Books

London: Hogarth Press, 1959. A first edition, first printing published by the Hogarth Press in 1959. A near fine copy (a little foxing to the page edge) in near fine wrapper with a little loss to corners. It is not price clipped. This copy, was sent on New Year's Eve 1959 by publishers Hogarth Press to the eminent 'publishing specialist' lawyer Michael Rubinstein when they realised they had - courtesy of Laurie Lee's 'creative memory' - a libel case to answer, given the story about the fire at the Piano Works on page 272. The case was ultimately heard in the High Court on 18 July 1960 and resulted in Lee himself paying substantial libel damages, and the libellous words and passages in the book being amended or deleted in subsequent printings. As such, Rubinstein's own 'specimen copy' is the original 'damning evidence' on which the case rested. It is complete with the original memo sent by the publisher with the book, which Rubinstein…

Cider with Rosie is a memoir by Laurie Lee, where he describes his childhood in a tranquil Cotswold village during the years following World War I. Written in a lyrical, descriptive prose, the autobiography captures the essence of rural life and the innocence of childhood.