Details
LAWRENCE, Thomas Edward (1888-1935)--[Frederic MANNING (1882-1935).] The Middle Parts of Fortune. [London]: Robert MacLehose and Co. Ltd. for The Piazza Press, 'issued to subscribers by Peter Davies', 1929. 2 volumes, 8° (191 x 131mm). Original buckram, spines gilt, top edges gilt, others uncut, fabric markers (spines slightly leant, corners lightly rubbed and bumped). FIRST EDITION, NUMBER 39 OF 520 COPIES.
[F. MANNING] 'Private 19022'. Her Privates We. London: Robert MacLehose and Co. Ltd. for Peter Davies Ltd, 1930. 8° (185 x 121mm). Original cloth printed in black (spine slightly leant). FIRST TRADE EDITION.
F. MANNING. Scenes and Portraits. London: Robert MacLehose and Co. Ltd. for Peter Davies, 1930. 8° (209 x 130mm). (Fore-edge deckles lightly spotted.) Original buckram, spine gilt, top edge gilt, others uncut, ORIGINAL TRANSPARENT DUSTWRAPPER WITH CARD FLAPS, slipcase. SECOND, REVISED EDITION, NUMBER 43 OF 250 SIGNED LARGE-PAPER COPIES. O'Brien F0701.
Colonel Lawrence and Others on "Her Privates We" by Private 19022. London: Peter Davies, [1930]. 8° (164 x 101mm). Printed on yellow paper, retaining integral order form on lower wrapper. (Lightly faded at margins, slight rust-marking at gutter.) Original printed wrappers (Margins lightly faded, a few spots). O'Brien A140.
LIMITED AND FIRST TRADE EDITIONS OF HER PRIVATES WE, WITH THE RARE PROSPECTUS CONTAINING LAWRENCE'S APPRECIATION OF THE NOVEL, and Manning's book which identified 'Private 19022' to Lawrence. Frederic Manning's celebrated Great War novel was first published anonymously as The Middle Parts of Fortune, and was based on his own experiences of the Battle of the Somme as a private in the King's Shropshire Light Infantry. The limited edition was followed by the expurgated and abridged first trade edition under the title Her Privates We 'by Private 19022' (Manning's army number) the following year, which brought the work wide recognition; it is still considered 'one of the finest accounts of war ever written' (Dominic Hibberd, ODNB). Later in the year, Manning published a revised and enlarged edition of Scenes and Portraits, the final piece of which, 'Apologia Dei', was dedicated to Lawrence (as T.E. Shaw). Lawrence identified 'Private 19022' as the author of Scenes and Portraits, and telephoned the publisher both to congratulate him on publishing a 'masterpiece' and to confirm Manning's identity, adding 'Shaw's my name, you probably won't know who I am, but I once wrote a book myself, called "Revolt in the Desert"', and promising to write an appreciation of the work. Davies seized the opportunity to promote the book and issued the prospectus offered here, which quotes the telephone conversation at length and Lawrence's letter, which describes Manning's novel as 'the book of books so far as the British-Army-in-the-War is concerned'. (5)
[F. MANNING] 'Private 19022'. Her Privates We. London: Robert MacLehose and Co. Ltd. for Peter Davies Ltd, 1930. 8° (185 x 121mm). Original cloth printed in black (spine slightly leant). FIRST TRADE EDITION.
F. MANNING. Scenes and Portraits. London: Robert MacLehose and Co. Ltd. for Peter Davies, 1930. 8° (209 x 130mm). (Fore-edge deckles lightly spotted.) Original buckram, spine gilt, top edge gilt, others uncut, ORIGINAL TRANSPARENT DUSTWRAPPER WITH CARD FLAPS, slipcase. SECOND, REVISED EDITION, NUMBER 43 OF 250 SIGNED LARGE-PAPER COPIES. O'Brien F0701.
Colonel Lawrence and Others on "Her Privates We" by Private 19022. London: Peter Davies, [1930]. 8° (164 x 101mm). Printed on yellow paper, retaining integral order form on lower wrapper. (Lightly faded at margins, slight rust-marking at gutter.) Original printed wrappers (Margins lightly faded, a few spots). O'Brien A140.
LIMITED AND FIRST TRADE EDITIONS OF HER PRIVATES WE, WITH THE RARE PROSPECTUS CONTAINING LAWRENCE'S APPRECIATION OF THE NOVEL, and Manning's book which identified 'Private 19022' to Lawrence. Frederic Manning's celebrated Great War novel was first published anonymously as The Middle Parts of Fortune, and was based on his own experiences of the Battle of the Somme as a private in the King's Shropshire Light Infantry. The limited edition was followed by the expurgated and abridged first trade edition under the title Her Privates We 'by Private 19022' (Manning's army number) the following year, which brought the work wide recognition; it is still considered 'one of the finest accounts of war ever written' (Dominic Hibberd, ODNB). Later in the year, Manning published a revised and enlarged edition of Scenes and Portraits, the final piece of which, 'Apologia Dei', was dedicated to Lawrence (as T.E. Shaw). Lawrence identified 'Private 19022' as the author of Scenes and Portraits, and telephoned the publisher both to congratulate him on publishing a 'masterpiece' and to confirm Manning's identity, adding 'Shaw's my name, you probably won't know who I am, but I once wrote a book myself, called "Revolt in the Desert"', and promising to write an appreciation of the work. Davies seized the opportunity to promote the book and issued the prospectus offered here, which quotes the telephone conversation at length and Lawrence's letter, which describes Manning's novel as 'the book of books so far as the British-Army-in-the-War is concerned'. (5)
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