"Hungry man, reach for the book: it is a weapon. "
— Bertolt Brecht
Graham Greene (Henry Graham Greene) | First Editions
1904 - 1991
Henry Graham Greene OM CH (2 October 1904 – 3 April 1991), better known by his pen name Graham Greene, was an English novelist and author, and is regarded as one of the most popular writers of the 20th century. Combining literary acclaim with widespread popularity, Greene acquired a reputation early in his lifetime as a major writer, both of serious Catholic novels, and of thrillers (or, as Greene referred to them, "entertainments"). His writing career spanned 67 years, in which he wrote 25 novels.
In 1967, Greene was shortlisted for the Nobel Prize for Literature. He has also collected several literary awards for his novels, including: the Hawthornden Prize for The Power and the Glory (1941), the James Tait Black Memorial Prize for The Heart of the Matter (1948), the Shakespeare Prize (1968), and the Jerusalem Prize - a biennial literary award given to writers whose works have dealt with themes of human freedom in society (1981). In 1986, Greene was awarded Britain's Order of Merit. His legacy lives on through the Graham Greene International Festival - an annual four-day event of conference papers, informal talks, question and answer sessions, films, dramatised readings, music, creative writing workshops and social events.
See below our stock of Graham Greene First Editions, fine bindings, sets and other collectible material.
contribute to 'The Evening Standard Book of Strange Stories'
London: Hutchinson and Co., no date [1934]. [Strange Tales - Omnibus] FIRST EDITION. Large octavo (21 x 13cm), pp.1024. Publisher's red cloth blocked in black, illustrated green dust-wrapper. An unquestionably fine copy with some light wear to spine tips and a few tiny nicks. A comprehensive collection of eighty-eight wierd..... More
A Burnt-Out Case.
London: Heinemann, 1961. [Modern Literature] UNCORRECTED PROOF COPY of the first edition. Octavo (19 x 13cm), pp.256. Publisher's blue paper wraps, lettered in black to spine and upper. Contents clean, covers with some toning to foot of upper, small splash to rear; very good. Greene's acclaimed novel set in the..... More
Ways of Escape.
London: The Bodley Head, 1980. [Memoirs] First Edition. Octavo (21 x 13cm), pp.309; [3], blank. Publisher's green cloth with gilt titles, top edge tinted green, dust-wrapper designed by Michael Harvey clipped and repriced by the publisher at £8.95. Discreet owner name. Near fine in similar, lightly sunned jacket. First published..... More
The Bear Fell Free.
London: Grayson and Grayson, 1935. [Modern Literature] SIGNED LIMITED EDITION. Slim octavo (22 x 15cm). One of the titles in "The Grayson Books" series, a collection of signed limited editions by notable authors. Publisher's gilt decorated green-brown cloth, illustrated endpapers, cream and blue dust-wrapper. Boards a little bowed, jacket with..... More
The Bear Fell Free.
London: Grayson and Grayson, 1935. [Modern Literature] PROOF COPY. Slim octavo (22 x 15cm), unpaginated. Bound in plain brown paper wraps, titled in ink to upper. Minor wear to spine, light handling; near fine. Published in an edition limited to 250 copies, yet only a handful of softcover proofs would..... More
A Burnt-Out Case.
London: Heinemann, 1961. [Modern Literature] First English Edition. Novel set in the Belgian Congo. Octavo (19 x 13cm), pp.256. Publisher's silver-titled black cloth in original pictorial dust-wrapper priced at 16s. A very good copy or better, in similar jacket with some surface abrasion and wear to folds. Shows well. Greene's..... More
The Comedians.
London: The Bodley Head. 1966. Uncorrected Proof Copy. Octavo, pp. 313. Soft cover in pale yellow card cover. Some slight creasing and lean to the spine, a couple of small marks to the covers, otherwise a fine copy. More
The Comedians.
London: The Bodley Head, 1966. [Modern literature] FIRST EDITION. Octavo (21 x 14cm), pp.313; [5] blank. Publisher's green cloth titled in gilt to spine, pictorial dust-jacket by Ivan Lapper priced at 25s. Internally clean, a few marks to binding and jacket, which is a little age-toned to the spine. Near..... More
The Comedians.
London: The Bodley Head, 1966. [Modern literature] FIRST EDITION. Octavo (21 x 14cm), pp.313; [5] blank. Publisher's green cloth titled in gilt to spine, pictorial dust-jacket by Ivan Lapper. Lightly handled, bookseller's ticket to pastedown, jacket price clipped. A near fine copy. Basis for the 1967 Golden Globe nominated movie..... More
The Complaisant Lover. A Play.
London: Heinemann. 1959. [Drama] FIRST EDITION. Octavo (18 x 12cm), pp.77. Publisher's blue cloth in pale green printed dust-jacket, priced at 8/6. A fine, unread copy in similar jacket with some accidental rubbing to the edges of the front panel. A bright example of this Graham Greene comedy, the third..... More
The Complaisant Lover. A Play.
London: Heinemann. 1959. [Drama] FIRST EDITION. Octavo (18 x 12cm), pp.77. Publisher's blue cloth in pale green printed dust-jacket, priced at 8/6. In a very good, lightly toned and spotted jacket. Near Fine. A bright example of this Graham Greene comedy, the third of eight plays from this most gifted..... More
The Confidential Agent.
New York, NY: The Viking Press, 1939. [Spy Thriller] FIRST US EDITION. Octavo (20 x 14cm), pp.[8] 302 [2]. Publisher's grey cloth with black titles to spine. Top edge yellow. Gently browned throughout. Light wear and marking to cloth, with some toning to spine. Very good. A British spy thriller..... More
Doctor Fischer of Geneva or The Bomb Party.
New York, NY: Simon And Schuster, 1980. [Mystery] UNCORRECTED PROOF. Octavo (22 x 15cm), pp.135; [1], blank. Publisher's printed yellow wraps with probable publication date 'May 1980' stamped to upper. Minor wear, edges toned; very good. A strange and sinister tale concerning Dr. Fischer, the notorious toothpaste millionaire, who has..... More
Doctor Fischer of Geneva or The Bomb Party.
London: The Bodley Head, 1980. [Mystery] FIRST EDITION. Octavo (21 x 13cm), pp.140; [4], blank. Publisher's green cloth hardback with gilt titles to spine, dust-wrapper designed by Michael Harvey priced £4.50. Text is first issue with 'leave alone' for 'let alone', p.9. A fine copy in near fine jacket, slightly..... More
Doctor Fischer of Geneva or The Bomb Party.
London: The Bodley Head, 1980. [Mystery] FIRST EDITION. Octavo (21 x 13cm), pp.140; [4], blank. Publisher's green cloth hardback with gilt titles to spine, dust-wrapper designed by Michael Harvey. Text is first issue with 'leave alone' for 'let alone', p.9. A fine copy in price-clipped jacket. A strange and sinister..... More
Doctor Fischer of Geneva or The Bomb Party.
New York, NY: Simon and Schuster, 1980. [Modern Literature] SIGNED LIMITED EDITION. Octavo (23 x 15cm), pp.[2] 156 [4]. Number 360 of 500 copies SIGNED by the author in green ink to preliminary limitation page. Publisher's dark navy cloth with gilt titles to spine, and mottled grey endpapers. With the..... More
The End of the Affair.
London: William Heinemann, 1951. [Modern Literature] FIRST EDITION. Octavo (19 x 13cm), pp.[6] 237 [1]. Publisher's grey cloth with gilt titles to spine. With the white and grey dust-jacket priced at 10/6. Endpapers browned; some sunning to head and tail of spine. Jacket browned to spine, with losses to head..... More
The End of the Affair.
New York, NY: The Viking Press, 1951. [Modern Literature] FIRST US EDITION. Octavo (21 x 15cm), pp.[6] 240 [2]. Publisher's black quarter cloth with gilt titles to spine, and green titles to upper. Brown cloth over boards; top edge green. With the dust-jacket designed by Edgard Cirlin, priced at $3.00..... More
Getting to Know the General. The Story of an Involvement.
London: The Bodley Head, 1984. [Modern History/Travel] FIRST EDITION. Octavo (22 x 14cm), pp.224. Hardback in dust-jacket. Appears unread. A clean, fine copy. Greene was preparing for a visit to Panama in August 1981 when the news came of the death of General Omar Torrijs Herrera. His small plane had..... More
The Great Jowett.
London: Bodley Head, 1981. [Drama] SIGNED LIMITED EDITION. Slim octavo (21 x 13cm), pp.44; [2], blank. Publisher's reddish orange cloth blocked in black and gilt, grey endpapers, clear plastic jacket. Number 244 of 525 copies signed by the author. Bookseller ticket to pastedown. Slightly sunned to the spine, plastic jacket..... More
The Heart of the Matter.
London: William Heinemann, 1948. [Adventure novel] FIRST EDITION. Octavo (19 x 13cm), pp.297. Publisher's blue cloth with silver titles to spine, buff endpapers, red top stain, dust-jacket priced at 9s.6d. Some overall wear and soiling, jacket with a few chips/rubs, red spine colour remains strong. A used, yet very good..... More
The Heart of the Matter.
London: William Heinemann, 1948. [Adventure novel] FIRST EDITION. Octavo (19 x 13cm), pp.297; [1]. Elegantly hand-bound in half red oasis, spine gilt-lettered in six compartments with raised bands, matching cloth sides. A couple of small spots to edges, exterior unmarked. A near fine copy in an attractive recent leather binding..... More
The Heart of the Matter.
London: William Heinemann Ltd., 1948. [Adventure novel] FIRST EDITION. Octavo (19 x 13cm), pp.297; [1]. Elegantly hand-bound in black half calf, spine gilt-lettered in six compartments with raised bands, matching cloth sides. A couple of small spots to edges, flyleaf toned, exterior unmarked. A near fine copy in an attractive..... More
The Honorary Consul.
London: The Bodley Head, 1973. [Thriller] FIRST EDITION. Octavo (20 x 13cm), pp.335; [1], blank. Publisher's green cloth with gilt titles to spine, top edge tinted, in dust-jacket designed by Michael Harvey, priced at £2.00 net. Some light wear and tanning, jacket slightly handled. A clean, near fine copy. 'The..... More
The Human Factor.
London: The Bodley Head, 1978. [Espionage novel] First Edition, second state of title page with publisher's monogram in place of the Shakespeare head motif. Octavo (21 x 13cm), pp.339; [1], blank. Publisher's green cloth with gilt titles, top edge tinted purple, dust-wrapper designed by Michael Harvey priced at £4.50. A...... More