THE BEST OF HENRY MILLER (First UK edition - first impression)

First impression of the first UK edition, published in the UK in 1960. Edited and with an introduction by Lawrence Durrell. There wasn't an equivalent American edition of this collection. ***Near fine in navy-blue cloth-covered boards with silver titles to the spine. Boards clean and unmarked. Head and tail of spine slightly creased. Corners sharp. No reading lean to the binding. Spine tight. Internally also near fine with just light tanning to the paper. There is a bookplate on the front pastedown 'Ex Libris - Alan Anderson' - Alan was the founder of Tragara Press - the small press based in Edinburgh which published from 1954 onwards. Also a pencilled comment which could be erased 'From the library of Alan Anderson, founder of Tragara Press'. Spine tight. Pages clean. ***In a very good red, black and yellow illustrated dustwrapper, which has not been price clipped, retaining the original publisher's printed price of 30s net. The dustwrapper is complete, but has some marks and creasing commensurate with age and handling (please see scans). Head and tail of spine slightly creased. No serious creases, chips or tears. The red colour on the spine is sun-faded. ***397 pages including Introduction, Preface, Chronology and Bibliography. 220mm x 145mm. ***Contents: Introduction by Lawrence Durrell, Author's Preface, PLACES - The 14th Ward, Paris and Its Suburbs, Dijon, Epidaurus and Mycenae, The Ghetto (N.Y.), Big Sur Invocation. STORIES - Picodiribibi, Reunion in Brooklyn, Max, Goldilocks, Automotive Passacaglia, Berthe. LITERARY ESSAYS - The Universe of Death, Of Art and the Future, Reflections on Writing, The Wisdom of the Heart, Tribute to France. PORTRAITS - Un Etre Etoilique, Hans Reichel, Alfred Perles, Blaise Cendrars. THE MAN HIMSELF - A Commonplace Book of Aphorisms and Ideas. APPENDIX - Defense of the Freedom to Read, Chronology, Bibliography. ***'In 1958, to the surprise of those people who had known of him only as the author of banned books, Henry Miler was elected to the American Institute of Arts and Letters. At that time he was welcomed by his fellow writers as "the veteran author of many books whose originality and richness of technique are matched by the variety and daring of his subject matter. His boldness of approach and his intense curiosity concerning man and nature are unequalled in the prose literature of our time." ***The material which has been selected by Lawrence Durrell for this representative anthology traces the main line and principal themes of the "single, endless autobiography" which is Henry Miller's life work. It includes extracts from a dozen different books including several which are still banned in England: Tropic of Cancer, Black Spring, Sexus and Plexus.' (Quote taken from the front flap of the dustwrapper). ***First impression of the first UK edition in nice collectable condition. An anthology tracing the principal themes of Henry Miller's life work, divided into sections according to the titles; 'Places', 'Stories', 'Literary Essays' and 'Portraits'. Miller contributes a commentary on each essay fitting it into context of his life story. Also includes a chronology of Miller's life, a bibliography and part of an opoen letter protesting the ban of 'Sexus'. Uncommon in this condition now. ***For all our books, postage is charged at cost, allowing for packaging: any shipping rates indicated on ABE are an average only: we will reduce the P & P charge where appropriate - please contact us for postal rates for heavier books and sets etc.…