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First impression of the true first edition, published at the end of the Second World War in 1945 to war economy standards. ***Near fine in pale oatmeal woven cloth-covered boards with black titles to the spine and front board. The boards are still beautifully bright, clean and unmarked. No bumps. No creases. Page block edges clean. Internally also near fine, with neat ownership name to the top of the front free endpaper. Clean pages with no foxing. Although the wartime paper is very thin, there are no creases or tears. Spine tight. ***In a very good printed dustwrapper, which has not been price-clipped, showing the original publisher's price of 7s. 6d. net on the front flap. The fragile dustwrapper is virtually complete, with just slight loss at the top of the spine and top corner tips. Very slight creasing and edge wear to the dustwrapper commensurate with age and handling. No chips or tears. Rear panel of dustwrapper nice and clean even though a pale colour. Dustwrapper bright. ***200mm x 132mm. 146 pages. Contents: I am Lazarus, Palace of Sleep, Who Has Desired the Sea, The Blackout, Glorious Boys, Face of my People, The Heavenly Adversary, The Brother, The Gannets, The Picture, All Kinds of Grief Shall Arrive, A Certain Experience, Benjo, Now I Know Where My Place Is, Our City. ***'Anna Kavan (born Helen Emily Woods; 10 April 1901 - 5 December 1968) was a British novelist, short story writer and painter. Originally publishing under her first married name, Helen Ferguson, she adopted the name Anna Kavan in 1939, not only as a pen name but as her legal identity. "Asylum Piece" (1940), a collection of short stories which explored the inner mindscape of the psychological explorer, was her first book under the name Anna Kavan, heroine of her previous novels "Let Me Alone" (1930) and "A Stranger Still" (1935). All subsequent works would feature a radically altered writing style. From that moment, the brunette Ferguson disappeared and the crystal-blond Kavan set about a career as an avant-garde writer using her legal name in the United States.' [Wiki] ***'It would be difficult if not impossible to mention any new writer during the past few years whose work has had as much attention from the leading critics as Anna Kavan's "Asylum Piece". This book has had a limited but steadily increasing sale since its publication in 1940. For the time being it is not readily available and only a lucky chance would discover a copy on a bookseller's shelves. Miss Kavan's new book "I am Lazarus" continues the vein of "Asylum Piece", being a series of short stories and sketches of people on the border of complete mental breakdown, depressed and on the point when to continue living is almost intolerable. Reviewing "Asylum Piece"Mr. Desmond McCarthy said -- "Miss Kavan is an artist of great distinction. What is remarkable is that the subject of these short stories not only kept the lamp alight in the fog impending insanity but was able to project dramatically the experience of fellow sufferers. There is beauty in these stories which has nothing to do with their pathological interest and is the result of art."' (Quote taken from the front flap of the dustwrapper) ***First impression of the true first edition, produced to wartime economy standards, in its original thin boards, complete in its fragile 1945 dustwrapper. The book was produced "in complete conformity with the authorized economy standards", and is a difficult title to find now in collectable condition in first impression in collectable condition. Copies in the original and complete dustwrapper are exceptionally hard to find now. A superior copy, of interest to collectors of the work of Anna Kavan (Helen Ferguson). ***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.
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