"There is no friend as loyal as a book."
— Ernest Hemingway
C. S. Forester (Cecil Louis Troughton Smith) | First Editions
1899 - 1966
Cecil Louis Troughton Smith (27 August 1899 – 2 April 1966), known by his pen name Cecil Scott "C. S." Forester, was an English novelist known for writing tales of naval warfare. He is most remembered for his 12-book Horatio Hornblower series, depicting a Royal Navyofficer during the Napoleonic wars; indeed, Hornblower has become embedded in the consciousness of generations growing up in the earlier part of the 20th century. Two of the Hornblower books, A Ship of the Line and Flying Colours, were jointly awarded the James Tait Black Memorial Prize for fiction in 1938. His other works include The African Queen, which was adapted into a 1951 film.
See below our stock of C. S. Forester First Editions and signed copies.
Hornblower and The Atropos.
London: Michael Joseph, 1953. [Naval Fiction] FIRST EDITION. Crown Octavo (19 x 13cm), pp.302. In publisher's mid-brown cloth with gilt titles to spine. Pictorial dust jacket by Biro featuring an illustration of a British frigate. Trivial wear. An unquestionably fine copy in exceptional condition. Following the funeral of Admiral Nelson... More about Hornblower and The Atropos
Hornblower and the Crisis.
London: Michael Joseph, 1967. [Naval fiction] FIRST EDITION. Octavo (20 x 14cm), pp.175. Publisher's bright blue cloth. Pictorial dust-wrapper designed by Ivan Lapper priced at 25s. Three small ink numbers to flyleaf else a fine copy of the book in slightly edgeworn, near fine wrapper. Contains the uncompleted last Hornblower... More about Hornblower and the Crisis
The African Queen.
London: William Heinemann, 1935. FIRST EDITION. Crown Octavo. pp. 283. In publisher's brown cloth with gilt titles to spine. Only 2500 copies were originally printed. Some discrete well-executed repair work to spine. Some marks to boards, otherwise a very good copy. Set in 1915 on the treacherous rivers of war-torn... More about The African Queen
The Commodore.
London: Michael Joseph, 1945. [Naval adventure] FIRST EDITION. Octavo (19 x 13cm), pp.271; [1]. Publisher's yellow cloth with silver titles to spine, in striking Barbosa-designed dust-wrapper priced at 9/6. Dusty top edge else book is near fine. Jacket sunned to spine, some rubbing and a couple of short tears. Very... More about The Commodore
The Earthly Paradise.
London; Michael Joseph. 1954. FORESTER FAMILY COPY. Mermaid books edition. 8vo. Publisher's illustrated paper covered limp boards. Minor edgewear and scuffing with some light inoffensive bubbling of the laminate. Very good indeed. INSCRIBED by Forester to his nephew on the front flyleaf: "To Stephen, from His Uncle (Poor Chap), C.S.... More about The Earthly Paradise
The Earthly Paradise.
London: Michael Joseph Limited, 1940. [Historical Fiction]. FIRST EDITION. Octavo (19 x 13cm), pp.319; [1]. blank. Publisher's cloth in dust-wrapper. Book is fine, bright jacket is lightly edgeworn, chipped across crown and a couple of tears, some tape reinforcement to rear. Shows well. Enthralling historical adventure set in an age... More about The Earthly Paradise
Flying Colours.
London: Michael Joseph, 1938. FIRST TRADE EDITION. Octavo, pp.284; [3 of adverts; [1]. Publisher's red cloth, titled in silver to spine, yellow endpapers, in the Rowland Hilder designed dust-jacket with the "Book Society Choice" wraparound band. Spine ends slightly rolled, slight crease down the spine. Some spotting to edges. The... More about Flying Colours
The Happy Return.
London: Michael Joseph, 1937. [Naval adventure] FIRST EDITION of the first Horatio Hornblower novel. Octavo (20 x 14cm), pp.287; [1]. Publisher's green cloth in original dust-wrapper illustrated by Rowland Hilder. A little spotting to edges, neat repaired tear to half title, clean bright jacket with one small chip and tear... More about The Happy Return
The Happy Return.
London: Michael Joseph, 1937. [Naval adventure] FIRST EDITION of the first Horatio Hornblower novel. Octavo (20 x 14cm), pp.287; [1]. Publisher's green cloth lettered in silver to spine, yellow endpapers. Contents clean, minor dustiness to edges, Book Society bookplate to pastedown, cloth bright and fresh. A near fine copy without... More about The Happy Return
Horatio Hornblower. An omnibus volume comprising The Commodore and Lord Hornblower.
London: Michael Joseph, 1952. [Naval Fiction] FIRST EDITION. Octavo (19 x 13cm), pp.431. Publisher's dark blue cloth with silver titles to spine in Val Biro designed dust-jacket. Dust-jacket shows very well with very slight chipping to the head and tail of the spine panel, small closed puncture to the 'H'... More about Horatio Hornblower. An omnibus volume comprising The Commodore and Lord Hornblower
Horatio Hornblower. An omnibus volume comprising The Commodore and Lord Hornblower.
London: Michael Joseph, 1952. [Naval Fiction] FIRST EDITION. Octavo (19 x 13cm), pp.431; [1]. Publisher's dark blue cloth with silver titles to spine in Val Biro designed dust-jacket, complete with original sash promoting the television adaptation starring Michael Redgrave. Neat ownership to front pastedown. Some mottling to cloth. A few... More about Horatio Hornblower. An omnibus volume comprising The Commodore and Lord Hornblower
Hornblower and The Atropos.
Boston; Little Brown and Company. 1953. FORESTER FAMILY COPY. First US Edition. 8vo. Very good indeed in publisher's sea green cloth titled in gilt to spine, light bumping to spine ends. In an acceptable wrapper with fading to the spine panel, and creasing, chipping and a rectangle of loss to... More about Hornblower and The Atropos
Hornblower and The Atropos.
London: Michael Joseph, 1953. [Naval Fiction] FIRST EDITION. Octavo (19 x 13cm), pp.302; [2]. Publisher's brown cloth with gilt titles to spine. With the colour-illustrated dust-jacket by Val Biro, priced at 12/6. Jacket with bruising and some closed tears to edges; area of surface loss to front panel at the... More about Hornblower and The Atropos
Hornblower and the Hotspur.
London: Michael Joseph, 1962. [Naval adventure] FIRST EDITION. Octavo (20 x 14cm), pp.287; [1]. Publisher's blue cloth in pictorial dust-wrapper designed by David Cobb, priced at 18s. net. Some spotting to edge of text block, wrapper a trifle sunned to spine else near fine. More about Hornblower and the Hotspur
The Hornblower Companion.
Michael Joseph, London, 1964. Quarto. pp.140. Near fine (spine leaning) in near fine jacket with a little edgwear and a short tear to the head of the spine. Shows well. like dust-wrapper. FIRST EDITION. C.S. Forester was awarded the 1938 James Tait Black Memorial Prize for both the Hornblower novels... More about The Hornblower Companion
The Hornblower Companion.
London: Michael Joseph, 1964. First Edition. Quarto. pp.140. Bound in publisher's red cloth, with a gilt ship on a black oval ground to front board, gilt titles to spine; pale blue endpapers. Dust wrapper with large titles in red, white, and yellow to front cover and spine, with a map... More about The Hornblower Companion
![Hornblower in the West Indies [In John Bull magazine for June 1958]. C. S. FORESTER](/pictures/thumb/36979.jpg?v=1500292676)
Hornblower in the West Indies [In John Bull magazine for June 1958]
London. 1958. First appearance of 'Hornblower in the West Indies' in periodical parts (advertised under the title 'Hornblower and The Pirates'). Three issues, quarto, newspaper format. Minor edgewear otherwise clean and bright, scarce thus. Very good indeed. A rather elusive periodical serial of the final Hornblower novel in order of... More about Hornblower in the West Indies [In John Bull magazine for June 1958
Hunting The Bismarck.
London: Michael Joseph, 1959. [Second World War history] FIRST EDITION. Octavo (21 x 13cm), pp.110. Publisher's blue cloth boards, illustrated dust-jacket by Kenneth Farnhill priced at 12s 6d. Some spotting to edges; very good, in similar jacket with a few small rubs and tears. Shows well. An attractive copy of... More about Hunting The Bismarck
Lieutenant Hornblower.
London: Michael Joseph, 1952. [Naval fiction] FIRST EDITION. Octavo (19 x 13cm), pp.304. Publisher's mid-blue cloth in pictorial Biro-designed dust-wrapper. One short closed tear to rear. Exceptionally clean and bright. An unquestionably fine copy. Lieutenant Hornblower emerges from his apprenticeship as a midshipman, to the new responsibilities thrust upon him... More about Lieutenant Hornblower
Lieutenant Hornblower.
London: Michael Joseph, 1952. [Naval fiction] FIRST EDITION. Octavo (19 x 13cm), pp.304. Publisher's mid-blue cloth, pictorial Val Biro designed dust-wrapper. Book is near fine, jacket with two chips and some abrasion to the fore-edge, rear panel with some red staining to foot, the red spine lettering remains strong. Overall... More about Lieutenant Hornblower
Lord Hornblower.
London: Michael Joseph 1946. [Naval Fiction] FIRST EDITION. Crown Octavo (19 x 13cm), pp.224. In publisher's mid-brown cloth with silver-gilt titles to spine. Dust-wrapper designed by Rowland Hilder priced at 9/6. Light spotting to edges, jacket crisp and bright. An unquestionably fine copy. 'The Admiral's face was grim as he... More about Lord Hornblower
Mr. Midshipman Hornblower.
Boston, MA: Little Brown and Company, 1950. FORESTER FAMILY COPY. First US Edition. Octavo, p.310. Publisher's blue cloth, very good indeed, lightly worn to the extremities and with some slight edgewear and discolouration. In a dust-wrapper. This copy is INSCRIBED by the author to his wife Dorothy, on the front... More about Mr. Midshipman Hornblower
Payment Deferred
John Lane, The Bodley Head, London, 1926. Mystery novel. First Edition. 8vo.; pp.304 + 8 (adverts). Original red cloth, lettered to spine and upper cover in gilt. Occasional light spotting, joints a little rubbed, minor sunning to back-strip. An attractive example. A Hubin- listed crime title, and a Haycraft-Queen cornerstone of detective fiction. More about Payment Deferred
Plain Murder
London: Michael Joseph. 1951. FORESTER FAMILY COPY. 8vo. Reprint edition. Publisher's cloth in unclipped dustwrapper. Some moderate edgewear; very good. With signed ex-libris from the Forester and Troughton-Smith Family Archive to front pastedown. INSCRIBED by Forester to his nephew Stephen to front flyleaf: "To Stephen/ with best wishes from his... More about Plain Murder
Randall and The River of Time.
London; Michael Joseph. 1951. FORESTER FAMILY COPY. First Edition. 8vo. Publisher's black cloth titled in gilt to spine, in unclipped dustwrapper. Some light edgewear and scuffing, a hint of toning to spine panel. Minor spotting to page edges. Internally clean. Signed ex-libris from the Forester and Troughton-Smith Family Archive to... More about Randall and The River of Time