Postscripts, J. B. Priestley — 1st Edition

£35.05

Postscripts, J. B. Priestley — 1st Edition

Name: Postscripts, J. B. Priestley — 1st Edition
Brand: Broadhursts Books
SKU: 6721
Price: 35.05 GBP
Availability: InStock

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Publication: London, William Heinemann Ltd, 1940.

Formatting: 8vo, pp. [viii], 100.

Condition Report: Near Fine in a Very Good dust jacket. The publisher's blue cloth boards are exceptionally bright, completely avoiding the fading or surface wear typical of wartime publications. The corners remain perfectly sharp, and the gilt windmill tooling to the front board, alongside the spine lettering, is brilliantly unoxidised. The binding is structurally sound, tight, and square, with no evidence of hinge weakness. Internally, the text block is excellent; the letterpress impression is strong, and the pages are remarkably crisp, entirely free from foxing or the severe paper-aging and oxidisation that ordinarily degrades 1940s wartime stock. The original, unclipped dust jacket (priced at 2s. 6d. net) retains strong typographic colour but exhibits minor edge-wear and slight chipping to the spine ends and corners, alongside some faint surface soiling to the white panels, justifying a Very Good grade.

Catalogue Note: Postscripts is a poignant and historically significant collection of J. B. Priestley’s Sunday evening radio broadcasts, delivered on the BBC during the tumultuous summer and early autumn of 1940. Broadcast against the backdrop of the Battle of Britain and the Blitz, Priestley's warm, conversational tone and stirring reflections on everyday British resilience made these talks immensely popular, rivaling even Winston Churchill in audience numbers and bolstering the nation's morale.

This is a true first edition, first printing, as stated on the copyright page. The book features the publisher's iconic windmill device on the title page and front board. The rear panel of the dust jacket advertises 'The Works of J. B. Priestley', contextualising its place within his wider bibliography.

It is notably scarce on the open market in this condition; wartime paper restrictions and the ephemeral nature of such topical publications mean that most surviving copies are heavily worn or entirely lacking their original dust jackets. This copy, retaining its unclipped wrapper and remaining in such bright condition beneath, is an exceptional find.

During the darkest days of 1940, as Britain faced the relentless onslaught of the Blitz, J. B. Priestley took to the BBC airwaves. His Sunday evening Postscripts broadcasts offered a profound, intimate, and deeply human perspective on the war. Eschewing grand political rhetoric, Priestley focused on the quiet courage of ordinary people, from the heroism of the little ships at Dunkirk to the resilience of Londoners under fire. This collection captures the spirit of a nation standing firm in its finest hour, preserving the voice that helped guide Britain through the storm.

Book Condition: Near Fine

Book Authors: J. B. Priestley

Book Publisher: William Heinemann Ltd

Book Language: English

Narrative Type: Non-Fiction

Genre: History

Book edition: First Edition

Signed: No

Book Pages: 100

Book Publication Year: 1940

Book Publication Date:

Book Binding: Hardcover

Illustrator: N/A

Book Series: N/A

Country/region of manufacture: Kingswood, Surrey, 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.