We Were There To Escape: The True Story of a Jugoslav Officer (With the ownership signature of Theodore Bikel)

George Mikes

Published by Nicholson & Watson, London, 1945

About this Item

First Edition ( 'First Published in 1945' ). This book was previously owned by the renowned actor Theodore Bikel. He signed his name on the first front end paper ( 'Th. Bikel', June 1949' ). I have a number of other books that he owned for sale. This book is rather rare. I saw only a couple of others. Once listed, this will be the Only copy with it's dust jacket for sale on the Internet. You can see the book in the photos. It's quite clean. The gilt lettering on the spine is pretty bright. There isn't much wear. On the rear cover there are a few small edge dents and creases. The book is square and solidly bound from cover to cover. The pages are pretty tight. So are the covers. There is one brown spot on the middle page edge. You can see it migrating over the edge of the page with Mr. Bikel's signature. Four or five pages later it has narrowed down to a sliver. However, as you turn the pages you can see it on the page edge. On the signed page there is some penciling at the top. It looks like an inscription. I'm pretty sure it's not from the author. It's very light. At the bottom of the page, as you can see there's a stamp that says Royal Naval War Libraries. There are no other markings to be found anywhere in the book. Nor is there any other writing. While the pages are somewhat toned, they are also very clean . They also appear to be free of any creasing. There are no attachments. You can see the dust jacket in the first few photos. While it is singularly unique, it is also in poor shape. The spine is detached from the rear cover. The spine also has significant losses. Off the top edge of the front cover there is a square shape where it looks like a sticker was likely once affixed. The flaps are not in bad shape. There is a small tear at the top corner of the front flap, also that small brown stain is just off the edge, not reaching the print. The jacket is NOT price-clipped, not clipped at all. I've had it in a fitted protective cover for as long as I've owned the book. From the jacket: 'This is not a novel, but a true and unvarnished record of the escape of a young Jugo-slav officer from a German prison camp to this country. It tells of the days before Hitler's invasion of Jugo-Slavia-- the mobilization of its tiny army to meet the overwhelming superiority of the Germans-- the model which arose out of the collaboration of the Quislings with the enemy-- the indignities suffered by the officers of the Jugo-slav's Army at the hands of Hitler's Storm-troopers. The actual escape from the prison camp is breathtaking. Many unexpected friends help the escaping officer on his way through Occupied Europe. But most of all, from this book, and through its hero, for such we can justly call him, we learn something of the endurance and heroism which has gone into the making of the Jugo-slav guerrilla resistance against Hitler.'. Seller Inventory # 003666

Bibliographic Details

Title: We Were There To Escape: The True Story of a...

Publisher: Nicholson & Watson, London

Publication Date: 1945

Binding: Hardcover

Condition: Very Good Minus

Dust Jacket Condition: Poor

Edition: 1st Edition