Books

8vo. First edition. Original blue hardcovers, gilt. Presentation copy, signed by the author. Jacket design by Susan Shields. Line drawings by Anne Knight. Spine ends gently pushed. Ink presentation on the fly. Unclipped d/w is faded on the spine and a little rumpled at the head and towards the top half of the back panel. Two tiny nicks to the top edge of the front panel. The inscription reads, 'Mary love Roald'. The book belonged to Hon. Mary Cynthia Burke Roche (1934-2023), aunt of Lady Diana Spencer and friend of Roald Dahl. The title story became the second film adaptation by the director Wes Anderson of fiction by Roald Dahl. The jacket illustration shows Henry Sugar throwing his casino winnings onto the street from the third floor of 44 Curzon Street in Mayfair. At the time of publication, Heywood Hill's bookshop was long established almost opposite at No.10 (and owned by the same landlord) and now Maggs Bros. have a shop at No.46. Spend your windfall on a good book.

A collection of seven short stories by Roald Dahl, combining various genres including adventure, magic, and the supernatural.