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A twelfth impression of the true first edition, published as the First Cheap Edition (as stated on the dustwrapper) in September, 1938. The book was first published in the UK in February, 1936, and was rapidly reprinted as the book became a bestseller. ***Very good in green cloth-covered boards with blue titles to the spine. The boards are clean and unmarked. No bumps. No creasing. No tears to the cloth. Page block edges just very lightly foxed. The spine remains unfaded, having been protected by the dustwrapper. No reading lean. Spine tight. Internally also very good, with a period gift inscription and a small number in ink on the front free endpaper (please see scans). Pages clean with no marks or annotations. Printed on good quality paper. No creases or tears. Light offsetting to the endpapers. ***In a very good original dustwrapper, which has not been price-clipped, retaining the original publisher's printed price of 5s net. The dustwrapper is virtually complete, with just some very slight loss at the top and tail of the spine, just affecting the lettering. The dustwrapper is otherwise complete, with the edges just slightly rubbed. The spine of the dustwrapper is slightly darkened, but remains unfaded. No chips, creases or tears. Dustwrapper bright. ***196mm x 145mm. 589 pages. ***'Winifred Holtby (23 Jun 1898 - 29 Sep 1935) was an English novelist and journalist, now best known for her novel "South Riding", which was posthumously published in 1936. She chose to join the Women's Army Auxiliary Corps (WAAC) in early 1918 but soon after she arrived in France, the First World War came to an end and she returned home. In 1919, she returned to study at the University of Oxford where she met Vera Brittain, a fellow student and later the author of Testament of Youth, with whom she maintained a lifelong friendship. Other literary contemporaries at Somerville College included Hilda Reid, Margaret Kennedy and Sylvia Thompson. After graduating from Oxford, in 1921, Winifred and Vera moved to London, hoping to establish themselves as writers (the blue plaque at No. 82 Doughty Street refers). Holtby was, together with Brittain, an ardent feminist, socialist and pacifist. She lectured extensively for the League of Nations Union and was a member of the feminist Six Point Group. She was active in the Independent Labour Party and was a staunch campaigner for the unionisation of black workers in South Africa, during which she had considerable contact with Leonard Woolf. (Wiki) ***'"South Riding" is unquestionably the greatest novel we have been privileged to publish. Completed just before she died, it shows Winifred Holtby at the full height of her remarkable powers and brings home even more forcibly how great a loss current literature has suffered'. (Quote taken from the front flap of the dustwrapper) ***A twelfth impression of the true first edition, published a couple of years after the first impression, but using the same attractive dustwrapper design. Copies of "South Riding" complete in their original pre-war dustwrappers are very hard to find now. Of interest to collectors of the work of Winifred Holtby. ***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.
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