THE GORGEOUS EAST: One Man's India

First edition, first printing. Inscribed by the author. Original black cloth with gilt lettering to the spine, in the dustwrapper designed by Charles Gorham. A near fine copy, the binding square and firm, the contents clean throughout. Very light spotting to page block edges, minor bumps to spine tips. In the dustwrapper, with patches of loss (c. 1 cm) at both ends of the spine, nicks and short closed tears with associated creasing to the upper edge and a couple of short closed tears to the lower edge of the front panel. Not price-clipped (25s net to the front flap).

Inscribed in blue ink to the front free endpaper, "For Pat and Philip / from / Rupert / June 1965". Croft-Cooke's personal account of India, where he was stationed with the army in 1943, staying for three years. The book was written following the author's return twenty years later.