Modern Literature
Translated by Stuart Hood
London, John Lehmann, 1949.
First UK edition. 8vo. Original blue cloth spine inset with silver and red. Dust-jacket, priced 9s6d.
Originally titled Tempo di uccidere, this novel is set in Ethiopia during Italy's 1930s invasion, exploring an Italian officer's moral descent. It won Italy's prestigious Strega Prize in 1947.
Detective Fiction
London, Constable, 1931.
First edition, first impression. 8vo. Original cloth. Dust-jacket, price-clipped.
An early title by Gielgud, seemingly his third, exceptionally rare in the dust-jacket. The search for missing Russian imperial treasure amidst the 1917 Revolution.
Modern Literature
A Revised Version
London, Jonathan Cape, 1977.
Revised edition, first impression. Signed presentation copy from the author. 8vo. Original black boards lettered in gilt to spine. Dust-jacket.
The revised edition of Fowles' masterpiece, a psychological novel about a young Englishman entangled in the manipulations of a mysterious Greek island recluse. Inscribed from the author.
War, Invasion & Spy
London, Hodder & Stoughton, 1980.
First edition, first impression. Original blue boards. Dust-jacket, priced £5.95.
The final novel in the original 'Karla Trilogy', featuring George Smiley's pursuit of his Soviet counterpart.
War, Invasion & Spy
Le Carré (John, pseud, David Cornwell) A Small Town in Germany
London, Heinemann, 1968.
First edition, first impression. 8vo. Original boards. Dust-jacket, price-clipped.
A political thriller set in Bonn, involving the disappearance of a British Embassy staffer and sensitive documents.
Detective Fiction
Translated by A.R. Allinson
London, Stanley Paul, [1924].
First UK edition, first impression. 8vo. Original cloth ruled in black with black lettering and motif to spine.
The English translation of La Main Coupée ("The Severed Hand"), the tenth novel in the Fantômas series by French authors Souvestre & Allain. First published in 1911, this installment continues the thrilling escapades of Fantômas, the enigmatic master criminal, and his relentless pursuer, Inspector Juve.
Modern Literature
London, Alfred A. Knopf, 1929.
First UK edition, first impression. 8vo. Original brown cloth. Dust-jacket, priced 7/6.
A semi-autobiographical account depicting the harsh life of Irish-American immigrants. The author encapsulates the 'rags to riches' American dream, from growing up log-shack poor in small-town Ohio, to being a hobo before settling in Hollywood where he worked for Charlie Chaplin and later became one of the first reporters to cover 'Tinsel Town'.
London, Digby, Long, 1892.
First edition. 8vo. Original bevelled red cloth cloth lettered in gilt.
A travelogue detailing the author's journey through Iceland's landscapes and culture, providing valuable insights into Icelandic society and geography at the time.
Modern Literature
London, Macgibbon & Kee, 1959.
First edition, first impression. 8vo. Original black boards. Dust-jacket, priced 21s.
An important work by renowned British historian Eric Hobsbawm, here writing under the pseudonym "Francis Newton" (a tribute to jazz trumpeter Frankie Newton). The book offers a comprehensive analysis of jazz's evolution, cultural significance and its role as a medium of protest.
Translated by Bernard Miall
London, T. Fisher Unwin, 1913.
First English edition. 8vo. Original blue cloth lettered in gilt.
Le Bon's investigation into the psychological underpinnings of revolutionary movements, with a particular focus on the French Revolution. Le Bon analyses how collective beliefs, emotions, and behaviours influence the course and outcomes of revolutions. The author is perhaps best known for his earlier work, The Crowd: A Study of the Popular Mind (1895), which is considered a key text in the field of crowd psychology.
Sports & Pastimes
London, Simpkin, Marshall, Hamilton, Kent, 1906.
First edition. 8vo. Original red cloth.
A comprehensive study of dance evolution across various cultures and eras.
Children's Books
London & New York, Frederick Warne, 1934.
First edition. 4to. Original pictorial boards. Pictorial dust-jacket, priced 5/-.
Attractively lithographed children's book by an artist & illustrator known for his work with the Golden Cockerel Press and for the early 'Swallows and Amazons' titles.
Children's Books
London & New York, Frederick Warne, 1933.
First edition. 4to. Original pictorial boards. Pictorial dust-jacket, priced 5/-.
A children's story set on a farm, highlighting rural life and animal tales, illustrated by an artist & illustrator known for his work with the Golden Cockerel Press.
Modern Literature
London, Frederick Muller, 1958.
First UK edition. 8vo. Original blue boards. Dust-jacket, priced 15/-.
A novel that portrays the life of Johnny Preston, a 24-year-old film star, through interviews with those who knew him. The character is widely considered to be modelled after James Dean, reflecting his enigmatic persona and untimely death. The US edition's jacket featured artwork by Warhol; however, this UK edition featured in the publicity shoot for David Bowie's Diamond Dogs album (1974).
Modern Literature
Edinburgh & London, William Blackwood, 1907.
First edition, first impression. 8vo. Original dark green cloth.
Considered Forster's most personal novel, this story explores themes of self-fulfilment and social expectations, following protagonist Rickie Elliot's struggles.
Sci-Fi & Fantasy
London, Jonathan Cape, 1958.
First edition, first impression. 8vo. Original boards. Dust-jacket, priced 15s.
A gripping World War III novel set in Quebec, following an exiled civil servant and a scientist torn between duty and morality amidst love, music, and encounters with nationalism.
Detective Fiction
A Mystery
London, Frederick Warne, [1896].
First edition, first impression. 8vo. Original pictorial cloth.
An intriguing Victorian mystery centred on the clue of a tattoo, demonstrating Hume's flair for captivating crime fiction.
Detective Fiction
Glinto (Darcy, pseud. Harold Ernest Kelly) Lady – don’t turn over
London, Robin Hood Press, 1952.
Reissue. 8vo. Original printed wrappers.
An erotic "rewrite" of James Hadley Chase's No Orchids for Mrs Blandish, which once again saw Kelly in trouble with the British authorities upon publication.
London, Robin Hood Press, 1950.
First edition. 8vo. Original pictorial wrappers.
Another dark thriller by Darcy Glinto, exploring crime and noir tropes with a provocative narrative style.
Children's Books
or The Story of Mr. Fox and Brer Rabbit
Leicester & London, Raithby, Lawrence, [1939].
Illustrated edition. Small 4to. Title printed in red & black. Original pictorial cloth. Dust-jacket with mounted illustration, price-clipped.
Classic American children's literature, presenting folktales rooted in Southern Black oral traditions, accompanied by vibrant illustrations by Harry Rowntree and René Bull.
Weird & Supernatural
London, John Long, 1903.
First edition. 8vo. Original red pictorial cloth.
Further exemplification of Hume's talent for weaving intricate plots filled with suspense and exotic elements. Uncommon.
Detective Fiction
Beeding (Francis, pseud. John Leslie Palmer & Hilary St George Saunders) Eleven Were Brave
London, Hodder & Stoughton, 1940.
First edition, first impression. 8vo. Original blue cloth. Dust-jacket, priced 8/3.
Espionage thriller, uncommon in jacket.
Detective Fiction
Gray (Berkeley, pseud. Edwy Searles Brooks) Six Feet of Dynamite
London, Collins, 1941.
First edition, first impression. 8vo. Original burgundy cloth. Dust-jacket.
Edwy Searles Brooks was a UK novelist who wrote under a number of pseudonyms including Berkeley Gray and Victor Gunn. This is a rare work from his canon.
Sci-Fi & Fantasy
London, Methuen, 1934.
Second edition. 8vo. Original cloth. Dust-jacket, priced 3/6.
A philosophical and speculative science fiction novel, exploring the interconnectedness of human lives across vast timelines.
Detective Fiction
London, Martin Secker, 1932.
First edition, first impression. 8vo. Original red cloth. Dust-jacket, price-clipped.
A dramatic tale of political and personal conflict, showcasing Gunther's journalistic insights.
London, Herbert Joseph, [1938].
First edition. 8vo. Original cloth-backed boards. Dust-jacket, priced 12s6d.
An account of an expedition in New Guinea. With plates.
![Alternative view of Ka-tzetnik 135633 [i.e. Yehiel Dinur] House of Dolls.](https://lycanthiabooks.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/86586_2-300x400.jpg)
Translated from the Hebrew by Moshe M. Kohn
London, Frederick Muller, 1956.
First English edition, sixth impression. 8vo. Original red boards. Fourth impression dust-jacket,
A harrowing semi-fictionalised account of Nazi brothels, shedding further light on the atrocities of the Holocaust.
![Sax Rohmer, Dope, [1920s]](https://lycanthiabooks.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/86587-300x300.jpg)
Detective Fiction
New York, A.L. Burt, 1919 [?1920s].
Early US printing (copyright Robert M. McBride, with statement 'Published September, 1919'). 8vo. Original green cloth. Dust-jacket.
A gripping thriller about the drug trade in London, reflecting Sax Rohmer's skill in combining exoticism and crime.
Detective Fiction
London, Ward, Lock, 1936.
First edition, first impression. 8vo. Original brown cloth. Dust-jacket, priced 7/6.
A scarce book in dust-jacket. A tale of poison.