Winston S. Churchill - The Second World War, deluxe Chartwell edition, 1955

Description: The Second World War Winston S. Churchill London: Educational Book Co., Ltd., 1955 First illustrated edition Condition: Good plus This is the "Chartwell Edition" of Churchill's The Second World War, bound in the publisher's original "deluxe" blue quarter leather. This first illustrated edition of The Second World War was published soon after the British first edition and is aesthetically superior in every respect. It is also the final text, "in which all those first minor errors are corrected", according to the author. This particular edition stands the test of time as among the most aesthetically pleasing and the most pleasant to actually read. It was issued in two bindings - a red cloth and a scarcer blue quarter leather binding. This is the Deluxe binding, featuring blue pebble grain Morocco goatskin spines and light blue cloth covers. Not only attractive, the books also have a pleasing weight and size, measuring roughly 10 x 7 inches, each volume weighing three pounds. The boards are stout with beveled edges. The hubbed spine compartments are both blind and gilt ruled, two printed with author/title and subtitle/volume number. The contents are bound with gray marbled endpapers, head and foot bands, and dark blue topstain. The text is entirely reset from the first edition and is profusely illustrated with hundreds of illustrations on heavy, coated paper. Each volume also contains a color frontispiece and three-color maps. Regrettably, surviving sets frequently show significant wear and blemishes. This set is good plus, sound and complete though with aesthetic flaws. All six bindings are square and tight with sharp corners and only light shelf wear to extremities. The spines show inevitable toning, but the toning is uniform, some blue hue remains, and the gilt print is clearly legible. The contents show no previous ownership marks and are internally bright, though there is spotting to the prelims, final leaves, and the fore and bottom edges, which also show some age-toning. The blue-stained top edges retain uniform color, with mild sunning near the spine heads. The Second World War is Churchill's history of the epic 20th Century struggle that was so indelibly stamped by his leadership. Seldom, if ever, has history endowed a statesman with both singular ability to make history, and singular ability to write it. As with so much of what Churchill wrote, The Second World War is not "history" in the strictly academic, objectivist sense, but rather Churchill's perspective on history. In his March 1948 introduction to the first volume, Churchill himself made the disclaimer, "I do not describe it as history... it is a contribution to history..." Nonetheless the compelling fact remains, as stated by Churchill himself, "I am perhaps the only man who has passed through both the two supreme cataclysms of recorded history in high Cabinet office... I was for more than five years in this second struggle with Germany the Head of His Majesty's government. I write, therefore, from a different standpoint and with more authority than was possible in my earlier books." Certainly The Second World War may be regarded as an intensely personal and inherently biased history. Nonetheless, Churchill's work remains essential, iconic, and a vital part of the historical record. Richard Langworth calls the six-volume epic "indispensable reading for anyone who seeks a true understanding of the war that made us what we are today." The first volume of Churchill’s history was published in 1948, three years after the war ended. The sixth and final volume was published in 1954, during Churchill’s second and final premiership. Reference: Cohen A240.7.a, Woods/ICS A123(d) Langworth p.269. Ref #: 007977 CHURCHILL BOOK COLLECTOR We are Churchill Book Collector, a professional bookseller specializing in books and other published works by and about the great twentieth century statesman and acclaimed writer, Sir Winston Churchill. We offer both a singular inventory and approachable expertise. The integrity of our inventory is backed by our membership in the Antiquarian Booksellers’ Association of America (ABAA), the International League of Antiquarian Booksellers (ILAB), and the Independent Online Booksellers Association (IOBA). Churchill's official biographer, Sir Martin Gilbert, rightly called Churchill's long life "remarkable and versatile". Statesman, soldier, war correspondent, ardent social reformer, combative cold warrior, painter - Churchill was many things, but perhaps above all a master wordsmith. We’re here to help Churchill’s words find your shelves. Our extensive inventory features some of the rarest material offered – including fine first editions and inscribed copies – as well as reading copies and works about Churchill’s life and time. While we specialize in Churchill, our inventory also includes noteworthy first and collectible editions by other authors, ranging from Xenophon to T. E. Lawrence, spanning exploration and empire to twentieth century fiction. We are able to help with anything from finding individual books to assembling full collections, working closely with individual collectors to identify and accommodate their preferences and budget. We are also able to commission preservation cases and fine bindings. Please contact us if you have books to sell. We buy, and in some cases consign, fine and collectible individual items, as well as whole collections.

Price: 780 USD

Location: San Diego, California

End Time: 2025-01-19T03:32:54.000Z

Shipping Cost: 25 USD