carreno (1915-2002) was born in Guadalupe, Mexico but spent most of his adult life living in Madrid. He won several literary awards including the distinguished Nadal Prize in 1949 for this work … “Las Ultimas Horas”. At the time of printing few contemporary Spanish works were translated into English.

Recounting the events of one night only we see into the lives of a drifting street boy, a beautiful young prostitute, and a rich married man of unusual character … and the night life of Madrid.

A Night in Madrid – Carreno dressed in Lustig

$120.00

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Our Man in Havana – Graham Greene – First of Type 1960

First Reprint Society edition of 1960, by arrangement with Heinemann. Octavo, 223 pages, top edge stained intense purple as required, very clean internally all in very good condition

Graham Greene’s masterpiece of spy-craft with humour …and a fine encouragement to all vacuum cleaner salesmen. A story nicked by Le Carre for his Taylor of Panama … we prefer Greene’s original …

Greene laughs at espionage … as he described it – An Entertainment.

$40.00

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Doctor Fischer of Geneva or The Bomb Party – Graham Greene – First Edition 1980

SO (Ten Romances) – John Crombie and The Kickshaws Private Press – Limited to 175 copies – Unusual Permutational Book.

The Duke of York’s Steps – Henry Wade – First Edition 1929.

Doctor at Large – Richard Gordon – 1950′s

The Final Hours [A Novel of the Night Life of Madrid] – Jose Suarez Carreno – First English Language Edition 1954– Typography, Binding and Jacket Design by Alvin Lustig.

Our Man in Havana – Graham Greene – First of Type 1960

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