BRIDESHEAD REVISITED. The Sacred And Profane Memories Of Captain Charles Ryder.

Evelyn Waugh's revised proof of the first published edition of his magnum opus. Signed by the author. Publisher's original beige paper covers with typed label to the upper cover "Brideshead Revisited / Revised Proof / for / Capt. Waugh". A good or better copy, the spine rolled and creased with a little chipping and a couple of short closed tears. The contents with editorial emendations in ink to several pages (in another hand) are otherwise clean throughout. All of the emendations in this proof were adopted in the published first edition. Rare, possibly unique in this form.

Signed and dated 'April 1945' by Evelyn Waugh on the title page, presumably in acceptance of proceeding to print. Following the submission of his typescript of Brideshead Revisited to Chapman and Hall in June 1944, Waugh spent the next ten months in or en-route to and from Yugoslavia. His editing of the text was based on page proofs that were parachuted into Yugoslavia with the help of Randolph (with whom he was stationed) and Winston Churchill. Waugh requested that fifty pre-publication copies be printed on hand-made paper at his own expense, to be distributed by the publisher to his friends in time for Christmas. As a result of their feedback the author made significant changes to the novel, including re-writing the ending and a few name changes. Chapman and Hall then incorporated those edits and this proof was run out from the printer, with final amendments made after the first typesetting. The first book publication of Brideshead Revisited took place on 28 May 1945. By that time, Waugh had returned to England. His diary entry for that date begins "The day of publication of Brideshead. A charming letter from Desmond MacCarthy this morning promising to review it in the Sunday Times".