The Passion of Sacco and Vanzetti; A New England Legend

The Bodley Head, London, 1954. First Edition. Hardcover. Very Good Condition/Good. Red coloured boards with gilt coloured titles to the backstrip. Illustrated dustwrapper with white coloured title to the front panel and backstrip. "In the spring of 1920 there occurred in a small town in Massachusetts, a carefully planned and ruthlessly executed pay-roll robbery. The paymaster and the guard were both killed by the bandits. Subsequently, two men, Nicola Sacco a shoe-worker, and Bartolomeo Vanzetti, a fish-peddler, were arrested and charged with robbery and murder. At their trial the jury found them guilty, but under Massachusetts law pleas are heard and motions presented before a judge actually passes the death sentence. In this extraordinary case, which attracted world-wide attention - it being held by many that both men were completely innocent - pleas and motions continued to be heard over a period of 7 years. Not until 1927 were the two men sentenced and executed. The Sacco and Vanzetti case is now a part of American history. The author has based this novel upon it." -- from the front fold over panel blurb. Softening and browning of the backstrip edges with rubbing of the lower edges. Browning and scattered foxing to the textblock edges and browning of the pages. Gift inscription to the top left hand corner of the free front end paper. Offset tanning to be and papers and original seller's sticker to the lower right hand corner of the front paste-down. Chipping to the dustwrapper corners and backstrip edges. Sunning of the dustwrapper, particularly the backstrip. Browning with smart career at panel and there are a few small tears to the top dustwrapper edge. Heavy browning to the verso. This is the first UK edition. Size: 8vo - over 7¾" - 9¾" tall. [6], 7-206, [2]pages.. Text body is clean, and free from previous owner annotation, underlining and highlighting. Please refer to accompanying picture (s). Quantity Available: 1. Shipped Weight: Under 500 grams. Category: Fiction; Fiction -- Historical; United States; 1900-1920; Inventory No: 0118889. .