THE IMPOSTOR (First UK edition - first impression)

First impression of the first UK edition and first edition in English. Translated from the French by Dorothy Williams. Jacket design by B. Shawe-Lawrence. ***Very good in black cloth-covered boards with gilt titles to the spine. The boards are clean and unmarked. Head and tail of spine very slightly creased. Corners sharp. Binding tight with no reading lean. Fore-edge of page block slightly stained. Internally also very good with a contemporary gift inscription in fountain-pen ink at the top of the front free endpaper. Pages clean with just a few spots of sporadic foxing. No creases or tears. ***In a very good colour-illustrated dustwrapper, which has been neatly corner price-clipped. The dustwrapper is complete with no chips or tears, with just very slight loss at the head and tail of the spine and foldover corner tips. There is a stain on the back panel (which is plain white). Edges of dustwrapper slightly rubbed and creased. ***190mm x 130mm. 132 pages. ***'Jean Maurice Eugène Clément Cocteau (5 July 1889 - 11 October 1963) was a French poet, playwright, novelist, designer, film director, visual artist and critic. He was one of the foremost artists of the surrealist, avant-garde, and Dadaist movements and an influential figure in early 20th century art. The National Observer suggested that, "of the artistic generation whose daring gave birth to Twentieth Century Art, Cocteau came closest to being a Renaissance man." Though his body of work encompassed many different mediums, Cocteau insisted on calling himself a poet, classifying the great variety of his works - poems, novels, plays, essays, drawings, films - as "poésie", "poésie de roman", "poésie de thêatre", "poésie critique", "poésie graphique" and "poésie cinématographique"'. (Wiki) ***'Jean Cocteau has for long been known as one of the most outstanding figures of contemporary literature. His films, his plays, his books, have won him international renown, but it is only lately that his stature as a modern novelist has been appreciated. In 1955 "Children of the Game" was first published in England, winning instant and wide acclaim. "The Impostor" is set in France at the outset of the 1914-1918 war, evoking the atmosphere and environment of that period through the reactions and interactions of the characters. The author has not only recreated an era, but has also provided an unforgettable story. The realism and lyricism of Jean Cocteau's style are combined to form a classic of the twentieth century.' (Quote taken from the front flap of the dustwrapper) ***First impression of the first UK edition and first edition in English, complete in its original dustwrapper. An uncommon title in first edition. ***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.…