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A Dance to the Music of Time
by Anthony Powell
- Used
- very good
- Hardcover
- first
- Condition
- Very Good/Good
- Seller
-
BATH, Somerset, United Kingdom
Item Price
A$715.03A$643.52
Payment Methods Accepted
About This Item
London: Heinemann, 1966-1975 . First edition. Cloth. Very Good/Good. 8" by 5.5". None. A five volume set of Anthony Powell's monumental literary achievement, 'A Dance to the Music of Time'. Present here are the first editions of the final five volumes in the series. A five volume set of Powell's twelve novel series. Present here are the final five volumes of the series: 'The Soldier's Art'; 'The Military Philosophers'; 'Books Do Furnish a Room'; 'Temporary Kings', and 'Hearing Secret Harmonies'.Each volume is a first edition, first impression, and in the publisher's original price unclipped dust wrapper.'A Dance to the Music of Time' is a twelve volume roman-fleuve, published over the course of twenty-four years. In the sequence, Powell examines the cultural and military struggles of the twentieth century, examining the powers and passivity of the English people.The series is narrated by Nicholas Jenkins, cataloguing his recollections of various people he encountered over half a century. The novels span roughly from the years 1921 to 1971. The novels in this set are based in the years between 1941 and 1971.With contemporary former owner's inscription to the front free endpaper of each volume. In the publisher's original cloth bindings, with price unclipped dust wrappers. Bumping to back strip heads and tails. Significant tide marks and damp staining to fore edge of rear board of 'Harmonies'. Rear hinge of 'Books' strained and tenderly held. Contemporary inscription to front free endpaper of each volume aside from 'Philosophers'. Sunning to dust wrapper back strips of 'Soldier's' and 'Philosophers'. Small losses of paper to back strip heads and tails, with chipping to tails of 'Kings' and 'Books'. Rear wraps age toned. Significant closed tear to tail of 'Harmonies' back strip. Significant tape repairs to reverse of 'Kings', 'Books' and 'Soldier's' back strips to the reverse of the dust wrappers. Internally, firmly bound. Pages generally clean and bright. Very Good
Synopsis
A Dance to the Music of Time is a twelve-volume series of novels by Anthony Powell. One of the longest works of fiction in literature, the work is often published as four volumes of three novels each. The title, A Dance to the Music of Time, was inspired by Nicolas Poussin’s painting of the same name, which depicts the four seasons as nymphs dancing in a circle while a winged Father Time plays the harp. The epic work is narrated through the memories of Nick Jenkins, an “everyman” recalling the people he met over the previous half-century. Yet A Dance to the Music of Time is less about Jenkins and more about the metropolitan circles he inhabits. Beginning with the end of World War I and ending with the turbulence of the 1960s, the novels highlight encounters between friends and lovers who drift apart but continue to reencounter each other over time. Apart from a trip to France, some time in Ireland, and an interval in Venice, the series mainly takes place in England and is often read as a reflection of the country’s social history. In its entirety, A Dance to the Music of Time is composed of the following novels: A Question of Upbringing (1951), A Buyer's Market (1952), The Acceptance World (1955), At Lady Molly's (1957), Casanova's Chinese Restaurant (1960), The Kindly Ones (1962), The Valley of Bones (1964), The Soldier's Art (1966), The Military Philosophers (1968), Books Do Furnish a Room (1971), Temporary Kings (1973), and Hearing Secret Harmonies (1975). The books were a great success in both Britain and America upon their publication. The series is ranked 43rd on Modern Library’s “100 Best” English-language novels of the 20th century. It is also listed on TIME’s “100 Best Novels” (since 1923) and the Telegraph’s list of the 20 best British and Irish novels of all time.
Read More: Identifying first editions of A Dance to the Music of Time
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Details
- Bookseller
- Rooke Books
(GB)
- Bookseller's Inventory #
- 896F35
- Title
- A Dance to the Music of Time
- Author
- Anthony Powell
- Illustrator
- None
- Format/Binding
- Cloth
- Book Condition
- Used - Very Good
- Jacket Condition
- Good
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Edition
- First edition
- Binding
- Hardcover
- Publisher
- Heinemann
- Place of Publication
- London
- Date Published
- 1966-1975
- Size
- 8" by 5.5"
- Keywords
- Anthony Powell military philosophers books do furnish a room soldier's art military philosophers
- Note
- May be a multi-volume set and require additional postage.
Terms of Sale
Rooke Books
Books are sent on approval and may be returned in like condition for any reason within 14 days of receipt. Responsibility of return to be with the purchaser.
About the Seller
Rooke Books
Biblio member since 2007
BATH, Somerset
About Rooke Books
Welcome to Rooke Books Antiquarian Bookseller
We are a small team dedicated to bringing you very scarce books at reasonable prices. We specialise in rare and hard to come by works on all subjects over the last 500 years, together with modern first editions and decorative sets and bindings. Our library has something for every interest and specialism. We deliver worldwide using a fully tracked and insured courier delivery service.
Where are We?
Based in the literary city of Bath, our offices are housed in the Eastern Dispensary. Built in 1845, the building originally existed as a charitable institution providing medical care. The building now houses our collection of over twenty thousand books and has five full time members of staff.
We are a small team dedicated to bringing you very scarce books at reasonable prices. We specialise in rare and hard to come by works on all subjects over the last 500 years, together with modern first editions and decorative sets and bindings. Our library has something for every interest and specialism. We deliver worldwide using a fully tracked and insured courier delivery service.
Where are We?
Based in the literary city of Bath, our offices are housed in the Eastern Dispensary. Built in 1845, the building originally existed as a charitable institution providing medical care. The building now houses our collection of over twenty thousand books and has five full time members of staff.
Glossary
Some terminology that may be used in this description includes:
- Chipping
- A defect in which small pieces are missing from the edges; fraying or small pieces of paper missing the edge of a paperback, or...
- Hinge
- The portion of the book closest to the spine that allows the book to be opened and closed.
- Tail
- The heel of the spine.
- Fore Edge
- The portion of a book that is opposite the spine. That part of a book which faces the wall when shelved in a traditional...
- First Edition
- In book collecting, the first edition is the earliest published form of a book. A book may have more than one first edition in...
- Cloth
- "Cloth-bound" generally refers to a hardcover book with cloth covering the outside of the book covers. The cloth is stretched...
- Wrappers
- The paper covering on the outside of a paperback. Also see the entry for pictorial wraps, color illustrated coverings for...
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