The Divine and The Decay : Inscribed and Signed By The Author In the Year of Publication

The First UK printing published by MacGibbon & Kee, London in 1957. The BOOK is in Very Good++ or better condition. Slight pushing at the spine ends. A little toning to the text-block with light spotting to the prelims. The WRAPPER is complete and is in Very Good++ condition with just light edge-wear. A little toning and marking to the rear panel. A few age related markings to the front panel. Light toning to the spine and flap edges. No fading to the spine. The wrapper presents very well in the removable Brodart archival cover. The book has been inscribed in the year of publication by the author to the front bank end-paper : 'To Ozzie, An old and wise friend. I'll make the next one thicker!, Bill Hopkins, Nov 1957'. Underneath in another hand is a pencilled name 'Oswald ?'. This right wing Nietzschean debut novel is noteworthy in that the publisher voluntarily recalled all known copies, and had them destroyed, as a result of critical allegations of fascist themes. Surviving copies of the publisher's initial print run are very rare. The author (One of the 'Angry Young Men') has been closely associated with the authors Colin Wilson and Stuart Holroyd with whom he shared a house in London in the late 1950's. The book was not to be republished until the second Impression was released 27 years later in 1984, where the book was renamed for this second edition as 'The Leap!'. Very scarce. Ashton Rare Books welcomes direct contact.