"If one cannot enjoy reading a book over and over again, there is no use in reading it at all. "
— Oscar Wilde
Literature
The Comic Blackstone.
London: At the Punch Office, 1846. 8vo.; pp. 252, with 3 illustrations by Cruikshank: a frontispiece, an engraved title page printed in red and black, and a cartouche at foot of last page. Bound in later (20th century) tan half calf with dark brown title label, gilt titles and extra... More about The Comic Blackstone
Baa Baa Black Sheep.
London: Macmillan, 1970. FIRST EDITION. Octavo (21 x 14cm), pp.223; [1]. Publisher's brown cloth, gilt titles to spine, in pictorial dust-jacket designed by Mike Cook. Some spotting to endpapers and top edge, a few pages creased from being turn over. Price clipped dust-jacket shows well with just some slight fading... More about Baa Baa Black Sheep
Poems.
London: The Faun Press, 1950. INSCRIBED. Small octavo, pp.[2] 25 [1]. One of just 250 copies. INSCRIBED by the author in blue ink to the recto of the first leaf: 'To Chloe, remembering in / friendliness and gratitude / many occasions, and the / once that told us that /... More about Poems
The Long Dark Tea-Time of the Soul.
London: Heinemann, 1988. [Modern literature] FIRST EDITION. Octavo (25 x 17cm), pp.[6]; 246; [2]. Publisher's grey cloth, gilt titles to spine, pictorial dust-jacket designed by Claudia Zeff with printed price of £10.95 net. Textblock marginally toned to edges otherwise clean and bright. Cloth and wrapper lightly handled, lightly bumped to top corners. Very good. More about The Long Dark Tea-Time of the Soul
Mostly Harmless.
London: Heinemann, 1992. [Modern literature] SIGNED FIRST EDITION. Octavo (25 x 17cm), pp.[16]; 217; [32]. Publisher's grey cloth, titles in silver to spine, pictorial dust-jacket with printed price of £12.99. Signed by the author to the title page. Lightly toned to edges, small water stain to the cloth at the... More about Mostly Harmless
![So Long And Thanks For All The Fish [Hitch-Hikers Guide]. Douglas ADAMS](/pictures/thumb/44719.jpg?v=1511187535)
So Long And Thanks For All The Fish [Hitch-Hikers Guide].
London: Pan, 1984. [Comedy-Fantasy] INSCRIBED FIRST EDITION. Octavo (22 x 14cm). pp. [5], 191. Bound in publisher's black cloth with titles in silver to spine. Black dust jacket, designed by Gary Day-Ellison, with holographic panel to front cover, and titles in white to front cover and spine, unclipped. Includes publisher's... More about So Long And Thanks For All The Fish [Hitch-Hikers Guide
So Long And Thanks For All The Fish.
London: Pan, 1984. [Comedy-Fantasy] INSCRIBED FIRST EDITION. Octavo (22 x 14cm). pp.191; [1]. Bound in publisher's black cloth with titles in silver to spine. Black dust jacket, designed by Gary Day-Ellison, with holographic panel to front cover, and titles in white to front cover and spine, unclipped. With signed presentation... More about So Long And Thanks For All The Fish
The White Tiger.
London: Atlantic Books, 2008. [Modern Literature] SIGNED FIRST EDITION. Octavo (22 x 16cm), pp.[6] 321 [1]. Signed by the author to the title page. Publisher's black cloth with silver titles to spine, red endpapers. With the dust-jacket designed by gray318, priced at £12.99. A fine copy. More about The White Tiger
Adomnan's Life of Columba.
London: Thomas Nelson and Sons, 1961. FIRST THUS. Octavo, pp.xxiv; 590; [2]. A superior edition with a large introduction and duel Latin / English text on facing pages. In publisher's green cloth with gilt titles to spine. With original green dust-jacket. Top edge green. Some very light rubbing to jacket... More about Adomnan's Life of Columba
![Select Fables of Esop and Other Fabulists. In Three Books. [Aesop's Fables]. 620BC - 564BC AESOP,...](/pictures/thumb/43543.jpg?v=1543420343)
Select Fables of Esop and Other Fabulists. In Three Books. [Aesop's Fables].
Birmingham: Printed by John Baskerville for R. and J. Dodsley in Pall-Mall, 1764. [The celebrated fabulist] Crown octavo (19 x 13cm), pp.lxxvii; 186; [28], index; [2], blank. Bound in full tan calf with red title label to spine, five raised bands with extra gilt, marbled endpapers. A few marks to... More about Select Fables of Esop and Other Fabulists. In Three Books. [Aesop's Fables
Best Indian Chutney (Sweetened). Some Eastern Vignettes.
London: Herbert Jenkins, 1925. [Modern Literature] FIRST EDITION. Octavo (19 x 13cm), pp.[2]; 312; [8]. Contemporary tan half leather over dark blue cloth boards, titles in black to spine. Some ownership inscriptions, label of Sind Club Library to upper board, with a label with shelf mark to spine. Textblock a.... More about Best Indian Chutney (Sweetened). Some Eastern Vignettes
Costumes by Eros.
London: Jonathan Cape. 1929. First edition. Octavo, pp. 255. Publisher's plum cloth with gilt titles to spine, white paper dustwrapper with a depiction of Eros by Gower Parks. Slight lean to the book, light spotting to the prelims and moderate spotting to the edges. Covers show general wear and dustiness... More about Costumes by Eros
Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? A Play.
London: Jonathan Cape, 1962. [Drama] UK PROOF COPY. Octavo (20 x 13cm), pp.[10] 242 [4]. Publisher's pink monogrammed card wraps with a type-written label showing title, price and testimonials pasted to front cover. Very light wear and sunning to spine; some marks to edges. Near fine. More about Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? A Play
Roads to Glory.
London: Chatto & Windus, 1930. SIGNED LIMITED FIRST EDITION. Demy Octavo. pp. 278. no. 199 of 360 copies, signed by the author to limitation page. With original glassine jacket. In quarter blue cloth with gilt titles to spine and orange / white patterned paper-covered boards. All edges untrimmed. Near-fine with... More about Roads to Glory
Earthworks.
London: Faber and Faber, 1965. [Science fiction] FIRST EDITION. Octavo (19 x 13cm), pp.155; [1] blank. Publisher's black cloth, gilt titles to spine, dust-jacket by Margaret Peall and Trevor Heath, with printed price of 16s net. Textblock a little toned to edges, a few pages show the ghost of a.... More about Earthworks
The Brightfount Diaries.
1955. FIRST EDITION. This is the author's first book. Octavo, pp. 200. Bound in blue publisher's cloth with author's name and title in yellow lettering to spine, in a pink pictorial dustjacket designed by Pearl Falconer who provides illustration throughout. Boards in excellent condition with no visible signs of wear... More about The Brightfount Diaries
Contes.
no place no date [circa 1960]. [Inscribed illustrations] TWO SIGNED PUBLISHER'S PROOF PLATES. One page of text and two publisher's proof plates mounted, framed and glazed. Both plates warmly inscribed and signed by Alexeieff to Max Begg. Overall size (71 x 41cm). Fine. More about Contes
Alentejo Blue.
London: Doubleday, 2006. [Modern fiction]. SIGNED LIMITED FIRST EDITION. Octavo (23 x 15cm). Publisher's blue cloth, gilt titles, without dust-jacket as issued, blue cloth slipcase with gilt titles. Still in the original shrink wrap with "Signed by the Author at Waterstone's" label. Some tears and loss to the shrink wrap. Fine. More about Alentejo Blue
Waters of Arun.
London: Methuen, 1930. FIRST EDITION. Octavo, pp.xiv; [2]; 170; [2]. Publisher's green cloth with gilt titles to spine, in photographic dust-jacket. With 21 maps and 6 illustrations. Some offsetting to endpapers, some rubbing to spine ends. Dust-jacket has some loss at the top, rubbing to folds, and some tears. A.... More about Waters of Arun
Hilda Wade.
London: Grant Richards, 1900. First Edition. 8vo. Publisher's dark blue cloth titled and decorated in gilt to spine and front board. A used copy with some shelfwear,rubbed to extremities, gilt illustration rubbed to upper, discreet owner stamp to flyleaf, inside paper joint cracked. Very good. Illustrated throughout by Gordon Browne... More about Hilda Wade
The Ability to Kill.....And Other Pieces.
London: The Bodley Head Ltd. 1962. FIRST EDITION, octavo, pp.222. Publisher's light red cloth in a rather chilling pictorial dust jacket, illustrated by Don Higgins. Minor handling; a near fine copy. Not exactly bed-time reading! -Ambler's examination of what kind of mentality is required to become a killer. The present... More about The Ability to Kill.....And Other Pieces
The Ability to Kill.....And Other Pieces.
London: The Bodley Head Ltd., 1963. [Murder/true crime] FIRST EDITION, corrected state. Octavo (21 x 14cm), pp.222. Publisher's light red cloth in a rather chilling pictorial dust jacket, illustrated by Don Higgins. Usual laminate shrinkage at joint else a fine copy. Not exactly bed-time reading! Ambler's examination of what kind... More about The Ability to Kill.....And Other Pieces
The Ability to Kill.....And Other Pieces.
London: The Bodley Head Ltd., 1963. [Murder/true crime] FIRST EDITION, corrected state. Octavo (21 x 14cm), pp.222. Publisher's light red cloth in a rather chilling pictorial dust-jacket, illustrated by Don Higgins. Illustrated bookplate to flyleaf. Usual laminate shrinkage at joint, some soiling, spine and extremities toned. Very good. More about The Ability to Kill.....And Other Pieces
Background to Danger.
New York, NY: Alfred A. Knopf, 1937. [Intrigue] FIRST U.S. EDITION. Octavo (19 x 13cm), pp.280; [1], blank; [1], advertisements; [2], blank. Publisher's orange cloth lettered in burgundy, pictorial jacket priced at $2.00. Edges of text block toned, ink ownership to flyleaf, jacket with a few chips and tears, clipped... More about Background to Danger
The Care of Time.
New York, NY: Farrar Straus Giroux, 1981. [Spy Thriller] INSCRIBED FIRST US EDITION. Octavo (24 x 16cm), pp.[10] 277 [1]. INSCRIBED by the author in blue ink to title page: 'With best wishes from | an ever-grateful patient | Eric Ambler | London 14 May 82'. Publisher's purple quarter cloth... More about The Care of Time