Arms and the Covenant: Speeches by The Right Hon. Winston S. Churchill, C.H. M.P.

CHURCHILL, Winston; CHURCHILL, Randolph S. (comp.)

Published by George G. Harrap 1938-1940, London, 1938

About this Item

466 p. 23 cm. Frontispiece portrait of Churchill. Blue cloth hardcover in mylar-covered rare yellow dustjacket. Jacket has light soiling and small tears. Spine darkened with chip at head. Front flap unclipped. Ink inscription on front free endpaper is that of J. L. Rudd, 345 Island Park Drive, Ottawa, who signed Dec. 9 1940. Discolouration to half-title and rear leaf. Faint offsetting to title. These speeches, published just after he became prime minister, are the precursors to Churchill's great war speeches. Spanning the years 1928 to 1938, the speeches criticize British foreign policy and warn of the upcoming danger of another war. The world will always remember the resolute war leader to whom Britain turned when facing invasion, but many forget the years leading up to World War II when Churchill made impassioned, eloquent and largely unheeded warning speeches about the increasing power of Nazi Germany. Only 5,000 copies of this first and only Britiish impression were printed, of which at least 3,381 and maybe more than 4,000 were sold with a pale blue first state dustjacket. The balance were offered at a lower sprice in June 1940 with this striking yellow jacket, making it the "cheap" issue. However, given that Churchill had just become prime minister in May, when the world was at last realizing the truth of his repeated warnings, this might be called the "He Was Right, After All" issue. When this copy was signed by its previous owner in Ottawa in December of 1940, many people were turning to Churchill's words for knowledge and perhaps comfort. Even President Roosevelt is said to have had a copy of the US edition of this book on his bedside table, with key passages underlined.

Seller Inventory # 124787

Bibliographic Details

• Title: Arms and the Covenant: Speeches by The Right Hon. Winston S. Churchill, C.H. M.P.
• Publisher: George G. Harrap 1938-1940, London
• Publication Date: 1938
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition: First Edition.
• Condition: Good
• Dust Jacket Condition: Good
• Seller catalogs:
  • Rare & Antiquarian