The Nine Days Wonder (The Operation Dynamo), John Masefield — 1st Edition

£21.50

The Nine Days Wonder (The Operation Dynamo), John Masefield — 1st Edition

Name: The Nine Days Wonder (The Operation Dynamo), John Masefield — 1st Edition
Brand: Broadhursts Books
SKU: 4018
Price: 21.50 GBP
Availability: InStock

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Publication: London, William Heinemann Ltd, 1941

Formatting: 8vo, pp. [vi], 57.

Condition Report: Very Good. The original blue cloth binding remains remarkably tight, square, and firm, with bright, unoxidised gilt tooling to the front board and spine. The extremities show virtually no shelf-wear, and the boards are clean. Internally, the text-block is highly well-preserved; the pages remain crisp with only the faintest whisper of the toning typically expected from wartime-economy paper, entirely free of foxing or detrimental handling marks. The original unclipped dust wrapper (retaining the 3s. 6d. net price) presents very well, exhibiting some mild dust-soiling to the panels and minor edge-wear, including a few small, closed tears and slight rubbing at the spine tips, but remains a highly attractive, structurally sound example of a fragile wartime wrapper.

Catalogue Note: This is a true first edition, first printing of Masefield’s contemporary account of the Dunkirk evacuation, rushed to press and published in April 1941. Bound in the publisher's primary blue cloth, the volume retains its original typographic dust wrapper featuring the striking day-by-day tally of the naval operation. Complete with its photographic illustrations, finding a copy in such sound, well-preserved condition with its original wrapper is increasingly uncommon, given the inherently fragile nature of the wartime paper stock and the heavily circulated history of these patriotic tracts.

Written by the then Poet Laureate John Masefield, The Nine Days Wonder is a stirring, contemporaneous account of Operation Dynamo, the miraculous evacuation of Allied forces from the beaches of Dunkirk in 1940. Published just months after the event, Masefield combines official summaries, maritime records, and his own poetic reverence to capture the desperate heroism of the British Expeditionary Force and the armada of "Little Ships" that brought them home. A profound piece of wartime history, it remains a testament to resilience in the face of overwhelming odds.

Book Condition: Very Good

Book Authors: John Masefield

Book Publisher: William Heinemann Ltd

Book Language: English

Narrative Type: Non-Fiction

Genre: History

Book edition: First Edition

Signed: No

Book Pages: 57

Book Publication Year: 1941

Book Publication Date:

Book Binding: Cloth

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.