Futility: The revised definitive edition of the works of William Gerhardie

Gerhardie, William

Published by MacDonald, 1971

About this Item

Excellent, signed copy of the orange and black "revised definitive edition" of the brilliant Anglo-Russian novelist and playwright's first novel, written while he was a student at Oxford and originally published in 1922. Inscribed on endpapers, "To Dr. Zweig, William Gerhardie." 205pp, with preface by Michael Holroyd. Price-clipped dj, otherwise pristine. Gerhardie was one of the most critically acclaimed English novelists of the 1920s (Evelyn Waugh told him, "I have talent, but you have genius.") H. G. Wells also championed his work. Gerhardie drew on his experiences in Russia fighting (or attempting to fight) the Bolsheviks, along with his childhood experiences visiting pre-revolutionary Russia. Some say that it was the first work in English to explore fully the theme of "waiting", later made famous by Samuel Beckett in Waiting for Godot, but it is probably more apt to recognize a common comic nihilism between those two figures. (Wikipedia) Signature scarce.

Seller Inventory # ABE-1678150971937

Bibliographic Details

• Title: Futility: The revised definitive edition of the works of William Gerhardie
• Publisher: MacDonald
• Publication Date: 1971
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition: Special Edition
• Condition: Fine
• Dust Jacket Condition: Fine