First Lesson by White (12 results)

Soft Cover. Condition: Good. No Jacket. None (illustrator). Curtis Books 07273, scarce edition of one of T.H. White's early romance works, written under the pseudonym James Aston to avoid scandal. Some creases to spine, general wear and soil to covers. 4 x 7 inches with 192 pages.

Hardcover. Condition: Very Good. No Jacket. First American Edition. Octavo. Pp.265. First American edition. T.H. White, before his beloved Arthurian series, wrote this sad novel about the futile love of an Englishman for a pretty Italian girl. A very good copy in light red cloth boards, titled in black. Spine lightly sunned; faint spotting and one small bump to covers, else fine. No ownership or other marks.

Hardcover. Condition: Very Good. No Jacket. 1st Edition. In red cloth with fading to cloth on spine. Small name stamp. A square copy. No jacket.

Hardcover. Condition: Fine. Dust Jacket Condition: Near Fine. 1st Edition. First American edition. A clean copy of this early novel by T. H. White. Fine book in a near fine jacket with the green lettering on the spine faded from green to light grey.

FIRST EDITION. Half title, v. sl. spotting to prelims. Orig. yellow cloth; v. sl. marked. Buff pictorial d.w., clipped; a little rubbed & marked, rear panel sl. creased with two small closed tears. A nice copy. An early novel of White's, in which a buttoned-up Cambridge don has some erotic adventures with a liberated foreign type. The book was published under a pseudonym for fear of causing scandal, as White was then working as a teacher. The effort was in vain: one of his students read it and he was hauled up before the headmaster. The sexual antics are unlikely to startle even the most sheltered modern reader, but White is such an astute scholar of English stuffiness that there's humour to be had nonetheless.

Dust Jacket Condition: dj. First Edition. First edition of this tale of a Cambridge Don's oft-wacky adventures on the Mediterranean, its publication leading to a "minor scandal" (Gallix) after the parents of one of his students read it. FIRST LESSON resulted from T. H. White's experiences at Cambridge and in Italy, although one doubts he got up to quite the level of shenanigans as his wayward Mr. Belfry. White's fourth published work, it represents a period of genre experimentation before his great success with THE ONCE AND FUTURE KING. Even in these early days of his career, THE GUARDIAN praised him for "extract[ing] abundant amusement" from his characters. But FIRST LESSON caused White trouble, even published under a pseudonym: after complaints from parents, the headmaster at the school where White taught asked White to "give him a written recantation promising that he would no longer write such books" (Gallix 8). 7.5'' x 4.75''. Original yellow cloth binding with red spine label. Original unclipped (7s. 6d.) pictorial dust jacket. Red topstain. [8], 268 pages with 4 pages of ads to rear. Bookseller's stamp to front flyleaf. Jacket with edgewear, some chipping; tiny closed tear to front flap joint. Jacket price crossed through in ink. Binding with small spot on rear board, light bumping to head and tail of spine, touch of color bleed from topstain to first couple leaves. Bright. Very good in very good dust jacket.

Hardcover. Condition: Very Good. Dust Jacket Condition: Very Good. 1st Edition. [White (T.H.)], "James Aston". First Lesson, first edition, original cloth, some shadowing to upper cover from jacket, slight shelf-lean, dust-jacket, minor chipping to spine ends and corners, very light surface soiling, light rubbing to extremities, a bright and excellent example overall, 8vo, 1932. ? T .H. White's second pseudonymous novel with its macabre dust-jacket designed by Cecil Walter Bacon.

First Edition. Rare novel by the pseudonym of T. H. White, of a Cambridge Don who goes to Italy for a holiday and finds an odd adventure instead. Very Good firmly bound volume, but with soiled spine and rubbed spine ends, contemporary gift inscription at front endpaper, in Very Good dustjacket, some nicking and light wear at spine ends and flap corners.

First edition. Octavo. pp [viii], 267. Four pages of publishers' adverts in the rear. The author's fourth book and the second of two under this pseudonym.Spine slightly creased. Very good in very good, nicked and chipped dustwrapper, designed by C.W. Bacon, with a few short tears repaired on the reverse. .

First edition, first impression of the author's fourth book, the second that he published under the pseudonym James Aston. Octavo. Original yellow cloth, gilt titles on red cloth label to spine, red top-stain. With dust jacket. Bookseller's ticket to rear pastedown. Spine rolled, cloth a little dulled, light spotting to endpapers, contents faintly toned. A very good copy in the rubbed, nicked and toned jacket that has been skilfully repaired at the folds.

First edition, first impression of the author's fourth book, the second that he published under the pseudonym James Aston. Octavo. Original yellow cloth, gilt titles on red cloth label to spine, red top-stain. With dust jacket. Gentle roll to spine, in the dust jacket with a touch of wear to extremities, mild toning. An excellent copy.

First edition, first impression of the author's fourth book, and the second that he published under the pseudonym James Aston. Octavo. Original yellow cloth, red label to spine lettered in gilt, top edge red. With dust jacket. Spine slightly rolled, a little darkening to spine ends, some light scattered foxing to contents. An excellent copy in the jacket with some minor loss to spine ends, and a few shallow chips to extremities, a couple of small tape repairs to verso.