Big Samizdat First Edition (1 results)

First Edition. Something Quite Big - Samizdat first edition. Rare original publication (card covers, uncredited author or date/publisher/location) of 'Something Quite Big'. - A samizdat copy, reputedly one of 400 copies published in Bangkok in 1974 which the author sent to relatives, friends and former Nato colleagues. Although he has written mainly as a food historian, his favourite book is this novel about NATO which he wrote around 1970 while working as head of chancery in the United Kingdom delegation to Nato in Brussels. The Foreign Office forbade publication because it drew on Davidson's experiences in the diplomatic service and cracked satirical jokes at the expense of the Foreign Office and some Nato's member countries. He had it clandestinely and anonymously printed in Bangkok whilst he was UK Ambassador to Laos. At the time the only people to receive copies were friends of the author who received samizdat copies. NB: this original publication from the early 1970's should not be mistaken for the 1993 re-issue with Alan Davidson named as the author. A banned novel about the kidnapping of a high-level Nato committee by an environmental protester. Rare.