A Better Class of Person, John Osborne — Uncorrected Proof
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Publication: London, Faber and Faber Limited, 1981
Formatting: 8vo, pp. 285.
Condition Report: Very Good. The publisher's original printed wrappers remain remarkably sharp and clean, with only minor toning to the spine and light, superficial handling marks to the panels. The extremities exhibit slight rubbing and minor corner bumping, though the binding remains firm and completely intact. Internally, the text block is bright and unmarked, presenting clean, crisp pages entirely free from foxing or significant wear, barring a minuscule, almost imperceptible spot to the upper margin of the title page. A very well-preserved example of this fragile proof.
Catalogue Note: An uncorrected proof copy of John Osborne's revealing first volume of autobiography. Issued prior to the first trade edition, these advance copies were produced in limited quantities for reviewers and booksellers, bound in simple typographical wrappers.
This volume covers Osborne's life from his birth in 1929 up to 1956, concluding with the monumental debut of Look Back in Anger at the Royal Court Theatre. Proof copies of Osborne's later works, while occasionally surfacing on the open market, are decidedly scarce in such solid, well-preserved condition, making this an appealing acquisition for collectors of post-war British theatre.
In A Better Class of Person, John Osborne, the archetypal "Angry Young Man" of British theatre, turns his ferocious and unflinching gaze inward to chronicle his own formative years. Charting his life from a stifling lower-middle-class childhood in suburban London through his early, precarious struggles as an actor in provincial repertory theatre, Osborne provides a scathing, darkly comic, and deeply moving portrait of his youth. The memoir culminates in the historic 1956 premiere of Look Back in Anger—the play that irreversibly shattered the polite conventions of the English stage and defined a generation.
Book Condition: Very Good
Book Authors: John Osborne
Book Publisher: Faber and Faber Limited
Book Language: English
Narrative Type: Non-Fiction
Genre: Autobiography, Biography & Memoirs
Book edition:
Signed: No
Book Pages: 285
Book Publication Year: 1981
Book Publication Date:
Book Binding: Softcover
Illustrator: N/A
Book Series: N/A
Country/region of manufacture: Fakenham, United Kingdom
Book Dimensions:
Book Condition Guide
| Condition | Description |
|---|---|
| New | A brand-new, unread and professionally handled book. Carefully preserved from publication to purchase, these books are offered in the best attainable condition. This grade applies to recently published titles that have not entered long-term storage. |
| As New | The book is in pristine, original condition as if just published. No signs of use or handling. The dust jacket (if present) is equally flawless. This grade applies to any book that has remained untouched in storage for years. |
| Fine | The book is close to As New. It remains bright and attractive, but could show minor imperfections to the boards and/or dust jacket (if present). Its pages are typically clean and unmarked. |
| Near Fine | The book has a number of small flaws, i.e. slight rubbing to the edges, or tiny chips or creases to the dust jacket (if present). Its pages may have faint marks, or creases that are barely perceptible — nothing that detracts from their overall condition. |
| Very Good | The book maintains its structural integrity, and has no major flaws such as tears to its binding or pages. It may, however, show signs of careful use, handling, or storage — small marks and creases, light foxing. Its dust jacket (if present) remains fully intact, but small tears may be present. |
| Good | A book that remains intact and readable with complete text pages, but shows moderate signs of wear and use to both the book and dust jacket (if present). It may have noticeable creases, nicks, or stains, and the spine likely shows fading, bumping, and rubbing. There could be writing, underlining, and other marks on some pages, though the majority will be clean and tidy. |
| Fair | A book with significant wear or damage. The text pages will be complete, but there may be heavy underlining, highlighting and staining throughout, and the book’s endpapers, half-title, and copyright pages could be damaged or missing. The binding could be loose, and the dust jacket (if present) may have notable scuffs or tears. These copies are usually of interest for content, signature(s) or scarcity. |
| Poor | A heavily worn book whose value lies in its complete and legible text. A poor book will have substantial defects — loose joints or hinges, detached covers, loose and/or missing pages, and could be heavily soiled. A poor book is also known as a reading copy, and although compromised, can hold historical or bibliographic significance. |
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