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First edition - fourth impression before publication, published by Victor Gollancz in October, 1942 - the fourth volume of J. L. Hodson's war diary. ***Very good in blue cloth-covered boards with black titles to the spine. The boards are clean and unmarked, just slightly faded at the edges. Spine still clean and bright, just slightly darkened. The top edge is slightly dusty and darkened. No creases or bumps to the boards, and no tears to the cloth, even on the spine. There is no reading lean to the book, but the thin boards are slightly flared. None of the usual foxing to the edges of the page block. Internally the book is also very good, with a contemporary gift inscription on the front free endpaper, but no other annotations. The pages are generally clean, just slightly tanned, and with some very light foxing mainly to the endpapers and first and last few pages. No serious creases or tears, which is unusual considering the very thin wartime paper stock used. No cracking to the fragile binding. ***In a very good thin paper printed dustwrapper, priced on the spine at 11/6 net. The dustwrapper is largely complete, but there is some loss at the head and tail of the spine which affects the titles and also the corner tips. The dustwrapper is nicked and creased at the extremities, and is somewhat marked and discoloured, as is common with Gollancz dustwrappers of this period. The spine of the dustwrapper is darkened but unfaded The front and back panels are also very clean. Flaps remain bright, retaining the original yellow colour, but with browning at the edges (please see scans). ***192mm x 130mm. 392 pages. ***'Those who are interested in truth about war, and about this war, will find a good deal of it in J. L. Hodson's new book, which in our opinion is one of the most interesting, the most moving and the most important books about the war published since the outbreak. This volume of over 200,000 words describes Hodson's journey by sea to South Africa, his flight to Cairo, his periods with our 8th Army in the Western Desert, with the Navy in the Mediterranean and with the R.A.F. in Egypt and Libya. He was with the 8th Army during its offensive last autumn and winter, he took part in a bombing raid on Crete in a Wellington, he spent a week in Tobruk, he was in a cruiser in the Mediterranean when "Galatea" was torpedoed and sunk just behind. In February this year he left Middle East for Burma. ***'James Lansdale Hodson (1891-1956) was a British novelist, scriptwriter and journalist. He was a war correspondent and northern editor of the Daily Mail. Born in Bury, Lancashire in 1891, Hodson worked as a war correspondent during World War II, and he wrote a war diary that was published by Victor Gollancz as a series of seven books; "Through the Dark Night", "Towards the Morning", "Before Daybreak", "'War in the Sun", "Home Front", "And Yet I like America" and "The Sea and the Land". He also wrote the official British film "Desert Victory". He toured the United States from 1943-44, writing "And Yet I Like America" on his return. His 1952 novel "Morning Star" had as its theme the freedom of the press in England. His novel "Return To The Wood" (1955) became a play "Hamp" (by John Wilson) and then a film "King & Country" (1964, directed by Joseph Losey and starring Dirk Bogarde). He died aged 65 on 28 August 1956 at Lewisham Hospital.' (Wiki) ***A fourth impression of the true first edition, published by Gollancz at the height of the war in October, 1942. An uncommon book to find in the original dustwrapper. Gollancz produced the books very cheaply, with thin boards and paper, and very thin dustwrappers. In consequence, pre-war and wartime copies are elusive in their original dustwrappers. ***For all our books, postage is charged at cost, allowing for packaging: any shipping rates indicated on ABE are an average only: we will reduce the P & P charge where appropriate - please contact us for postal rates for heavier books and sets etc.
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