Learning Laughter [The New Generation in the Free State of Israel]

SIGNED by Spender to title and later INSCRIBED by him on FFEP 'For Ralph and Stathis.' Stathis Orphanos was a photographer noted for his portraits of writers, including Stephen Spender. He and his partner, Ralph Sylvester also operated the Los Angeles fine-press publishing company 'Sylvester & Orphanos.' Spender collaborated with them in the publication of Graham Greene's *Weed Among Flowers* and *Tsarouchis: The Face of Modern Greece*. First edition, with publisher's statement inlaid. Green cloth gilt-stamped spine lettering, two b/w plates. Offsetting to endpapers, trivial rubbing to extremities, otherwise clean and crisp. Dust jacket has some tears to covers, small chip to front tail tip, some shelf wear. 'Stephen Spender went to Israel specifically to study the country?s program of training and rehabilitation for refugee children, which has been in progress for twenty years but has recently been increased by the influx of Jews from the Orient and North Africa. His account of his trip covers much more than the children?s program, however, for he picked up information about farming, politics, economics, roads, mining, the split it between Israelis of European background and the newcomers from Persia or Morocco, and the financial troubles of the kibbutzes, lie even collected a wry old joke, once the standard question to immigrants: ?Did you come out of Germany or out of conviction?? Some of what Mr. Spender saw he liked, while some of it worried him. His book is informative, varied, full of sharp vignettes. A crisp report that is sympathetic in tone but evades set intellectual conclusions.' (Review in The Atlantic).…