The Children of the Desert

Guinness, Bryan

Published by William Heinemann, London, 1952

About this Item

1952. Reprint of the first edition from 1947. [v], 45pp., illustrations on the endpapers, 7 full-page two-colour illustrations and black and white illustrations within the text. Bryan Walter Guinness, 2nd Baron Moyne (1905-1992), was an heir to part of the Guinness family brewing fortune, lawyer, poet and novelist. He was at one time married to Diana Mitford, but divorced her after she left him for the British fascist leader Sir Oswald Mosley. This is one of several books for children that he wrote. It is a story about Jacqueline and Peregrine who were very unhappy when their parents left them in the care of unkind Baroness Donnerwetter in Damascus, so they decided to run away into the desert and join their friends, the wandering Arabs. The book is bound in the original white boards with black titling on the spine and a black illustration on the front board. The case of the book is in very good condition with a little light brown damp spotting on the boards and light bumping to the bottom of the spine. The contents are tight and clean with the following inscription by the author on the front free endpaper: "Best Wishes Bryan Guinness Moyne Christmas 1955." The clipped dustwrapper is rather tatty with shelf wear and some soiling. Pieces are missing from the corners and bottom edges and about 1 1/2" is missing from both spine ends and from around the bottom spine corner of the front of the wrapper. There are several large tears with surrounding creases on the edges (mostly on the back of the wrapper) and the larger of the tears have been repaired on the reverse with document repair tape. Seller Inventory # gChild65

Bibliographic Details

Title: The Children of the Desert

Publisher: William Heinemann, London

Publication Date: 1952

Binding: Hardback

Illustrator: Roland Pym

Condition: Very Good

Dust Jacket Condition: Good

Signed: Signed by Author(s)

Edition: Reprint