A Means of Grace, Edith Pargeter — 1st Edition

£24.95

A Means of Grace, Edith Pargeter — 1st Edition

Name: A Means of Grace, Edith Pargeter — 1st Edition
Brand: Broadhursts Books
SKU: 6162
Price: 24.95 GBP
Availability: InStock

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Publication: London, William Heinemann Ltd, 1956

Formatting: 8vo, pp. 350.

Condition Report: Near Fine; Very Good+ dust jacket. Bound in the publisher's original bright royal blue cloth with sharp gilt lettering to the spine, the binding remains wonderfully tight and square, indicating minimal reading wear. There is only a faint, diminutive pale blemish to the front cloth board and trivial pushing to the spine tips. The text block is robust, exhibiting light, scattered foxing and dust-toning to the top edge alongside slight spotting to the rough-trimmed fore-edge, typical for paper stock of this era. Internally, the pages are crisp and remarkably clean, entirely free of foxing to the text, with only the customary offset browning to the endpapers from the jacket flaps. The original, unclipped dust jacket retains its 15s net price, and its striking dual-tone front panel remains vivid, showing only minor rubbing to the extremities, faint creasing at the spine head and tail, and some mild, expected age-toning to the white rear panel. A thoroughly handsome, well-preserved copy.

Catalogue Note: This is a true first edition, first impression, with "First Published 1956" explicitly stated on the copyright page and no subsequent printings noted. The volume is presented in its original, unclipped dust jacket.

While Edith Pargeter achieved immense international fame for her Cadfael Chronicles written under the pseudonym Ellis Peters, she published an extensive and highly regarded body of literary fiction under her own name. This post-war novel is a prime example of her mid-century output.

Copies of this title, particularly those retaining their original dust jackets in such highly presentable condition, are distinctly uncommon on the open market, making this a desirable acquisition for collectors of Pargeter's broader bibliography.

Set against the fractured landscape of post-World War II Europe, A Means of Grace follows Emmy Marryat, a British woman who visits friends in a Baltic country and becomes entangled in the fraught realities of a continent newly divided by the Iron Curtain. As loyalties are tested by the creeping installation of Communism and the looming threat of the Cold War, Emmy and the Ivanescu family must navigate a world where language has become a shorthand of clichés and impartiality is viewed as treason. Pargeter weaves a poignant and thought-provoking narrative about the enduring strength of human affection and the desperate struggle to hold a broken society together through personal integrity and grace.

Book Condition: Near Fine

Book Authors: Edith Pargeter

Book Publisher: William Heinemann Ltd

Book Language: English

Narrative Type: Fiction

Genre: Historical Fiction

Book edition: First Edition

Signed: No

Book Pages: 350

Book Publication Year: 1956

Book Publication Date:

Book Binding: Hardcover

Illustrator: N/A

Book Series: N/A

Country/region of manufacture: London, United Kingdom

Book Dimensions:

Book Condition Guide

We stock thousands of books in a wide range of conditions. To make things clear and to help you know exactly what to expect, Please refer to these condition categories to understand the condition of the book you will receive.

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.