Seasonal quartet: Autumn; Winter; Spring; Summer; [with: Companion Piece].

FIRST EDITIONS, pp. [vii], 264; [vii], 321, [1]; [vii], 340; [vii], 385; [vii], 230, crown 8vo, original cloth of different colours, the title stamped in black to upper boards and backstrips to Seasonal Quartet, with the lettering for the author's name to both in copper, silver and gilt, 'Companion Piece with title-lettering in silver and author's name in orange, varying designs to rear endpapers, each volume with a wide wraparound band carrying a David Hockney illustration, the last volume with 'Signed Copy' sticker to front of band, fine. All volumes signed by the author to the title-page. A fine set of Smith's chronicle of our time, and meditation on time generally, predicated on its seasonal and cyclical nature and full of literary allusion - each has a Shakespearean text as its touchstone. A skilful blend of the fast-moving nature of reportage - the pandemic, Brexit, the murder of George Floyd, etc. - and the monument aere perennius of art.