The Square Egg and Other Sketches with Three Plays

HARDBACK SHIPPED FROM THE UK* Edition: 1st. Thus, collected edition.* Imp: 1st.* Date of Publication: 1926 (1924)* Publisher: John Lane, The Bodley Head.* Binding and cover condition: Dark blue cloth, gilt title & decoration to spine with gilt simulated signature to face. Very slight bumps to lower corners, minor rubs, minimal shelf wear. Some marks to boards. Spine somewhat faded. GOOD* Jacket condition: No jacket. ND* Contents condition: PRIVATE COPY NOT EX-LIBRARY. Small neat inscription of initials and date to fep. Clean, crisp, tight and bright with some reading wear, slight off-setting marks to end-papers and a few grubby marks within text, otherwise no visible faults. VG* Illustrations: A number of b/w line drawings by the author to the first chapter.* Pages: 276 pp. text. No advertisements or blank pages at rear.* Description: Hector Hugh Munro (1870-1916), better known by his pen name Saki, was a British writer, whose witty and sometimes macabre stories satirized Edwardian society and culture. These eight amusing short pieces by Saki who died in the First World War, were collected and published posthumously in 1924. The eponymous first story although humorous includes some indications of the horror of trench warfare. Though Munro was over the age of conscription he volunteered to fight. Rothay Reynolds in an appreciation of Munro written for an earlier posthumous collection quoted the officer in command of the 22nd Royal Fusiliers (Saki?s regiment): ?Poor Saki! What an admiration we all had for him, I always quoted him as one of the heroes of the war. I saw daily the appalling discomforts he so cheerfully endured. He flatly refused to take a commission or in any way to allow me to try to make him more comfortable. General Vaughan told him that a brain like his was wasted as a private soldier. He just smiled. He was absolutely splendid. What courage! The men simply loved him.?* A NEAR VG copy with some minor faults. No dust jacket.*