The English Captain and Other Stories

London: Gollancz, 1929. First Edition. Inscribed and signed by the author, L.A.G. Strong, to the noted Los Angeles book collector, Ingle Barr, with an amazing long inscription on two pages. The book was initially inscribed at the time of publication: “For W.A. Mackay, with all good wishes. L.A.G. Strong.” then many years later Strong has added: “from whom it was passed to my friend Ingle Barr. My writing has changed a bit since I wrote that inscription, round the time the book was published. The title story is founded on fact. Each summer holiday I used to frequent the Victoria Baths at what was then Kingston & is now town Laoquaire, The year was 1914. The priest’s real name was Father Walsh, who taught at Blackrock College. Barney Gulligan is a portrait of George Holmes, a noted swimmer. Not all the story is fact; but there was an English Captain, as described, who I never saw again. ‘The Sick Man’ uses a real Dartmoor evening with my old friend Dr. Frederick Willington, also of Dublin. ‘Prongs’ is based upon a Sea Wall incident, and Mr. Kennedy & Long Mike belong to ‘The Garden’ [Strong’s novel]. ‘The Sea’ & ‘The Tide’ were suggested by real incidents on the West Highland coast, but I am not the husband described in the former, & my wife is not the wife in the latter. L.A.G. Strong. March 23, 1958.” Very fine in a fine dust jacket. With Ingle Barr’s bookplate. Additionally, enclosed are two interesting Typed Letters Signed from Strong dealing with inscribed this book, The English Captain, and other matters. Enclosed in a morocco and cloth box. This title is listed in Hubin’s bibliography of Crime Fiction as some of the stories deal with crime.