A Rabbit in the Air: Notes from a Diary Kept While Learning to Handle an Aeroplane

A Rabbit in the Air: Notes from a Diary Kept While Learning to Handle an Aeroplane, David Garnett — First Edition

Publication: London, Chatto & Windus, 1932

Formatting: 8vo, pp. [viii], 117.

Condition Report Very Good. The binding remains remarkably tight and sound, presenting well despite the absence of its dust jacket. The distinctive mottled pink-and-black cloth boards display a hint of sun-fading to the spine, a common feature for this edition, alongside minor rubbing to the corners and spine ends. However, the wavy gilt tooling along the spine remains perfectly legible and reasonably bright. The top edge retains its gilt finish, while the untrimmed fore and bottom edges are well-preserved with only trivial age-toning. Internally, the text block is bright, crisp, and largely free of foxing, save for a few faint, isolated spots on the preliminary leaves, with no tears, inscriptions, or notable blemishes marring the pages.

Catalogue Note Published in 1932, this First Edition of David Garnett’s acclaimed aviation memoir captures the pioneering spirit of inter-war flight. Issued in its original publisher's binding of mottled cloth boards, this copy features wavy gilt tooling to the spine and a gilt top edge. Garnett, a central figure in the Bloomsbury Group, initially wrote these diary entries with the encouragement of his friend T.E. Lawrence, who subsequently praised the work as "the first account of real flying by a real writer who can really fly."

For collectors who appreciate the tactile history of Britain's aeronautical milestones, whether that means tracking down specific Windsor postmarks from the 1911 First United Kingdom Aerial Post or sourcing inter-war flight narratives, Garnett's work represents a pivotal literary contribution to the golden age of flying.

Finding a first printing with such clean internals and an uncompromised binding is becoming increasingly uncommon, making it a highly desirable addition for aviation enthusiasts.

Blurb David Garnett's A Rabbit in the Air is a beautifully observed, evocative memoir chronicling the celebrated author's experiences learning to pilot an aeroplane in the early 1930s. Adapted from his personal diaries, Garnett vividly captures the visceral thrill, technical challenges, and sublime poetry of early aviation, inviting readers into a world of open cockpits and pioneering flight. More than a mere mechanical log, this classic of aeronautical literature explores the profound psychological shift of taking to the skies, offering a lyrical and deeply human perspective on a bygone era of aviation.