DOUBLE SIGNED BY H.E. BATES AND JOHN MINTON

Bates, H. E.; Minton, John [Illus.] ~ The Country Heart : Signed By The Author and Illustrator

Michael Joseph, London : 1949

The First UK printing published by Michael Joseph, London in 1949. 8vo., oatmeal-coloured boards, prettily blocked and lettered in dark green with a countryside scene to upper cover and spine; publisher's device to foot of spine; upper edge top-stain green still bright ; together in the vibrant, textured illustrated wrapper (unclipped, '12s. 6d. net' to front flap) featuring a wraparound image in full colour by John Minton; author's black and white photograph and facsimile signature to rear flap; vignette in blue to upper front flap; with frontis illustration, full decorative title emulating the front board; and copiously illustrated throughout with head/tailpieces, and full page chapter headings by John Minton, all printed in green; The BOOK is an excellent near-fine copy, just a little spotted and offset to the end-papers; The WRAPPER retaining much of its original vibrancy is in Very Good++ or better condition. Some rubbing, nicking and light chipping to the edges, and one slightly larger chip at the head of spine (1cm in depth) just affecting title lettering. The wrapper is protected in a removable Brodart archival cover. Neatly signed (without dedication) by both H. E. Bates and John Minton to the half title. One UK signing event took place at Liberty's in London when the book was launched, where both the author and illustrator were present. It is likely that this copy is one of those signed at that event. A reprinting, in considerably revised form, of two titles, 'O More Than Happy Countryman' and 'The Heart of the Country', with an additional introduction and epilogue by the author. In the originals, the illustrations were provided by the naturalistic painter C. F. Tunnicliffe, and reflected Bates' own disquiet with the changing wartime world around him. Reissued here with a reduction of some 1500 words, and in the wake of Armistice day, the observations are relevant even today for their astute premonitions of the future of the English countryside. The introduction, which was written by Bates in the Christmas of 1948, compares the scenes of his youth to the countryside he now sees before him. "the things that make up so much of this book", he writes, are "merely the tender trivialities of one man's recollection or are they eternal things?...They are very dear to me and I am frightened of the answer." The Epilogue, however, entitled 'Tomorrow', does provide an element of hopefulness, championing the rediscovery of the countryside in a destructive world: "Are we really witnessing", he concludes, "not symbolically but actually, the destruction of an era, and being drawn back, with corresponding force, to a life that is closer to earth, the element which sustains us?". The book is greatly enhanced by the striking illustrations by artist John Minton, which show, among many other vignettes, bowls and baskets of fruit, country tracks, flower patches, sleeping dogs and stony beaches. A wonderful example and very scarce to find double-signed.

BINDING: Hardcover
CONDITION: Near Fine
JACKET: Very Good ++