Fortune of War, Duncan Grinnell-Milne — 1st Edition

£95.00

Fortune of War, Duncan Grinnell-Milne — 1st Edition

Name: Fortune of War, Duncan Grinnell-Milne — 1st Edition
Brand: Broadhursts Books
SKU: 4725
Price: 95.00 GBP
Availability: InStock

Write Review

In stock

£95.00

Shipping is calculated at checkout.

Publication: London, John Lane The Bodley Head Limited, 1931

Formatting: 8vo, pp. [N/A].

Condition Report: Good. The volume remains structurally sound with a firm, square text block and tight hinges, indicating it has not been over-read or mishandled. However, the external cloth presents noticeable aesthetic wear, most prominently the heavy sunning to the spine which has uniformly faded the original green dye to a muted brown. The boards display minor handling marks and light shelf-wear rubbing to the corner tips and spine ends. Internally, while the main text block is largely clean, there is moderate to heavy foxing concentrated on the page edges, preliminary leaves, and endpapers. The book lacks its dust jacket but remains a solid, readable copy of a scarce title.

Catalogue Note: This is the true first edition, confirmed by the statement "First published in 1931" on the copyright page. Authored by the decorated First World War flying ace and escaper Captain Duncan Grinnell-Milne, this collection of short stories draws heavily on his wartime experiences and observations. As a specific UK first edition, the volume features the publisher's original black and green cover design.

Grinnell-Milne is best known for his classic memoir An Escaper's Log, and his fiction from the interwar period was printed in relatively small runs. Fortune of War is exceptionally scarce on the open market today, seldom appearing in retail or auction catalogues, making this a noteworthy acquisition for collectors of early twentieth-century aviation literature or Great War fiction.

Penned by a celebrated WWI fighter pilot and serial escapee, Fortune of War delivers a gripping collection of short stories steeped in the grim realities and fleeting triumphs of combat. Drawing intimately from his own service in the Royal Flying Corps and time as a prisoner of war, Grinnell-Milne captures the psychological toll, the dark humour, and the sheer unpredictability of life on the front lines. It is a poignant, unflinching glimpse into the Great War from a man who lived its most harrowing extremes.

Book Condition: Good

Book Authors: Duncan Grinnell-Milne

Book Publisher: John Lane The Bodley Head Limited

Book Language: English

Narrative Type: Fiction

Genre: Anthologies & Short Stories

Book edition: First Edition

Signed: No

Book Pages:

Book Publication Year: 1931

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.