CHITTY CHITTY BANG BANG - THE COMPLETE ADVENTURES OF THE MAGICAL CAR (A clean ex-library third printing)

Ian Fleming

ISBN 10: 0224005359 / ISBN 13: 9780224005357

Published by Jonathan Cape, 30, Bedford Square, London, WC1, 1981

About this Item

Third printing of the true first edition, published in 1981 - the first collected edition of the three books was published in 1971, and reprinted in 1977 and 1981 - originally published as three separate books in 1964-65. With the dustwrapper and book illustrations throughout by John Burningham. ***A very good copy in orange cloth-covered boards with gilt titles to the spine. The gilt is still beautifully bright having been protected by the dustwrapper. The boards are quite clean but there is some tape offsetting to the back board where a transparent cover was previously attached. Head and tail of spine and corners slightly creased. Page block edges clean without any foxing. Internally also very good, with no inscriptions, but with some residue from a now removed label at the top of the front pastedown, slightly affecting the front free endpaper (please see scans). Tape offsetting marks to the rear free endpaper. There is a 'Doncaster Library Service' stamp dated 7 Sep 1983 in the bottom margin of p.127 - no other library marks or annotations. Paper clean without any tears - just a bit of light creasing to the top corners of a few pages. Green endpapers. Spine tight with just a slight reading lean. ***In a very good colour-illustrated dustwrapper, which has not been price-clipped, but has a £5.95 re-pricing sticker over the original printed price. The dustwrapper is complete, with just some rubbing and creasing at the edges, mainly at the top and bottom of the spine. No significant creases or tears. No chips. No fading or browning even to the spine of the dustwrapper. Dustwrapper bright - a nice clean original dustwrapper. ***238mm x 165mm. 128 pages. ***'"Chitty-Chitty-Bang-Bang: The Magical Car" is a children's novel written by Ian Fleming for his son Caspar, with illustrations by John Burningham. It was initially published in three volumes, the first of which was released on 22 October 1964 by Jonathan Cape in London. Fleming, better known as the creator of James Bond, took his inspiration for the subject from a series of aero-engined racing cars called "Chitty Bang Bang", built by Louis Zborowski in the early 1920s at Higham Park. Fleming had known Higham Park as a guest of its later owner, Walter Whigham, chairman of Robert Fleming & Co. It was the last book he wrote and he did not live to see it published. "Chitty-Chitty-Bang-Bang" was loosely adapted as a 1968 film of the same name with a screenplay by Roald Dahl and Ken Hughes; a subsequent novelisation was also published.' (Wiki) ***A very clean ex-library copy of the 1981 third printing of the omnibus edition, in very good original condition. First published in 1971, the book was reprinted in 1977 and 1981 and many copies of all three printings went to public lending libraries - as did this copy. A good reading copy. ***For all our books, postage is charged at cost, allowing for packaging: any shipping rates indicated on ABE are an average only: we will reduce the P & P charge where appropriate - please contact us for postal rates for heavier books and sets etc.

Seller Inventory # 8547

Bibliographic Details

• Title: CHITTY CHITTY BANG BANG - THE COMPLETE ADVENTURES OF THE MAGICAL CAR (A clean ex-library third printing)
• Publisher: Jonathan Cape, 30, Bedford Square, London, WC1
• Publication Date: 1981
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0224005359
• ISBN 13: 9780224005357
• Binding: Hardcover
• Illustrator: John Burningham
• Edition: First Edition
• Condition: Very Good
• Dust Jacket Condition: Very Good
• Seller catalogs:
  • Children's Literature
  • Illustrated

About this title

Synopsis

Boards have some light surface marks but have little wear. DJ has some tears with stain mark to lower front and general toning - price clipped. Clean pages with just a tone to page ends. 1st Omnibus Edition.

Review

This is why the book holds up, 50 years after its original publication: its sense of the world as an inexplicable but also miraculous place.
--Los Angeles Times Online

There's no improving on perfection--in this case Fleming's adventure story (featuring the unconventional family Pott and their magically refurbished motorcar) with the original, transcendent Burningham illustrations, first published in 1964. The confiding informality of the storyteller's voice; the nonstop and immensely child-pleasing adventures; the spunk of young Jeremy and Jemima; and of course the ingenious personality of Chitty-Chitty-Bang-Bang herself--all combine to make an ideal family read-aloud. This handsome fiftieth-anniversary gift edition is ... so very welcome.
--Horn Book
This is why the book holds up, 50 years after its original publication: its sense of the world as an inexplicable but also miraculous place.
--Los Angeles Times Online

There s no improving on perfection in this case Fleming s adventure story (featuring the unconventional family Pott and their magically refurbished motorcar) with the original, transcendent Burningham illustrations, first published in 1964. The confiding informality of the storyteller s voice; the nonstop and immensely child-pleasing adventures; the spunk of young Jeremy and Jemima; and of course the ingenious personality of Chitty-Chitty-Bang-Bang herself all combine to make an ideal family read-aloud. This handsome fiftieth-anniversary gift edition is ... so very welcome.
Horn Book
This is why the book holds up, 50 years after its original publication: its sense of the world as an inexplicable but also miraculous place.
Los Angeles Times Online"