Books

A beautiful example of the second printing of the true first edition, published just a month after the first printing, in March 1942. The book was first published in February 1942, and became something of a bestseller, eventually going into many further reprintings during the 1940s. The cream printed dustwrapper design was eventually replaced by a newly designed dark-blue dustwrapper with around the 13th printing in 1944. With a two-page preface by C. S. Lewis written July 5th, 1941 to the fore. A near fine copy in black cloth-covered boards with a paper label to the spine. The boards are beautifully clean and undamaged, having been protected by the dustwrapper since 1942. The paper label is also beautifully clean, complete without any damage. The fragile cloth of the spine is undamaged. The boards are thin as they had to conform to wartime publishing restrictions, and this copy has absolutely straight boards with no warping or reading lean. No tears to the cloth. Corners sharp. Edges of page block clean. Internally the book is also near fine, with a neat ownership name at the top of the front free endpaper. The wartime paper is very clean, and still white, and there is none of the usual foxing or offsetting to the pastedowns. There is a small production fault at the bottom edge of pp.122-3 where the edge was slightly uncut with a very small tear. Spine tight. In a near fine original printed dustwrapper, which correctly states 'Second Edition' at the top of the front flap, and which has had the printed price neatly clipped from the bottom corner of the front flap. The dustwrapper is the most complete example from this period that we have come across, with just the slightest of nibbling loss at the head and tail of the spine, and a very small pinhole to the spine. The dustwrapper is only slightly darkened with age, mainly at the spine. No other loss or damage. Virtually no creasing. Hardly any other wear to the panels and foldovers, which are very clean. A remarkably complete dustwrapper. 190mm x130mm. 160 pages. 'In this witty and profound book Mr. Lewis has written the most vital restatement of religious truths produced in our time, and he has found a brilliantly original form in which to do it. At every point these letters reveal a penetrating understanding of good and evil, and I do not hesitate to compare Mr. Lewis's achievement with "Pilgrim's progress."' W. J. Turner in The Spectator. 'Brilliantly successful.' Times Lit. Supp. (Review quotes taken from the inside front flap of the dustwrapper). A rare second printing (published just a month after the first printing) in the original and complete printed dustwrapper. A fragile 1942 wartime book with thin boards and a very fragile thin dustwrapper. A really beautiful early copy of one of C. S. Lewis's most sought after works. This delicate book is now over eighty years old, and copies in complete dustwrappers are extremely hard to find now. Copies in dustwrappers in such near fine condition are almost impossible to find, as the wartime dustwrapper is so thin. The best and earliest copy of this landmark work that we have had the pleasure to handle. A real collector's item. 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.