CRAWFORD, MICHAEL:
PARCEL ARRIVED SAFELY: TIED WITH STRING - My Autobiography.

Imprint: LONDON.CENTURY,1999.
Edition: UK,8vo HB+dw/dj,1st edn.
Binding: Hardback , With Dust Jacket
Inscription: Not SIGNED.

UK,8vo HB+dw/dj,1st edn.FINE+/FINE+.No owner name,and no price-clip (£16.99) to dw/dj.Bright,crisp,clean,glossy laminated white background with subject's colour portrait photographic illustrated upper panel of dw/dj,subject's contemporary, biographical sepia,b/w+colour photographic montage'd rear panel,purple+black lettering; with negligible shelf-wear and creasing to edges and corners - no nicks or tears present.Top+fore-edges lightly aged/toned but bright and clean; contents bright,tight,clean,solid and sound - virtually pristine - no dog-ear reading creases to any pages' corners - possibly unread? Bright,crisp,clean,sharp-cornered, publisher's original,plain black cloth bds with bright,crisp,stamped gilt letters to spine/backstrip,immaculate plain black eps.UK,8vo HB+dw/dj,1st edn,1-330pp [paginated] includes 26 chapters and an epilogue,24pp subject's contemporary b/w biographical photographs in 1 block, between pp154/5.Plus [unpaginated],half-title+title pages,and author's dedication. Now for the first time Michael Crawford, one of Britain's best-loved and most internationally successful stars,tells his life story in his own inimitable style. By turns hilarious,revelatory and desperately sad,here is the autobiography of the man whose successes,such as 'Hello Dolly!','Some Mothers Do 'Ave 'Em',and 'The Phantom of the Opera' have made him a national instituition. The story of the true identity of his father,which is behind the book's title, leads into an evocative depiction of his tender childhood years. Whilst all the men were away at war,he was surrounded by loving women.For him this was an idyllic wartime childhood,but the return of the men in peacetime signalled darker times to come. Crawford's infectious enjoyment of stage work illumines his account of his early struggles to make a name for himself in the business,and his early failures with girls are lifted by his abiding sense of the absurd. Both in his private life and his work he begins a lifetime's habit of pratfalls that he would later turn to good use in the character of Frank Spencer in 'Some Mother's Do 'Ave 'Em'.His talent for mimicry makes the great personalities in his life come alive on the page,not only the Dickensian characters of his childhood but also many of the people he has worked with,including Benjamin Britten who taught him to sing,John Lennon - with whom he shared a villa - and Oliver Reed,Michael Winner,Barbra Streisand,Gene Kelly and Frank Sinatra. 'Parcel Arrived Safely: Tied With String',full of fun and laughter,is the autobiography of one of Britain's greatest anecdotalists and biggest stars. Please contact seller,for correct shipping/P+p quotes - particularly ALL overseas buyers - BEFORE ordering through the order page!

Stock number: rja492214. ISBN: 0712684409.

£ 11.99 (approx. $US 15.60 )

CREASEY**, JOHN:
DEATH IN COLD PRINT.

Imprint: LONDON.PAN BOOKS LTD.,1966 [2nd Printing.PAN X480.]
Edition: UK,12mo p/back,author SIGNED,2nd print.
Binding: Paperback., No dw/dj,p/back as issued.
Inscription: Author SIGNED - without dedication.

UK,12mo p/back,author SIGNED,2nd print.[Originally and first published,UK,8vo HB+dw/dj,1st edn by HODDER & STOUGHTON, 1961.First UK,12mo p/b by PAN (G671),1964. This,the UK 2nd print.]VG.No owner inscrptn,though a previous bookseller's black ink shop/business stamp to reverse of front cover with an inked decimal price within it.Author's neat handwritten black ink presentation signature (and underscore) - without any dedication - to middle of title page.Bright,clean,colour pictorial artwork illustrated front cover with b/w and pale blue lettering to same,a concave red spine with slightly discoloured(?) white/ yellow(?) letters and possible reading(?) crease, rear cover lightly dulled(?) with story blurb and a longitudinal author's b/w portrait photograph; with negligible shelf-wear, bumping,creasing to edges and corners - no nicks,tears or splits.All edges aged/toned but no foxing/spotting; contents tight and clean but with page-edge toning - no dog-ear reading creases to any pages' corners,could appear unread,apart from my own collation.Hard to discern definite reading creases to spine - other than possibly those of the act of opening the book to view author's signature. Described hard but fairly and honestly. 'He heard a crack of sound behind him.He spun round and saw he man,arm raised,hammer poised.He tried to protect himself but the weapon crashed on to his skull . . .' - the start of a long train of violent death and malicious destruction at a famous printing works. And the start,too,of a harrowing,incredibly puzzling case for 'Handsome' West of the Yard. Please contact seller,because of the lighter weight and the value of this item for correct,insured shipping/P+p quotes - particularly ALL overseas customers - BEFORE ordering through the order page! ** N.B. US customers please be aware: US standard AIR postage from UK to US can now cost more than the price of the book! If speed is not of the essence,then Economy rate is recommended - at approx. 1/2 to 2/3rds of standard US AIR quote/rate - sometimes arriving long before the quoted 42 days - but not always.

Stock number: rja928821. ISBN: No ISBN.

£ 85.00 (approx. $US 110.62 )

CREED, ADAM:
SUFFER THE CHILDREN.

Imprint: LONDON.FABER & FABER LIMITED,2009.
Edition: UK,8vo HB+dw/dj,author SIGNED,1st edn.
Binding: Hardback , With Dust Jacket
Inscription: Author SIGNED,dedicated+dated.

UK,8vo HB+dw/dj,author SIGNED,1st edn.[Complete number line 2 4 6 8 10 9 7 5 3 1.] FINE/FINE.No owner inscrptn but author's handwritten black ink dedication,part signature (Christian name) and date: 'To Mark from Adam June 2009' to the title page,and no price-clip to dw/dj.Bright, crisp,clean,matt colour photographic illustrated front panel of dw/dj with glossy white/grey embossed title+author,other white+red letters,a glossy,small b/w circle with 'Introducing D.I. Staffe (the lead character),slightly sunned/faded thumbnail detail from front photograph to spine/backstrip with similar glossy white/grey letter,rear panel with same thumbnail detail photograph and a critic's red+white-lettered review; with negligible shelf-wear,bumping, creasing to edges and corners - no nicks,tears or splits present.Clean and lightly toned top edges,fore-edges clean and brighter; contents bright,tight clean,solid and sound - no dog-ear reading creases to any pages' corner tips - appears unread apart from my own collation. Publisher's bright,crisp,clean,sharp-cornered, original plain black cloth boards with bright, crisp,blocked silver gilt letters to spine/backstrip,clean plain white endpapers with exception of black ink underlined 1 at top edge of front free endpaper (possibly,previous owner's indication of author's 1st novel?).UK,8vo HB+dw/dj,author SIGNED,1st edn,viipp+1-321pp [paginated] includes acknowledgements,the story over a period of time from a Monday afternoon to the Wednesday of the week after; plus [unpaginated] half-title,SIGNED title page,a dedication,and 6pp blanks at the rear. Author's debut introducing D.I Will Staffe. London.A city where no-one feels safe and one man's crime is another man's justice.A paedophile is brutally murdered in his own home,and to protect other known offenders the police must haul the families of their victims down to the station for questioning.It's just another day in the life of D. I. Will Wagstaffe; better known to friends and enemies alike as Staffe. In this case nothing is simple,least of all Staffe's personal life.There's heartache from Sylvie,his estranged lover, and the dark shadow of Jessop,his ex-partner and mentor.And as he digs for answers into the grime of the city there's also pressure from his boss and the newspapers who are gunning for him. Everywhere he turns the boundaries between right and wrong have been blurred but the main question remains: just how far would you go to protect your children? Please contact seller,because of the weight of this item for correct,insured shipping/P+p quotes - particularly ALL overseas customers - BEFORE ordering through the order page! N.B. ALL buyers please note,stocks' actual shipping/P+p costs are adjusted and any difference is refunded,after order's receipt and before the order's despatch,especially if the item(s) are offered either P+p included or FREE. That offer available UK only,unless indicated otherwise. ** N.B. US/Canada customers please be aware: Standard AIRMAIL postage from UK to these destinations can now cost more than the price of the book! If speed is not of the essence,then Economy rate is recommended - at approx. anything from a 1/3rd to 1/2 of the standard US AIR quote/rate - sometimes arriving sooner than the 42 days - but not always. **

Stock number: rja947121. ISBN: 9780571243631.

£ 25.00 (approx. $US 32.54 )

CREIGHTON**, CHRISTOPHER:
Op.JB - THE LAST GREAT SECRET OF THE SECOND WORLD WAR.**

Imprint: LONDON.SIMON & SCHUSTER,1996.
Edition: UK,8vo HB+dw/dj,1st edn.
Binding: Hardback , With Dust Jacket
Inscription: Not SIGNED.

UK,8vo HB+dw/dj,1st edn.FINE/NFINE.No owner inscrptn,and no price-clip to dw/dj. Light creasing/shelf-wear to dw/dj edges, some light indentations to rear wrap,no nicks or tears present.Light creasing and bumping to both head+foot of spine/ backstrip as usual/normal.Top+fore-edges clean but lightly aged/toned - as usual/ normal,contents bright,tight and clean - no dog-ear reding creases to any pages' corners.Book very slightly cocked.Black paper-covered bds with stamped gilt letters to spine/backstrip and b/w map eps.UK,8vo HB+dw/dj,1st edn,xiiipp+256pp includes 8pp b/w photographs,2 b/w maps,a preface,notes on sources,an appendix and an index. Millions of words have been written about the fate of Martin Bormann,Hitler's indispensable private secretary,and head of the Nazi party Chancellery,who vanished at the end of WW2.In October 1946 the most-wanted Nazi war criminal was condemned to death in absentia at Nuremberg,but he was never found or brought to justice.Some historians claim he died near the Wiedendamm Bridge,in the ruins of Berlin,on the night of 1-2 May 1945.Others believe he escaped from Germany to South America,where he lived and died.In 1973 a court in Frankfurt pronounced him officially dead.The truth is far more extraordinary. Creighton now reveals that in the final night and day of the war,as the Soviet armies closed in on the capital of the Third Reich,Bormann was lifted from Berlin by a Commando raiding party,led by Ian Fleming,creator of James Bond,and himself. The team spirited their captive down the waterways to meet the Allies on the River Elbe,and by mid-May 1945 Bormann was safe in England,where he assumed a new identity.Operation James Bond was ordered by Major Desmond Morton,head of the ultra-secret M Section of naval intelligence.Its ulterior purpose was to recover the immense fortune appropriated by the Nazis and salted away in numbered Swiss bank accounts,to which Bormann alone had access. It was approved not only by the Prime Minister,Winston Churchill,but also by both King George VI and President Roosevelt; yet it was so highly classified that even other government intelligence and security organisations knew nothing of it. After the war,thanks to the British capture of Bormann,95 per cent of Nazi funds were recovered and restored to their former owners.In a most secret letter dated October 1954,Churchill gave the author permission to produce a full account of his wartime operations."When I die," he wrote,"then,if your conscience so allows,tell your story for you have given and suffered so much for England.Do not seek to protect me for I am content to be judged by history.But do,I pray you,seek to protect those who did their duty honestly in the hope of a future world with freedom and justice for all." See also rja312 for another copy.This is the last and greatest revelation from WW2: an astonishing story which will cause history to be recast. Please contact seller,for correct,insured shipping/P+p quotes - particularly ALL overseas buyers - BEFORE ordering through the order page!

Stock number: rja27977. ISBN: 0684817861.

£ 12.99 (approx. $US 16.91 )

CRESSWELL, B[eatrix].F:
A BOOK OF DEVONSHIRE PARSONS.

Imprint: LONDON.HEATH CRANTON LTD.,1932.
Edition: UK,8vo HB minus dw/dj,1st edn.
Binding: Hardback , Minus dw/dj.
Inscription: Not SIGNED.

UK,8vo HB minus dw/dj,1st edn.VG+.No owner inscrptn.Bright,clean,publisher's original,brick-red cloth boards with black ink stamped 3 line border,publisher colophon and letters to upper board,black ink letters to spine/backstrip with clean, plain white endpapers.Top edge slightly dust-soiled,aged and darkened with minimal sporadic foxing/spotting,fore-edge lightly aged but considerably cleaner and also less foxed; contents bright,tight,clean and no spotting/foxing present.UK 8vo HB minus dw/dj,1st edn,v-viiipp+9-192pp includes half-title,scenic b/w line illustrated frntis,title page,author introduction,contents list,12 chapters and an index. In many parish churches there is placed a list of the rectors, or vicars,from the earliest date that can be found,to the present day (then 1932).When the patrons of the living are added,this forms a valuable help towards compiling a history of the parish.A list of the incumbents only is usually merely a catalogue, giving the names of individuals of whom little or nothing is known.In some cases it is possible to trace a man's career,as he rose from being a parish priest,to more lucrative preferment. Here and there a notable name comes to light,which we are surprised to find in these unexpected circumstances.Of the greater number all that seems to told is that they served the parish from one date to another,and passed away,to be succeeded by an equally unknown man.An effort has been made in the following pages to rescue from oblivion some of the Devonshire clergy,who have ministered in the diocese of Exeter from medieval times onwards. Please contact seller,for correct,insured shipping/P+p quotes - particularly ALL overseas buyers - BEFORE ordering through the order page!

Stock number: rja2209. ISBN: No ISBN.

£ 14.99 (approx. $US 19.51 )

CREWE**, TOM:
The New Life. **

Imprint: LONDON.CHATTO & WINDUS/an imprint of VINTAGE/PENGUIN RANDOM HOUSE,2023.
Edition: UK,8vo HB+belly band,1st edn.
Binding: Hardback , With Dust Jacket
Inscription: Not SIGNED.

UK,8vo HB+belly band,1st edn. [Complete number line 1 3 5 7 9 10 8 6 4 2.] FINE+/FINE+. Wrapped+protected from day of purchase and isssue,so NO owner inscrptn and NO price-clip to belly band.Bright,crisp,clean,wrap-around,matt, b/w photographic illustrated belly band with orange-lettered 'Life' of title and 2 critics' black lettered reviews,the belly band partially obscuring the complete title blocked to the board beneath,spine of same with author's white lettered name  and publisher's orange illustrated colophon to foot of same.Front board with publisher's,bright,crisp,clean and unblemished,sharp-cornered,original orange cloth with bright,crisp,blocked black lettered complete title and author name,along with 3 critics' black-lettered reviews,and a black blocked flora+foliage decorated border around the title,spine/backstrip with similarly coloured+lettered title+author name as front board's,rear board with repeated flora+foliage decorated border as the front's,to a black lettered sentence and a critic's black lettered review within it,an orange headband and immaculate,orange marbled effect with an upright white background panel with orange+black lettered synopsis within it to the front free endpaper,rear endpapers illustrated with author's portrait colour photograph.Negligible shelf-wear,bumping,creasing to belly band - no nicks,tears or splits present.Top+ fore-edges clean without foxing/spotting; contents bright,tight,clean,soild and sound - pristine - no dog-ear reading creases to any pages' corner tips,unread other than my own collation.UK,8vo HB+dw/dj,1st edn,3-376pp [paginated] includes Pts 1-3 comprising 12,6 and 20 chapters respectively,an Afterword,and Acknowledgements as last pages; plus [unpaginated] half-title with publisher's b/w illustrated colophon with blank verso,a title page,a dedication,an epigram (from Holbrook Jackson,'The 1890s') and individual Pts separator pages - the latter three items listed,all with a blank verso too. Visually the exterior appearance is exceptional,and particularly internally,the book is also in an exceptional condition/state of preservation and presentation.It really is an exceptional and exemplary copy for its cleanliness,brightness and lack of detracting faults.  A magnificent and daring novel of unconventional love and new ways to live,set in fin-de-sicle London In the summer of 1894,John Addington and Henry Ellis decide to write a revolutionary book.They will argue that homosexuality is not a perversion,and that the law - which makes all sexual activity between men a crime - is wrong and must be changed.Such a book has never been written before,and to publish it will be to wage war on conventional morality.John has been married to Catherine for twenty-five years,and is the father of three daughters,but has spent his life trying to accept and understand his desires for men. John meets and falls in love with Frank,a young working-class printer.Henry is married to Edith,who has recently met and fallen in love with Angelica,a young woman who wants Edith all for herself.These two Victorian marriages,each altered irrevocably by the unanticipated introduction of a third person,are stalked by guilt and shame.They are also shaped and put under pressure by new ideas about sex,social equality,the role of women and the right to deviate from the norm.When Oscar Wilde is arrested and put on trial for homosexuality in the spring of 1895,John and Henry have to choose whether or not to go ahead with their book.Is now the best or the worst moment to make the argument that sex between men should not be a crime? Faced with the consequences of their choice,they and the people around them are forced to consider another question - what price is worth paying for a new way of living? 'The New Life' - very loosely based on the experiences of John Addington Symonds and Havelock Ellis,co-authors of the first book in English about homosexuality - captures a generation in the process of discovering the nature and limits of personal freedom,struggling to create a better world as the twentieth century comes into view.  Please contact seller for correct shipping/P+p quotes - particularly ALL overseas buyers - BEFORE ordering through the order page!  N.B. ALL buyers please note,stocks' actual shipping/P+p costs are adjusted and any difference is refunded,after order's receipt and before the order's despatch,especially if the item(s) are offered either P+p included/FREE.  ** N.B. US/Canada customers please be aware: Standard US AIRMAIL postage from UK to these destinations can now cost more than the price of any inexpensive book! If speed is not of the essence,then Economy rate is recommended - at approx. anything from a 1/3rd to 1/2 of the standard US AIR quote/rate - sometimes arriving sooner than the 42 days - but not always. **

Stock number: rja1158424. ISBN: 9781784744694.

£ 25.00 (approx. $US 32.54 )

CRICHTON, KYLE:
THE MARX BROTHERS.

Imprint: LONDON.HEINEMANN,1951.
Edition: UK,8vo HB+dw/dj,1st edn.
Binding: Hardback , With Dust Jacket
Inscription: Not SIGNED.

UK,8vo HB+dw/dj,1st edn.[1951,preceded year before,by the US 1st edn.]VG+/VG.No owner inscrptn,but price-clip to dw/dj. Yellowy-green background dw/dj with subject heads b/w photographic illustrated upper wrap,subject group b/w photograph to rear wrap with minimal shelf-wear; some miniscule chipping/rubbing with reciprocal loss to both head+foot of spine/backstrip and three corners - no major losses though! Spine/backstrip minimally sunned/ faded.Internal,aged sellotape repair/ strengthening to front dw/dj flap folding crease.Top+fore-edges aged/toned - as usual/normal,given age of book; contents though are bright,tight,clean and unfoxed. Publisher's original black cloth bds with bright,crisp,stamped silver gilt letters to spine/backstrip and clean,plain white eps.UK,8vo HB+dw/dj,1st edn,v-vipp+1-326pp includes half-title+title pages,contents+ illus lists comprising 23 chapters,16pp of contemporary b/w photographs (18 in total); and subjects heads b/w line illustrated chapter head-pieces. Want more MARX-related books/titles? Please search my BIOGRAPHY and SIGNED catalogues for other or similar titles - particularly rja23857: GROUCHO MARX - The Grouch Letters - an author inscribed, SIGNED US,1st edn. The international explosion known as the Marx Brothers began humbly enough in a Manhattan tenement,where their father was proving conclusively that he was the worst tailor in the world.It was their mother Minnie who kept the family together; she was a sister of Al Shean who was later to become a star with his partner,Mr. Gallagher.The boys fought desperately against their destiny.Harpo wanted to be a butcher and Groucho a doctor.As a singing act known as "The Four Nightingales" they were a flop.Then they became "The Six Mascots",failed in Chicago and barely survived the winter.But they found they went down in a big way in Texas.With that act "The Marx Brothers" were made.Harpo joined the act without any lines.As Harpo had shown no signs of histrionic ability this was considered the best thing to do. This was just after the first world war, and the act,written for them by uncle Al Shean was called "Home Again". Suddenly it turned out to be a vaudeville sensation and in 1924 they opened in New York and the brothers grew rich and famous almost overnight.There follows the story of how they stormed Hollywood.It is rich with humour,anecdote and thumb-nail portraiture.Not only did they get to the top,but they stayed there.The Marx Brothers are already a cult; this book will set the seal upon it. Please contact seller,because of the value of this item,for correct,insured shipping/P+p quotes - particularly ALL overseas buyers - BEFORE ordering through the order page!

Stock number: rja23867. ISBN: No ISBN.

£ 60.00 (approx. $US 78.08 )

CRICK, BERNARD:
GEORGE ORWELL: A LIFE.

Imprint: LONDON.SECKER & WARBURG,1980.
Edition: UK,8vo HB+dw/dj,1st edn.
Binding: Hardback , With Dust Jacket
Inscription: Not SIGNED.

UK,8vo HB+dw/dj,1st edn.FINE/NFINE.No owner inscrptn and no price-clip to dw/dj.Bright, crisp,clean,glossy laminated,contemporary b/w portrait photograph of subject,illustrated front panel of dw/dj,with black and red lettering, subject's assorted various autobiographical b/w photographs to rear panel of dw/dj; with negligible shelf-wear and creasing to edges and corners - no nicks or tears present.Ubiquitous but inevitable light sunning/fading of spine/ backstrip of dw/dj.Top edges generally bright and clean except for a slight stain(?) towards headband area,fore-edges brighter and clean; contents bright,tight,clean - pristine - no intentional dog-ear reading creases to any pages' corners,appears unread - apart from my own collation.Publisher's bright,crisp,clean, sharp-cornered,original,plain dark brown cloth boards with bright,crisp,blocked gilt bands and letters to spine/backstrip and immaculate plain white endpapers.UK,8vo HB+dw/dj,1st edn,ix-xxxpp+2-473pp [paginated] includes acknowledgements,author's introduction,17 chapters,16pp of contemporary autobiographical b/w photographs in 4 blocks of 4pp apiece, between pp98/9,pp130/1,pp258/9 and pp290/1 respectively,appendices (A+B),notes,and an index.Plus [unpaginated] half-title+title pages, separate contents+illus lists/tables. This long-awaited for book is the first full biography of one of the greatest English writers of the 20thC.Probably no two English novels of the last fifty years (then 1980) have been more widely read than 'Nineteen Eighty-Four' and 'Animal Farm'; certainly no two works of English fiction have been more influential,in the original as in the translation,while as a political writer,literary critic,journalist and essayist,Orwell has few rivals. Bernard Crick is the first writer to have been given complete access to the Orwell Estate and to the Orwell archives.He has also interviewed Orwell's many and distinguished friends and lesser-known contemporaries.He is also the first to have been given unlimited rights of quotation from all of Orwell's published and unpublished work. The result is a major biography of our time.It is also a gripping story of a man who combined so many conflicting qualities.Professor Crick confronts the multiple paradoxes of Orwell by avoiding the simple distinctions between the man and his work,and traces the complex relationship by concentrating on how the essays and books came to be written and published. It is not enough to read Orwell's fiction as disguised autobiography,nor can his documentary work be treated as merely recorded fact.By focusing on the direct evidence still available,Bernard Crick throws new light on the complex relationship between Orwell's life and his writings. Please contact seller,because of the value of this item,for correct,insured shipping/P+p quotes - particularly ALL overseas buyers - BEFORE ordering through the order page! N.B. ALL buyers please note,item's actual shipping/P+p costs are adjusted and any difference is refunded,after order receipt and before the order's despatch,especially if offered P/p included.FREE. ** N.B. US/Canada customers please be aware: Standard AIR postage from UK to these destinations can now cost more than the price of the book! If speed is not of the essence,then Economy rate is recommended - at approx. 1/2 to 2/3rds of standard US AIR quote/rate - sometimes arriving long before the quoted 42 days - but not always. **

Stock number: rja591616. ISBN: 043611450X.

£ 40.00 (approx. $US 52.06 )

CRISP**, QUENTIN [PRATT Dennis Charles,1908 - 1999.]:
CHOG: A GOTHIC FANTASY.

Imprint: LONDON.EYRE METHUEN,1979.
Edition: UK,small 8vo HB+protected dw/dj,1st edn.
Binding: Hardback , With Dust Jacket
Inscription: Not SIGNED.

UK,small 8vo HB+protected dw/dj,1st edn. FINE/FINE.No owner inscrptn,but price-clip to dw/dj.Protected,polythened bright,crisp,clean, glossy,colour pictorial artwork by Jo Lynch, illustrated panels of dw/dj black lettering to each,white lettered spine/backstrip,all with negligible shelf-wear,bumping,creasing - a tiny accidental dog-ear corner crease to front inner flap but NO nicks,tears or splits,and NO wrinkling nor chipping present.Top+fore-edges lightly dulled but clean without foxing/ spotting; contents bright,tight,clean,solid and sound - text body without blemish,foxing or spotting - virtually pristine,no dog-ear reading creases to any pages' corner tips,appears unread,apart from my own collation.Publisher's bright,crisp,clean,sharp-cornered,original,plain dark blue cloth boards with bright,crisp,blocked gilt letters to spine/backstrip - tiniest indent on top front edge only,and white endpapers with merest,partial off-set foxing from pastedowns to the respective front+ reverse of the opposing free endpapers,front and back.UK,small 8vo HB+ protected dw/dj,1st edn,9-164pp [paginated] includes 14 chapters each with b/w illuminated initial letter of first sentence of each,15 full -page b/w line illustrations - includes b/w illustrated title page - by Jo Lynch, interspersed throughout the text and the book. Plus [unpaginated] half-title page,b/w illustrated title page,a dedication,a contents list/table,the last page with b/w illustrated verso and text to recto and 2pp blank at the rear. One of the more uncommon of Crisp's works/ titles - particularly is as good a state of preservation as this item is! See also my book ID rja940821 for a later UK,8vo HB+dw/dj,1st edn thus,issue of his classic title 'The Naked Civil Servant.' In Lord Henry Emms the line of the once proud landowners of Ravenage came to a miserly and eccentric halt.Life was not his business,and behind him the walls of the Great House his lordship lived under self-imposed house arrest .His only companions were furred,feathered and some scaled creatures, and above all a half- grown,part-time Alsatian called Fido. His only human contacts were the Davieses,the sole survivors of the Great House's domestic staff,who had ingratiated themselves by never answering back and never trying to cheer his lordship up. On their master's death,the Davieses look eagerly to a brightened future.But by his will,they are allowed house room only if they minister to the needs of Fido. They make every effort to pander to the whims of their capricious charge.But wealth corrupts the dog's character.In ways almost too terrible to name Fido begins to indulge his instincts . . . Please contact seller,because of the lighter weight and the value of this item for correct shipping/P+p quotes - particularly ALL overseas customers - BEFORE ordering through the order page! ** N.B. UK and all overseas buyers please note,stocks' actual shipping/P+p costs are adjusted and any difference is refunded, after order receipt and before the order's despatch,especially if item is offered P+p included or postage free.Free P+p available UK only. ** N.B. US/Canada customers please be aware: Standard AIR postage from UK to these destinations can now cost more than the price of the book! If speed is not of the essence,then Economy rate is recommended - at approx. between 1/2 to 2/3rds of standard US AIR quote/rate - sometimes arriving within a week or so,and sometimes before the quoted 42 days - but not always. **

Stock number: rja940721. ISBN: 0413394905.

£ 30.00 (approx. $US 39.04 )

CRITCHLEY, JULIAN:
FLOATING VOTER: AN ENTERTAINMENT. [Author SIGNED copy.]

Imprint: LONDON.HUTCHINSON,1992.
Edition: UK,8vo HB+dw/dj,author SIGNED,1st edn.
Binding: Hardback , With Dust Jacket
Inscription: Author SIGNED - without dedication.

UK,8vo HB+dw/dj,author SIGNED,1st edn. FINE/FINE.No owner inscrptn but author's neat,blue ink handwritten signature - without dedication - to title page,and no price-clip to dw/dj.Bright,crisp,clean, glossy laminated,colour photographic illustrated dw/dj,panel with white+gilt lettering; with negligible shelf-wear or creasing to edges and corners - no nicks or tears present.Both panels of dw/dj with minimal,light scoring/indentations - no presence noted internally - and without penetration or affecting the bds beneath. Both head+foot of spine/backstrip of dw/dj with minimal bumping and reciprocal creasing to same.Top edges with a couple of tiny smudges,fore-edges brighter but both generally bright and clean; contents bright,tight,clean,solid and sound - near pristine - no dog-ear reading creases to any pages' corners,appears unread - apart from my own collation.Bright,crisp,clean, sharp-cornered,publisher's original plain black cloth bds with bright,crisp,stamped gilt letters to spine/backstrip and immaculate plain white eps.UK,8vo HB+dw/ dj,author SIGNED,1st edn,vi-ixpp+2-208pp [paginated] includes principal dramatis personae,a prologue,Tuesday morning through to Friday timeline chapters and an epilogue,plus [unpaginated] half-title, author SIGNED title page,and 6pp blanks at the rear of the book. 'Floating Voter' is an irresistable concoction of murder,politics and highly indiscreet gossip set in Brighton during a Tory Party conference. This year the conference had been doing particularly badly.To a catalogue of embarrassments including the Young Conservative's brawl at the Hedgehog and Hogshead,Margaret Thatcher's bizarre reappearance from exile and the inexplicable kidnapping of Jeffrey Archer, must now be added the drowned body of a female conference member.Sir Ralph Grunte, target of a deselection conspiracy, certainly has a motive for murder.But so has the randy junior minister Charles Harvey and the diminutive reporter from the True Brit,and even John Major himself was heard to say - But let us leave MP and amateur sleuth Joshua Morris to solve the puzzle with his characteristic aplomb. Mixing fictional characters with real political figures,Critchley tells a rollicking tale set against the background of oratory,expense,bonhomie,backstairs plotting and bedroom assignations that make up a typical party conference. Since April 2013,again in March 2015,and in this year too,the UK Post Office has altered it's Pricing in Proportion template,altering it's prices,weight allowances,dimensions and lowered it's qualifying compensation rates too! So,please contact seller,because of the weight and value of this item for correct,insured shipping/P+p quotes - particularly ALL overseas buyers - BEFORE ordering through the order page!

Stock number: rja693717. ISBN: 0091748828.

£ 25.00 (approx. $US 32.54 )

CROFT-COOKE**, RUPERT - aka Leo Bruce:
BARBARY NIGHT.

Imprint: LONDON.EYRE & SPOTTISWODE,1958.
Edition: UK,8vo HB+dw/dj,1st edn.
Binding: Hardback , With Dust Jacket
Inscription: Not SIGNED.

UK,8vo HB+dw/dj,1st edn.VG/VG.No owner inscrptn,and no price-clip to dw/dj.4-colour block (black,white,red and tan) illustrated dw/dj by Harry More-Gordon; with minimal shelf-wear and negligible creasing to edges,head+foot of spine/ backstrip and all corners minimally rubbed with minimal loss.Head of spine/backstrip minimally chipped with subsequent minimal loss and internal sellotape repair to same.Upper panel of dw/dj has a partial coffee-ring and rear panel of dw/dj lightly grubbed with a small puncture hole.Top edge slightly dust-soiled and slightly spotted/foxed, fore-edge cleaner with light ageing and spotting also; contents though,generally bright,tight and clean.Publisher's original maroon cloth bds with bright,crisp,stamped gilt letters to spine/backstrip and clean plain white eps.UK,8vo HB+dw/dj,1st edn,5-223pp includes lightly foxed/spotted half-title+ title pages and 11 chapters. There were no hiding places left.Blane Halter had been guilty of a folly - not a crime really,but a folly which meant the end of his career, total disgrace and rejection from the decent protected world in which he had always lived.It did not matter where he went.As it happened he chose Tangier,so that is was in that cosmopolitan city on the Barbary coast that he discovered what it is like to live in the world outside the world,with those who have no country,no loyalties and no hope.Because he possessed secret information,Blane Halter was a valuable man.So valuable that at least two sets of desperate people were willing to kill him to get it,while a third,the most formidable,was ready to kill him to prevent them.That was why he found himself at last in a small darkened room with the woman who shared with him a dead-end love, waiting hour after hour for the ring at the door which would be almost the last sound either of them would ever hear. Taken just as an entertainment this is one of the most tense and readable books of the the year (then 1958).It proves Mr Croft-Cooke a master of this kind of narrative.It is a comparatively new departure for him which follows the success of his novel 'Seven Thunders' which was made into one of the most exciting films of 1957.But more than that, it is a very moving story of two people adrift in that world which everywhere underlies the comfortable societies of the post-war age: the world of the refugee,the stateless person,the exile,those who live only on their wits or their courage and for whom there are no hiding-places left. See also rja2011 and rja2013. Please contact seller,because of the value of this item,for correct,insured shipping/P+p quotes - particularly ALL overseas buyers - BEFORE ordering through the order page!

Stock number: rja2010.

£ 40.00 (approx. $US 52.06 )

CROMBLEHOLME, ROGER; STUCKEY, DOUGLAS & WHETMATH,C. F. D:
CALLINGTON RAILWAYS: BERE ALSTON-CALSTOCK-CALLINGTON.

Imprint: UK.BRANCH LINE HANDBOOKS & WEST COUNTRY HANDBOOKS in Association THE NARROW GUAGE AND LIGHT RAILWAY SOCIETY,1967.
Edition: UK,slim 8vo HB,ex-lib,1st edn.
Binding: Hardback , No dw/dj - library binding.
Inscription: Not SIGNED.

UK,slim 8vo HB,ex-lib issue,1st edn.VG++.[Though an ex-public library book,in library binding/recasing and with all it's usual library alpha-numerical notations, it's overall appearance both externally and internally,is of a solid,clean example.] Sub-title reads 'An account of the East Cornwall Mineral Railway and the Southern Railway's branch line from Bere Alston to Callington from its inception as part of the Plymouth Devonport & South Western Junction Railway,together with notes on the mines and shipping whose stories are inseparably linked with the history of these railways.' Bright,crisp,clean,sharp-cornered,recased in library binding,maroon textured cloth with bright,crisp,stamped gilt letters and library numeration to spine/backstrip; with negligible shelf- wear to edges and corners. A 'DEVON COUNTY COUNCIL COUNTY LIBRARY' brown card docket pasted to front pastedown; partial horizontal,residual strip from removed ex-library label,with notation indicating 'pp17 torn on issue' and Librarian initialled towards top edge of ffe.A similar 1/4" residual strip (without any notation) towards top edge of blank before title page.Recto of title-page has usual ink alpha-numerical library notation to top edges of b/w photographic frntis and an assumed security strip pasted to rear pastedown.No other ex-library notation apart from those already described.UK,slim 8vo HB,ex-lib,1st edn,3-56pp [paginated] includes contents list/table,authors' notes and acknowledgements,an intro,10 chapters,profuse b/w contemporary photographs interspersed throughout the text and book,3pp b/w Ordnance Survey maps with library tape strengthening the double-page map,appendices(5) and station plans.The aforementioned pp17,which has become detached from it's signature,with it's perforated gutter edge,is lossely 'laid in' - in situ.Plus [unpaginated] blank,a library tape-strengthened title page with b/w photographic frntis to recto,and blank to rear. Since April 2013,again in MArch 2015,and in this year too,the UK Post Office has alter it's Pricing in Proportion template,altering its prices,weight allowances,dimensions and lowered its qualifying compensation rates too! So,please contact seller,because of the lighter weight and the value of this item, for correct,insured shipping/P+p quotes - particularly ALL overseas buyers - BEFORE ordering through the order page!

Stock number: rja488414. ISBN: No ISBN.

£ 10.00 (approx. $US 13.01 )

CROMPTON**, RICHMAL:
JUST WILLIAM ON HOLIDAY - Ten Classic Stories.

Imprint: LONDON.MACMILLAN,1996.
Edition: UK,12mo p/b,1st edn thus.
Binding: Paperback., No dw/dj - as issued.
Inscription: Not SIGNED.

UK,12mo p/b,1st edn thus.VG+.No owner inscrptn,no dw/dj - colour pictorial card wraps - as issued. Bright,crisp,clean, glossy laminated,colour pictorial artwork by Thomas Henry,illustrated card wraps; with minimal shelf-wear to edges,creasing to corners.Top+fore-edges slightly aged/ toned - as usual/normal - but clean; contents bright,tight and clean also - no dog-ear reading creases to spine/ backstrip,which is lightly sunned/faded. UK,slim 12mo wraps,1st edn thus,2-185pp [paginated] includes 10 chapters/stories, profuse b/w line illustrations throughout the text and the book - all by Thomas Henry; plus [unpaginated] half-title+title pages,b/w line illus frntis,and contents list/table. Want more Richmal CROMPTON titles? For similar and other available titles - please search my CHILDRENS/ILLUSTRATED and SIGNED catalogues. Holidays are supposed to be a time for rest and recreation.But somehow none of the Brown family seem to spend much time relaxing with William around! Whether he's rescuing a damsel in distress,sailing the high seas to discover an uncharted island,or capturing a dangerous smuggler on the beach,William never fails to turn his holidays into chaotic adventures that no one will ever forget.Ten holiday-themed extracts from previously published William titles. Thomas Henry Fisher (1879-1962) worked as Thomas Henry.Born Eastwood, Nottinghamshire.Studied at Nottingham School of Art.He worked as a lithographer (his first job was the 'sailor' trademark for Player's cigarettes) and poster designer before becoming a regular contributor of cartoons and humorous illustrations to newspapers and magazines. Periodicals included The Boy's Own Paper, The Captain, Chums, Crusoe, Happy Magazine, Home Magazine, The Humorist, Nottingham Guardian, Passing Show, Punch and The Windsor Magazine amongst others. His forte was the funny side of school life and he illustrated the first 34 of Richmal Crompton's 'William' books in pen and ink in a cheerful,effective and remarkably consistent style. Although the first of these books was published in 1922,Fisher did not meet Richmal Crompton until 1954. Richmal Crompton,British author,born Richmal Crompton Lamburn in Lancashire in 1890.Studied at London University, subsequently becoming Classics mistress at Bromley High School before being compelled to retire because of illness.Best known for the enormously popular 38 'William' books - two being re-issued with new title(s) - beginning with 'Just William', and the last 'William the Lawless' published posthumously in 1970 - although she also wrote several novels for adults. Died,1969. Please contact seller,because of the lighter weight of this item,for correct shipping/P+p quotes - particularly ALL overseas buyers - BEFORE ordering through the order page!

Stock number: rja306018. ISBN: 0333654013.

£ 4.50 (approx. $US 5.86 )

CROMPTON**, RICHMAL:
STILL - WILLIAM.

Imprint: LONDON.GEORGE NEWNES,LIMITED [undated but May,1925.]
Edition: UK,8vo HB,minus dw/dj,1st edn.
Binding: Hardback , No dw/dj.
Inscription: Not SIGNED.

UK,8vo HB,minus dw/dj,1st edn.[Undated. This edn is the first publication,May, 1925.] VG.No owner inscrptn.Slightly age- soiled,reasonably sharp-cornered, publisher's original plain red cloth bds with bright,crisp,printed black ink lettering to a dulled spine/backstrip,and clean plain white eps - verso and recto of front+rear free endpapers respectively are off-set shadow foxed from their respective pastedowns,hinges solid and sound without any cracking.With negligible shelf-wear, bumping or creasing to edges and corners - a small 1cm split at head of spine/ backstrip's rear gutter's crease/fold - no other nicks,tears,splits or fraying present.Rear board with some mottling/ bleaching spots and a small black smudge to lower corner.Top edge lightly dust- soiled and lightly toned but without foxing/spotting,fore-edges similarly toned but with faint,minimal and sporadic foxing /spotting; contents unusually bright, tight,clean and solid - with minimal foxing/spotting,no dog-ear reading creases to any pages' corners,could almost appear unread - apart from my own collation.UK, 8vo HB,minus dw/dj,1st edn,14-252pp [paginated] includes XIV (14) chapters, profuse part+whole page b/w line illustrations by Thomas Henry interspersed throughout the text and the book,plus [unpaginated] half-title page with b/w line illustrated frntis to its reverse, title page,dedication9to Col. R. E. Crompton,C.B.,B.E.) and contents list/ table.Author's 5th 'William' title. A highly collected and prolific children's books author in her typical style and format and will be an important and welcome addition to the canon. Thomas Henry Fisher [1879-1962] worked as Thomas Henry.Born Eastwood, Nottinghamshire.Studied at Nottingham School of Art.He worked as a lithographer (his first job was the 'sailor' trademark for Player's cigarettes) and poster designer before becoming a regular contributor of cartoons and humorous illustrations to newspapers and magazines. Contemporary periodicals included The Boy's Own Paper,The Captain,Chums,Crusoe, Happy Magazine,Home Magazine,The Humorist, Nottingham Guardian,Passing Show, Punch and The Windsor Magazine amongst others. His forte was the funny side of school life and he illustrated the first 34 of Richmal Crompton's 'William' books in pen and ink in a cheerful,effective and remarkably consistent style.Although the first of these books was published in 1922,Fisher did not meet Richmal Crompton until 1954. Richmal Crompton,British author,born Richmal Crompton Lamburn in Lancashire in 1890.Studied at London University, subsequently becoming Classics mistress at Bromley High School before being compelled to retire because of illness.Best known for the enormously popular 38 'William' books - two being re-issued with new title(s) - beginning with 'Just William', and the last 'William the Lawless' published posthumously in 1970,although she also wrote several novels for adults. Died,1969. Please contact seller,because of the value of this item for correct and insured (where necessary) shipping/P+p quotes - particularly ALL overseas buyers - BEFORE ordering through the order page!

Stock number: rja886420. ISBN: No ISBN.

£ 45.00 (approx. $US 58.56 )

CROMPTON**, RICHMAL:
WILLIAM the OUTLAW.

Imprint: LONDON.NEWNES,1927.
Edition: UK,8vo HB minus dw/dj,2nd imp.
Binding: Hardback , Minus dw/dj.
Inscription: Not SIGNED.

UK,8vo HB minus dw/dj,1st edn,2nd imp, (Dated Dec 1927 - 1st was Oct 1927.) VG+. Owner inscrptn.Red cloth bds,slightly sunned spine/backstrip,but bright,clean bds.B/w line illus by Thomas Henry.First issued at 7/6d,reprint at 2/6d.Early titles uncommon from this period.A lovely copy. Want more Richmal CROMPTON titles? For similar and other available titles - please search my CHILDRENS/ILLUSTRATED and SIGNED catalogues. Thomas Henry Fisher (1879-1962) worked as Thomas Henry.Born Eastwood, Nottinghamshire.Studied at Nottingham School of Art.He worked as a lithographer (his first job was the 'sailor' trademark for Player's cigarettes) and poster designer before becoming a regular contributor of cartoons and humorous illustrations to newspapers and magazines. Periodicals included The Boy's Own Paper, The Captain,Chums,Crusoe,Happy Magazine, Home Magazine,The Humorist,Nottingham Guardian,Passing Show,Punch and The Windsor Magazine amongst others.His forte was the funny side of school life and he illustrated the first 34 of Richmal Crompton's 'William' books in pen and ink in a cheerful,effective and remarkably consistent style. Although the first of these books was published in 1922,Fisher did not meet Richmal Crompton until 1954. Richmal Crompton,British author,born Richmal Crompton Lamburn in Lancashire in 1890.Studied at London University, subsequently becoming Classics mistress at Bromley High School before being compelled to retire because of illness.Best known for the enormously popular 38 'William' books - two being re-issued with new title(s) - beginning with 'Just William', and the last 'William the Lawless' published posthumously in 1970,although she also wrote several novels for adults. Died,1969. Please contact seller,because of the value of this item,for correct,insured shipping/P+p quotes - particularly ALL overseas buyers - BEFORE ordering through the order page!

Stock number: rja1078. ISBN: No ISBN.

£ 100.00 (approx. $US 130.14 )

CROMPTON**, RICHMAL:
WILLIAM AND THE BRAINS TRUST.

Imprint: LONDON.GEORGE NEWNES LIMITED,Oct,1945.
Edition: UK,8vo HB,minus dw/dj,1st cheap edn.
Binding: Hardback , Minus dw/dj.
Inscription: Not SIGNED.

UK,slim 8vo HB,minus dw/dj,1st cheap edn. [Originally and first published London April,1945.This edn is the first publication other than that.] VG.No owner inscrptn.Slightly age-soiled,grubbed, reasonably sharp-cornered,publisher's original plain red cloth bds with bright, crisp,printed black ink lettering to a lightly sunned spine/backstrip,and clean plain white eps - book issued without rear free endpaper,hinges solid and sound with no cracking.With negligible shelf-wear, bumping or creasing to edges and corners - no nicks,tears,splits or fraying present. Top edge lightly dust-soiled but without foxing/spotting,fore-edges brighter but with some thumbing(?) smudge and also without foxing/spotting; contents unusually bright,tight,clean and solid - with minimal foxing/spotting,an accidental 1/2" (approx) horizontal feathered tear to pp291/20 fore-edges - no dog-ear reading creases to any pages' corners,could almost appear unread - apart from my own collation.[N.B. With war-time paper rationing and conservation (1940-47) of that and other materials,pulping was actively encouraged,so publishers with restricted and limited quantities for publishing,opted towards highly acidic and therefore cheaper paper,allowing for more books to be produced.Books made with this cheaper material tend to degrade faster, exhibiting several faults,blemishes,foxing /spotting etc.,and subsequently are uncommon and harder to find in a particularly fine condition.] UK,slim 8vo HB,minus dw/dj,1st cheap edn,14-252pp [paginated] includes XII (12) chapters, profuse part+whole page b/w line illustrations by Thomas Henry interspersed throughout the text and the book,plus [unpaginated] half-title page with publisher's list of already published 'William' titles (24) to its recto,b/w illustrated frntis,title page and contents list/table. A highly collected and prolific children's books author in her typical style and format and will be an important and welcome addition to the canon. Thomas Henry Fisher [1879-1962] worked as Thomas Henry.Born Eastwood, Nottinghamshire.Studied at Nottingham School of Art.He worked as a lithographer (his first job was the 'sailor' trademark for Player's cigarettes) and poster designer before becoming a regular contributor of cartoons and humorous illustrations to newspapers and magazines. Contemporary periodicals included The Boy's Own Paper,The Captain,Chums,Crusoe, Happy Magazine,Home Magazine,The Humorist, Nottingham Guadrian,Passing Show,Punch and The Windsor Magazine amongst others.His forte was the funny side of school life and he illustrated the first 34 of Richmal Crompton's 'William' books in pen and ink in a cheerful,effective and remarkably consistent style.Although the first of these books was published in 1922,Fisher did not meet Richmal Crompton until 1954. Richmal Crompton,British author,born Richmal Crompton Lamburn in Lancashire in 1890.Studied at London University, subsequently becoming Classics mistress at Bromley High School before being compelled to retire because of illness.Best known for the enormously popular 38 'William' books - two being re-issued with new title(s) - beginning with 'Just William', and the last 'William the Lawless' published posthumously in 1970,although she also wrote several novels for adults. Died,1969. Please contact seller,for correct shipping/P+p quotes - particularly ALL overseas buyers - BEFORE ordering through the order page!

Stock number: rja886120. ISBN: No ISBN.

£ 10.00 (approx. $US 13.01 )

CROMPTON**, RICHMAL:
WILLIAM THE CONQUEROR.

Imprint: LONDON.GEORGE NEWNES,LIMITED,Feb,1931.
Edition: UK,8vo HB,minus dw/dj,9th reprint.
Binding: Hardback , Minus dw/dj.
Inscription: Not SIGNED.

UK,8vo HB,minus dw/dj,9th reprint. [Originally and first published London March,1926.First cheap edn Dec,1926. Reprints followed; 3 in 1927 - Feb,May and Oct,two in 1928 - Feb+Nov,Aug 1929,April 1930 and this reprint - Feb,1931.] VG+.No owner inscrptn but front free endpaper amateurishly removed leaving residue of a narrow,torn strip in its absence. Exceptionally bright,crisp and clean despite absence of protective dw/dj,sharp-cornered,publisher's original plain red cloth bds with bright,crisp,printed black ink lettering to a very lightly sunned spine/backstrip,and clean plain white eps - minus ffe (First edn book was originally issued without half-title),hinges solid and sound without any cracking.With negligible shelf-wear,bumping or creasing to edges and corners - no nicks,tears, splits or fraying present.Top edges lightly dust-soiled but without foxing/ spotting,fore-edges slightly brighter but with some minimal,sporadic foxing/ spotting; contents unusually bright - more than is usually encountered for a book of its age,tight, clean and solid - no dog-ear reading creases to any pages' corners,appears unread - apart from my own collation.UK,8vo HB,minus dw/dj,9th reprint,11-249pp [paginated] includes XIII (13) chapters, profuse part+whole page b/w line illustrations by Thomas Henry interspersed throughout the text and the book, plus [unpaginated] no half-title page as issued,b/w illustrated frntis, title page,contents list/table and to the rear,3pp publisher's adverts (magazines, The Wide World,The Strand and John 0' London's Children's library books - edited by Enid Blyton.) Author's 6th title in the 'William' series. A particularly crisp,clean and exceptional example from the era. Story inspired by the tales of Robin Hood,and the Outlaws have come up with a new scheme for redistributing the treasures of the rich to the very poor.But this inevitably leads William into battle with the grown-up world,with typically disastrous consequences. A highly collected and prolific children's books author in her typical style and format and will be an important and welcome addition to the canon. Thomas Henry Fisher [1879-1962] worked as Thomas Henry.Born Eastwood, Nottinghamshire.Studied at Nottingham School of Art.He worked as a lithographer (his first job was the 'sailor' trademark for Player's cigarettes) and poster designer before becoming a regular contributor of cartoons and humorous illustrations to newspapers and magazines. Contemporary periodicals included: The Boy's Own Paper,The Captain,Chums,Crusoe, Happy Magazine,Home Magazine,The Humorist, Nottingham Guardian,Passing Show,Punch and The Windsor Magazine amongst others.His forte was the funny side of school life and he illustrated the first 34 of Richmal Crompton's 'William' books in pen and ink in a cheerful,effective and remarkably consistent style.Although the first of these books was published in 1922,Fisher did not meet Richmal Crompton until 1954. Richmal Crompton,British author,born Richmal Crompton Lamburn in Lancashire in 1890.Studied at London University, subsequently becoming Classics mistress at Bromley High School before being compelled to retire because of illness.Best known for the enormously popular 38 'William' books - two being re-issued with new title(s) - beginning with 'Just William', and the last 'William the Lawless' published posthumously in 1970,although she also wrote several novels for adults. Died,1969. Please contact seller,because of the value of this item for correct,insured shipping/P+p quotes - particularly ALL overseas buyers - BEFORE ordering through the order page!

Stock number: rja886320. ISBN: No ISBN.

£ 20.00 (approx. $US 26.03 )

CROMPTON**, RICHMAL:
WILLIAM - THE FOURTH.

Imprint: LONDON.GEORGE NEWNES LIMITED,Nov,1924.
Edition: UK,8vo HB minus dw/dj,1st edn.
Binding: Hardback , Minus dw/dj.
Inscription: Not SIGNED.

UK,8vo HB,minus dw/dj,1st edn. G-.No owner inscrptn but 2 inked oval retailer's (Newsagent,Confectioner,Tobacconist) stamps - one each to front pastedown and verso of front free endpaper.Age-soiled and slightly darkened publisher's original plain red cloth bds with clear,bright, crisp,printed black ink lettering to front board/cover,black letters to a heavily darkened spine/backstrip,rear board/cover with vertical bleaching marks/blemishes along its fore-edge and lightly aged plain white eps.Front hinge cracked(?) hidden/ repaired with translucent white adhesive tape,rear hinge just starting to crack - due to removal of the rear free endpaper(?) and to the rear pastedown, another differing from front eps ink stamps,a retailer's adhesive white label with black text: KENDALLS Library and Confectioners RESERVOIR VIEW,PLYMOUTH,with 2 ink partial date issue stamps over terms of lending.Shelf-wear,bumping and rubbing with some fraying and subsequent loss to bottom edges and corners,similar faults to top edges and corners,and with wear and splits at head+foot of spine/backstrip along with splits of differing lengths to spine/backstrip's front+rear gutter's creases/folds,suspected spine/backstrip re-glued? Top edge heavily dust-soiled and toned but without foxing/spotting,fore- edges toned but to a much lesser degree and therefore brighter and also without foxing/spotting; contents with discoloration and imperfections commensurate with age and therefore some minimal foxing/spotting,no dog-ear reading creases to any pages' corners.UK,8vo HB, minus dw/dj,1st edn,12-250pp [paginated] includes XIV (14) chapters,profuse part+ whole page b/w line illustrations by Thomas Henry interspersed throughout the text and the book,plus [unpaginated] half- title page with b/w line illustrated frntis to its reverse,title page with Published - - 1924 to recto,and contents list/table.Author's 4th 'William' title. An uncommon survivor from the earlier titles and that era/period.Acceptable but fragile reading copy or gap-filler in a collection. A highly collected and prolific children's books author in her typical style and format and will be an important and welcome addition to the canon. Thomas Henry Fisher [1879-1962] worked as Thomas Henry.Born Eastwood, Nottinghamshire.Studied at Nottingham School of Art.He worked as a lithographer (his first job was the 'sailor' trademark for Player's cigarettes) and poster designer before becoming a regular contributor of cartoons and humorous illustrations to newspapers and magazines. Contemporary periodicals included The Boy's Own Paper,The Captain,Chums,Crusoe, Happy Magazine,Home Magazine,The Humorist, Nottingham Guardian,Passing Show, Punch and The Windsor Magazine amongst others. His forte was the funny side of school life and he illustrated the first 34 of Richmal Crompton's 'William' books in pen and ink in a cheerful,effective and remarkably consistent style.Although the first of these books was published in 1922,Fisher did not meet Richmal Crompton until 1954. Richmal Crompton,British author,born Richmal Crompton Lamburn in Lancashire in 1890.Studied at London University, subsequently becoming Classics mistress at Bromley High School before being compelled to retire because of illness.Best known for the enormously popular 38 'William' books - two being re-issued with new title(s) - the series beginning with 'Just William',and the last 'William the Lawless' published posthumously in 1970, although she also wrote several novels for adults.Died,1969. Please contact seller,because of the value of this item for correct,insured shipping/P+p quotes - particularly ALL overseas buyers - BEFORE ordering through the order page!

Stock number: rja886620. ISBN: No ISBN.

£ 25.00 (approx. $US 32.54 )

CROOK, ALEX & SYMES, PAT:
ARSENAL - MATCH OF MY LIFE. [Foreword by George Graham.]

Imprint: UK.WORTHING,SUSSEX.Pitch Publishing,2020.
Edition: UK,8vo HB+dw/dj,1st edn.
Binding: Hardback , With Dust Jacket
Inscription: Not SIGNED.

UK,8vo HB+dw/dj,1st edn.FINE/FINE.No owner inscrptn and no price-clip to dw/dj.Bright, crisp,clean,matt,wrap-aroundred background with 4 subjects' montage'd colour thumbnail portrait photographs to front panel of dw/dj with capitalised red+white lettered title,authors' names and Foreword credit name; spine/backstrip with part red capitalised part title (ARSENAL), remainder of title with similarly coloured+ lettered title+author name as the front's,and publisher's capitalised,white lettered+ illustrated colophon to foot of same,rear panel with montage'd subject's colour photographs and white-lettered synopsis.Negligible shelf-wear to edges and corners - no nicks,tears or splits present.Top+fore-edges bright,crisp,clean without foxing/spotting; contents bright,tight, clean,solid and sound - pristine - no dog-ear reading creases to any pages' corner tips, appears unread apart from my own collation. Publisher's bright,crisp,unblemished,sharp-cornered,original plain maroon cloth boards with bright,crisp,blocked gilt lettering,a red headband and immaculate colour photographic illustrated endpapers.UK,8vo HB+ dw/dj,1st edn, 7-255pp [paginated] includes Acknowledgements with a blank verso,a Foreword by George Graham, 29 players' account and a contribution from Piers Morgan - an Arsenal fan,individual player's b/w photograph with match+team details and score line and their account of the game; plus [unpaginated] half-title+title pages,and a Contents list/table with a blank verso too.      Visually the exterior appearance is exceptional,and particularly internally,the book is also in an exceptional condition/state of preservation and presentation.It really is an exceptional,exemplary example for its cleanliness,brightness and lack of detracting faults.                                  More than 20 Arsenal legends combine to offer a   unique insight into the most magical moments in the history of one of the world's biggest clubs. Such unique access behind the dressing-room door enables fans of all ages to relive these magic moments through the eyes and emotions of the men who were there,pulling on the famous red-and-white shirts.                  Contained in these pages are previously untold insights from fan favorites,including Ian Wright on his record-breaking goal scoring feats and Ray Parlour on winning the Premier League title at Old Trafford and then scoring the winner in a cup final in the space of four magical days. Alan Sunderland relives his dramatic last-gasp FA Cup Final goal in the never-to-be-forgotten 1979 Wembley win over Manchester United. Legendary keeper Bob Wilson recalls leading the Gunners to European glory,Jack Wilshere remembers the night he helped tame mighty Barcelona in Arsenal's own back yard,and midfielder Aaron Ramsey talks us through his cup final winner,which completed his comeback from a horrific leg injury.                  Please contact seller,for correct shipping/P+p quotes - particularly ALL overseas buyers - BEFORE ordering through the order page!          N.B. ALL buyers please note,stocks' actual shipping/P+p costs are adjusted and any difference is refunded,after order's receipt and before the order's despatch,especially if the item(s) are offered either P+p included/FREE.    ** N.B. US/Canada customers please be aware: Standard AIRMAIL postage from UK to these destinations can now cost more than the price of the book! If speed is not of the essence, then Economy rate is recommended - at approx. anything from a 1/3rd to 1/2 of the standard US AIR quote/rate - sometimes arriving sooner than the 42 days - but not always. **  

Stock number: rja1094923. ISBN: 9781785313110.

£ 20.00 (approx. $US 26.03 )

CROSLEY, DSC,RN. Cdr R.'Mike':
THEY GAVE ME A SEAFIRE.

Imprint: UK.SHREWSBURY, AIRLIFE,1986.
Edition: UK,8vo HB+dw/dj,1st edn.
Binding: Hardback , With Dust Jacket
Inscription: Not SIGNED.

UK,8vo HB+dw/dj,1st edn.NFINE/NFINE.No owner inscrptn,and no price-clip to dw/dj. Bright,crisp,clean,glossy laminated colour artwork and b/w photographic illustrated dw/dj; with negligible shelf-wear and creasing to edges and corners - no nicks or tears present.Top+fore-edges minimally aged/toned - much less than usual/normal; contents bright,tight,clean and pristine -no dog-ear creases to any pages' corners - possibly an unread copy? Sharp-cornered, bright and clean,publisher's original navy blue cloth bds with bright,crisp,stamped gilt letters to spine/backstrip and immaculate,plain white eps.UK,8vo HB+ dw/dj,1st edn,10-271pp [paginated] includes 23 chapters+epilogue,24pp contemporary b/w photographs in 3 blocks of 8pp apiece between pp96/7,pp128/9 and pp176/7 respectively,14 appendices,and index,plus [unpaginated] half-title+title pages,contents+appendices lists/tables,a bibliography,acknowledgements,and A Fleet Air Arm song. The Royal Navy was disparaging towards them and did not know how to use them.In encounter after encounter with the enemy, they had to fly aircraft which were often either inferior or unsuitable on 'impossible' missions from carriers whose Fleet commanders did not understand - or even wish to know about - their problems or limitations.Yet they forged themselves into an elite whose prowess has only belatedly been acknowledged.They were the fighter pilots of the Royal Naval Volunteer Resrve,irreverent of Naval tradition,customs or discipline,yet roaring off the flight decks of their unstable launching platforms (not knowing whether they would be able to find them again at the end of the mission) with incredible courage and elan to do battle with their German,Italian or Japanese counterparts over the oceans of the world. 'Mike' Crosley started training with the Fleet Air Arm on the very day of the battle of Taranto and went on to serve aboard HMS Eagle on the notorius Malta convoy run,shooting down his first two enemy aircraft - one of them a Ju 88,and this from a Sea Hurricane! - in two days. Surviving Eagle's sinking in August 1942, the author graduated to Seafires - the naval equivalent of the Spitfire - and flew this beautiful but often troublesome aircraft in Combat Air Patrols and ramrod' strikes until the end of the war, by which time he had command of his own squadron. From hilarious episodes during training and working up in the West Country and Scotland,through the Allied landings in north Africa during operation 'Torch' and an arctic convoy to Russia in which his carrier was so badly storm-damaged that it had to limp home with its flight deck virtually hanging loose from its hull,the author describes in vivid detail the experiences,the excitement and the terror of this type of flying. He finished the war,still flying Seafires,aboard HMS Implacable as part of the 'forgotten' British Pacific Fleet.He devised tactics for attacks on ground and naval targets which were so successful that they were not formally adopted by the Royal Navy until 14 years after the war's end,and which cut down pilot and aircraft losses so much that his Admiral complained the Seafires were not trying hard enough, despite their superb record of successes. Frank, often scathingly critical of 'Their Lordships' and others,side-splittingly funny one moment and desparately tragic the next,this is the true story of a young man thrown into a war which would first bring him together with his sweetheart and then separate them,which would bring comradeship,exhilaration and tragedy in almost equal amounts. . . . . . Poignantly written,it is a book to rival the best yet on the 'Wavy Navy' and its subordinate but highly successful fighter pilots. Since April 2013,and in this year too,the UK Post Office has altered it's Pricing in Proportion template,altering its prices, weight allowances,dimensions and lowered its compensation rates too! So,please contact seller,because of the weight/value of this item,for correct, insured shipping/P+p quotes - particularly ALL overseas buyers - BEFORE ordering through the order page!

Stock number: rja395911. ISBN: 0906393566.

£ 22.00 (approx. $US 28.63 )

CROSS, CHARLES R:
room full of mirrors: a biography of jimi hendrix.

Imprint: LONDON.SCEPTRE PAPERBACK,2006.
Edition: UK,small 8vo p/back,1st edn thus.
Binding: Paperback., No dw/dj,wraps - as issued.
Inscription: Not SIGNED.

UK,small 8vo p/back,1st edn thus.FINE+.No owner inscrptn and no price removal to rear cover. Bright,crisp,clean and sharp-cornered,matt, subject's portrait monochrome photographic illustrated front cover with orange,white and gold coloured lettering; with negligible shelf-wear or creasing to edges and corners - no nicks or tears present - and no reading creases to spine/backstrip.Top+fore-edges bright and clean; contents bright,tight,clean,solid and sound - pristine - no dog-ear reading creases to any pages' corners,appears unread - apart from my own collation.UK,small 8vo wraps,p/back 1st edn, viiixvipp+2-384pp [paginated] includes contents list/table,author's note,a prologue,27 chapter and an epilogue,source notes,acknowledgements and an index; plus [unpaginated] half-title+ title pages,and a dedication. Jimi Hendrix,legendary guitarist and the original rock and roll rebel,lived an outrageous life,from his troubled childhood in Seattle's projects to meteoric success in Swinging London and a tragically early death.This landmark book is full of the infamous tales of sex,drugs and excess but it also reveals a man who privately craved the kind of normal family life he never had. Charles R. Cross has unlocked the mystery of one of rock's most enduring legends and created a supremely moving and revealing portrait of the man behind the myth. Please contact seller,because of the lighter weight and smaller size of this item,for correct shipping/P+p quotes - particularly ALL overseas buyers - BEFORE ordering through the order page! ** N.B. ALL buyers please note,stocks' actual shipping/P+p costs are adjusted and any difference is refunded,after order's receipt and before the order's despatch,especially if the item(s) are offered either P+p included/FREE. ** N.B. US/Canada customers please be aware: Standard AIRMAIL postage from UK to these destinations can now cost more than the price of the book! If speed is not of the essence,then Economy rate is recommended - at approx. anything from a 1/3rd to 1/2 of the standard AIR quote/rate - sometimes arriving sooner than the 42 days - but not always.

Stock number: rja799518. ISBN: 9781444713909.

£ 10.00 (approx. $US 13.01 )

CROSS, AMANDA:
THE QUESTION OF MAX.

Imprint: LONDON.GOLLANCZ,1976.
Edition: UK,8vo HB+dw/dj,1st edn.
Binding: Hardback , With Dust Jacket
Inscription: Not SIGNED.

UK,8vo HB+dw/dj,1st edn. VG/VG. No owner inscrptn,and no price-clip to dw/dj.Top corners slightly bumped with light creasing to head of spine/backstrip.Book slightly cocked,contents bright and clean with slight ageing to fore-edges.Author's 5th book and one of her more uncommon titles. The charming and erudite Professor Kate Fansler investigates not,as one would expect,in New York,but in Oxford,England. The exquisite Max Reston is the last person whom Kate Fansler would expect to invade her rural retreat - and,as things turn out,he is nearly the last person. Soon the two of them are involved in the mysterious death of one of Kate's graduate students,Geraldine,found drowned in a rock pool, which leads Kate into a teasingly elusive investigation of a crime which may not be a crime.The trail leads to Oxford not only of today but of the Thirties and the war years,and into the tangled private lives of one or two of England's leading women novelists and feminists of that time. And as one would expect from any Amanda Cross story the problem is partly a literary one - the authorship of certain letters,the choice of literary executor.Partly,too,the problem is one of heredity: who is whose father? And the answers throw fascinating light on changing social mores and morals. Please contact seller,because of the lighter weight and the value of this item,for correct shipping/P+p quotes - particularly ALL overseas buyers - BEFORE ordering through the order page! N.B. ALL buyers please note,stocks' actual shipping/P+p costs are adjusted and any difference is refunded,after order's receipt and before the order's despatch,especially if the item(s) are offered either P+p included/FREE. ** N.B. US/Canada customers please be aware: Standard AIRMAIL postage from UK to these destinations can now cost more than the price of the book! If speed is not of the essence,then Economy rate is recommended - at approx. anything from a 1/3rd to 1/2 of the standard US AIR quote/rate - sometimes arriving sooner than the 42 days - but not always. **

Stock number: rja1158. ISBN: 0575021578.

£ 22.00 (approx. $US 28.63 )

CROSS, ALISDAIR with David Key:
THE SPITFIRE KIDS: The generation who built,supported and flew Britain's most beloved fighter.

Imprint: LONDON.HEADLINE PUBLISHING GROUP,2021.
Edition: UK,8vo HB+dw/dj,illustrated,1st edn.
Binding: Hardback , With Dust Jacket
Inscription: Not SIGNED.

UK,8vo HB+dw/dj,1st edn. [Complete number line 1.] FINE/FINE. No owner inscrptn and no price-clip to dw/dj.Bright,crisp,clean,matt,colour illustrated dw/dj panels,with capitalised, embossed,red-lettered part-title and black-lettered sub-title,capitalised,embossed black-lettered author name to front of dw/dj other flat printed black-lettering; spine/backstrip with flat printed but similarly coloured+ lettered author name and part-title as front's and publisher's capitalised,black-lettered name and black illustrated colophon respectively to foot of same,rear panel of dw/dj with colour illustration and inset,contemporary wartime b/w photograph and critic's black-lettered reviews. Negligible shelf-wear to edges and corners – no nicks,tears or splits present.Top+fore-edges bright and generally clean but with a couple of miniscule blemishes to each; else contents bright,tight,clean,solid and sound – no dog-ear reading creases to any pages' corner tips – appears unread,apart from my own collation. Publisher's bright,crisp,clean/unblemished, sharp-cornered,original plain black cloth boards with bright,crisp,blocked gilt lettering to spine/backstrip,,and immaculate colour illustrated sets of endpapers.UK,8vo HB+dw/dj,illustrated,1st edn,1-358pp [paginated] includes author's Introduction,Pts 1-3 comprising 6,10 and 4 chapters: The Builders,The Designers and The Fliers respectively,an Afterword,8pp of contemporary b/w biographical photographs,a contemporary colour film poster and a modern colour biographical photograph in 1 block,between pp170/71,an Appendix, Acknowledgements,a Select bibliography,Notes,and an Index; plus [unpaginated] half-title+title pages,a Contents list/table and to the rear,2pp blanks.                                          Visually the exterior appearance is exceptional and particularly internally,is also in an exceptional condition/state of preservation and presentation.It really is an exceptional, exemplary example for its cleanliness,brightness and lack of detracting faults.Despite the many films and television programmes over the decades since the end of the Second World War that portrays our allied heroes as grown-up men and women,the 'Battle of Britain' was in the main actually fought and won by teenagers.The average age of an RAF fighter pilot was just twenty years old. Many of the men and women who designed and built their planes were even younger.Based on the hit BBC World Service podcast 'Spitfire: The People's Story', we use contemporary diaries and memoirs,many of them previously unpublished,to tell the story of the Spitfire through the voices of the teenagers who risked everything to design,build and fly her.    This isn't a story of stiff-upper lips, stoical moustaches and aerial heroics; it's a story of love and loss, a story of young people tested to the very limits of their endurance. They worked in factories building the parts that were vital to keep the Royal Air Force fully operational whilst all around them the Lufwaffe above tried to bomb them into destruction.Many joined up to work in the vital services of air defence, constructing radr systems,coordinatiing supplies to the bases,and,ferrying the planes to new bases for eager young pilots to take to the skies to defeat the enemy. These were the young people who won a battle that turned a war.through fresh interviews and war diaries and personal correspondence,BBC radio producer Alasdair Cross recounts an incredible tale of courage and sacrifice that celebrates arguably Britian's greatest generation. A bestselling BBC World Service ten-part series and podcast that celebrates the men and women who built and flew the Second World War's most famous fighter plane - the Spitfire.              Please contact seller,for correct shipping/P+p quotes - particularly ALL overseas customers - BEFORE ordering through the order page!   N.B. ALL buyers please note,stocks' actual shipping/P+p costs are adjusted and any difference is refunded,after order's receipt and before the order's despatch,especially if the item(s) are offered either P+p included/FREE.    ** N.B. US/Canada customers please be aware: Standard AIRMAIL postage from UK to these destinations can now cost more than the price of the book! If speed is not of the essence,then Economy rate is recommended - at approx. anything from a 1/3rd to 1/2 of the standard US AIR quote/rate - sometimes arriving sooner than the 42 days - but not always. **

Stock number: rja1127324. ISBN: 9781472281968.

£ 25.00 (approx. $US 32.54 )

CROSSING**, WILLIAM:
ONE HUNDRED YEARS ON DARTMOOR: Historical Notices of the Forest and its Purlieus during the 19thC.

Imprint: UK.EXETER,DEVON.DEVON BOOKS,1987.
Edition: UK,8vo HB,1st edn thus.
Binding: Hardback
Inscription: Not SIGNED.

UK,8vo HB,1st edn,thus (1901 facsimile edn).FINE.Neat presentation inscrptn ffe. Bottle green rexine bds with gilt flowers silhouette stamped to upper bd and gilt letters to spine/backstrip,with plain white eps.Gilt publishers colophon to rear bottom corner.UK,8vo HB,1st edn thus,132pp includes 15pp appendix,12pp b/w contemporary photographs and an index. The first work that William Crossing gave this title to,was a series of newspaper articles which appeared in the Western Morning News in 1900.Later the text,with additions in the shape of the first chapter,five appendices and twenty-three illustrations was turned into a book,of which this volume is a facsimile; it to was published by the Western Morning News. The first edition came out in August 1901. It was an immediate success,indeed it is said that the first edition was sold out in a single day.The book ran through five editions,the last of which was published in March 1902.The work then lay dormant for sixty-five years,until 1967,when a new edition in a different format with new illustrations and an Introduction by Brian Le Messurier was published by David & Charles - who in turn ceased trading in the late 1980's. Since April 2013,again in March 2015,and in this year too,the UK Post Office has altered it's Pricing in Proportion template,altering its prices,weight allowances,dimensions and lowered its qualifying compensation rates too! So,please contact seller,because of the weight/value of this item,for correct, insured shipping/P+p quotes - particularly ALL overseas buyers - BEFORE ordering through the order page!

Stock number: rja449. ISBN: 0861147995.

£ 35.00 (approx. $US 45.55 )

CROSSLEY-HOLLAND**, KEVIN:
ARTHUR: KING OF THE MIDDLE MARCH. **

Imprint: LONDON.ORION CHILDREN'S BOOKS,2003.
Edition: UK,8vo HB+dw/dj,1st edn.
Binding: Hardback , With Dust Jacket
Inscription: Not SIGNED.

UK,8vo HB+dw/dj,1st edn.FINE+/FINE+.No owner inscrptn,and no price-clip to dw/dj.Bright, crisp,clean,part-matt,part-glossy,colour illustrated dw/dj,with brown+black lettering; with negligible shelf-wear and creasing to edges and corners - no nicks or tears present.Top+fore -edges bright and clean; contents bright,tight, clean,solid and sound - virtually pristine - no intentional dog-ear reading creases to pages' top corners,but there's an accidental(?) diagonal crease to bottom corner of pp25/6 - otherwise would still appear to be unread? Bright,crisp,clean, sharp-cornered,dark burgundy paper-covered boards with bright,crisp,blocked silver gilt letters to spine/backstrip,with immaculate map illustrated endpapers.UK,8vo HB+ dw/dj,1st edn,1-396pp [paginated] includes 112 chapters,b/w woodcut illus interspersed throughout the text,a wordlist and a calendar to rear.Plus [unpaginated] half-title,b/w vignetted title page,a dedication page,characters list/ table,Author's Note and Acknowledgements,a contents list/table and 4pp blanks at rear. The 3rd book in 'The Seeing Stone' trilogy,the 1st & 2nd being 'Arthur: The Seeing Stone' and 'Arthur: At the Crossing Places' respectively. Thousands of knights and footsoldiers are mustering in Venice for the launch of the Fourth Crusade.Among them is young Arthur de Caldicot, soon to be dubbed a knight.He is thrilled to be part of this huge gathering; but all too soon the crusade falls into disarray.The crusaders squabble and scheme,and terrible bloodshed follows as Christian turns on Christian and Saracens draw their scimitars. Arthur,his eyes opened to the horrors of war, looks into his seeing stone for guidance and realises that the exploits of King Arthur and his knights,like those of the crusaders,are as grim as they are glorious.And he wonders about his own life - his betrothal,his friendship with the village girl Gatty,the mother he dreams of finding,and his father,who joins the crusade with appalling consequences.When at last he returns to England,all he has lost and all he has won come together. . . War,romance,murder,family quarrels,power politics,the conflict between Christianity and Islam: all these are elements in an action-packed story that gives us a startingly vivid picture of medieval life,enriched by earthy comedy and the magic of the Arthurian legends. Darker and deeper than the first two books of the trilogy,this is a stunning ending to a trilogy that has utterly captivated its readers. Kevin Crossley-Holland has won accolades all over the world for 'The Seeing Stone' and 'At the Crossing-Places',the first two volumes in his Arthur trilogy,which is being published in more than twenty languages.'The Seeing Stone' won the Guardian Children's Fiction Award,the Tir na n-Og prize and the Smarties Prize Bronze Medal and was shortlisted for the Whitbread Award. He won the Carnegie Medal with 'Storm' and his 'Beowulf' with Charles Keeping is a contemporary classic. Please contact seller,for correct shipping/P+p quotes - particularly ALL overseas buyers - BEFORE ordering through the order page! ** N.B. ALL buyers please note,stocks' actual shipping/P+p costs are adjusted and any difference is refunded,after order's receipt and before the order's despatch, especially if the item(s) are offered either P+p included/FREE. ** N.B. US/Canada customers please be aware: Standard AIRMAIL postage from UK to these destinations can now cost more than the price of the book! If speed is not of the essence,then Economy rate is recommended - at approx. anything from a 1/3rd to 1/2 of the standard US AIR quote/rate - sometimes arriving sooner than the 42 days - but not always.

Stock number: rja517915. ISBN: 1842550608.

£ 12.00 (approx. $US 15.62 )