"Everything in the world exists in order to end up as a book"
— Stephan Mallarme
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.
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 Belgian Congo. More about A Burnt-Out Case
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 about The Bear Fell Free
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 about The Bear Fell Free
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. Light spotting to top edge else fine in like wrapper. Greene's previous novel 'Our Man In Havana', had impressed author... More about A Burnt-Out Case
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 about The Comedians
The Comedians.
London: The Bodley Head, 1966. FIRST EDITION. Modern literature. Octavo (20x14cm), pp.313. Publisher's green gilt-entitled cloth in pictorial dust-wrapper with wraparound design by Ivan Lapper. Lightly handled only; jacket a shade toned to the spine; near fine. Basis for the 1967 Golden Globe nominated movie starring Richard Burton, Elizabeth Taylor... More about The Comedians
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. Bookplate to pastedown and gift note to flyleaf, edges a little dusty, jacket price-clipped. A lightly used copy; very good indeed... More about The Comedians
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 about The Complaisant Lover. A Play
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 about The Complaisant Lover. A Play
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 about Doctor Fischer of Geneva or The Bomb Party
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 about Getting to Know the General. The Story of an Involvement
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 about The Heart of the Matter
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 about The Heart of the Matter
The Honorary Consul.
London: The Bodley Head, 1973. Thriller. FIRST EDITION. Octavo, pp.335. Publisher's green cloth with gilt titles to spine, top edge tinited, in dustjacket designed by Michael Harvey. Slight reading lean; some light bruising to jacket edges. Very good indeed. 'The Honorary Consul' returns to that third world the critics call... More about The Honorary Consul
Introductions to Three Novels
Stockholm 1962, FIRST EDITION. Slim 8vo. Pp49. Publisher's self-wraps, with titles printed in colour to spine and upper. Edges uncut. Slight toning to extremities else a fine copy. A curious item released by the Scandinavian publisher as 'Norstedts Christmas Gift Book for 1962', with a foreword and colophon in Swedish... More about Introductions to Three Novels
It's A Battlefield.
William Heinemann. 1934. FIRST EDITION 8vo. 8vo. Publisher's black cloth, gilt titles to spine. Top edge dusty, cloth a little sunned and handled, gift inscription to flyleaf, neat bookseller ticket to pastedown. Very good. An early, edgy thriller from Greene which portrays the murkier areas of London where Drover, a.... More about It's A Battlefield
![L'Agent Secret [The Confidential Agent]. Graham GREENE](/pictures/thumb/47170.JPG?v=1493311014)
L'Agent Secret [The Confidential Agent].
Paris: Éditions du Seuil, 1948. THE FIRST FRENCH EDITION of 'The Confidential Agent', LIMITED TO 110 COPIES. This is number 80. Octavo, pp.269. Bound in publisher's yellow card wraps with blue and white lettering to covers. Pages remain uncut. A lovely copy, very clean and bright throughout. One crease in... More about L'Agent Secret [The Confidential Agent
The Labyrinthine Ways
Viking, New York 1940, FIRST EDITION. Octavo. Publisher's bright yellow cloth titled in blue. Browning to endpapers, faint cup ring to upper. Very good overall. Published in the UK as 'The Power and the Glory.'. More about The Labyrinthine Ways
The Living Room. A Play in Two Acts.
London: William Heinemann Ltd, 1953. FIRST EDITION: Octavo. Publisher's red cloth with gilt titles to spine, neat ownership to flyleaf. Original pictorial dust jacket; lightly worn,with a few small chips. Now rather elusive. Graham Greene's first play, a melodrama. WOBBE, R.A, "Graham Greene - A Bibliography and Guide to Research"..... More about The Living Room. A Play in Two Acts
Loser Takes All.
London: William Heinemann Ltd., 1955. [Modern fiction]. FIRST EDITION. Octavo (20 x 14cm), pp [viii]; 140. Publisher's cloth in pictorial dust-wrapper drawn by 'Stevens'. Bookseller's ticket to rear pastedown. A clean bright copy with a few minor chips to the jacket. Complete with the scarce Heinemann advertising leaflet/postcard loosely inserted... More about Loser Takes All
The Lost Childhood. And other Essays.
London: Eyre and Spottiswoode, 1951. FIRST EDITION. Publisher's beige cloth, titles to spine, top edge tinted red, original dustwrapper. Neat ink name to flyleaf, jacket a little edgeworn edgworn with some fraying and wear to spine tips. A very good copy of Greene's collection of literary essays about authors such... More about The Lost Childhood. And other Essays
![The Man Within [aka Smugglers]. Graham GREENE](/pictures/thumb/50876.JPG?v=1552663314)
The Man Within [aka Smugglers].
London: William Heinemann Ltd., 1929. [Historical Adventure] FIRST EDITION. Small Octavo (19 x 13cm), pp.[xii]; 354; [2], blank. Publisher's black cloth with gilt titles to spine, printed dust jacket. A lovely fine copy of the book which appears to be unread. Jacket lightly worn with some old gummed paper to... More about The Man Within [aka Smugglers
May We Borrow Your Husband? And Other Comedies of the Sexual Life.
London: The Bodley Head, 1967. UNCORRECTED PROOF COPY in publisher's printed yellow wraps. Clipped at first flyleaf. Externally fine, with minimal creasing to spine. Remarkably clean throughout. Twelve entertaining short stories from Greene, which were received with acclaim. More about May We Borrow Your Husband? And Other Comedies of the Sexual Life
May We Borrow Your Husband? And other comedies of the sexual life.
London: The Bodley Head, 1967. FIRST EDITION. Octavo, pp.188. Bound in publisher's green cloth, with gilt titles to spine, in neon pink pictorial dustwrapper by Stephen Russ. A fine, bright copy with just a hint of sunning to the spine and a little wear at the crown. Twelve humorous short... More about May We Borrow Your Husband? And other comedies of the sexual life
The Ministry of Fear. An Entertainment.
London: William Heinemann, 1943. First edition. Octavo, pp. 236. Half bound in recent red calf over red marbled boards. Printed to wartime economy standards. Textblock remains tight and clean with very little spotting, some marking to the edges. Overall a very good copy. More about The Ministry of Fear. An Entertainment