POEMS

First edition, first printing. Signed by the author. With an autograph postcard from the author loosely laid in. Original red cloth with black titles to the spine, in dustwrapper. With a black and white frontispiece portrait of the author. A near fine copy, the binding firm and cloth clean, the boards slightly bowed. The contents are clean and bright throughout. Complete with the original dustwrapper which is slightly rubbed and faded at the extremities. Scarce.

Signed by the Antony Thwaite in blue ink beneath the frontispiece. Loosely laid in is a postcard of the author with Philip Larkin, inscribed "This excessive / rarity (only 150 / copies) for James. / It pre-dates HOME / TRUTHS by five months... / with best / wishes & love / thanks from / Anthony / June 2012". Thwaite was a poet, editor and lecturer who is well known for being literary executor and editor of his long-term friend Philip Larkin. This, his first collection of poetry was produced in an edition of just 150 copies. The present example is numbered 146. The recipient is James Booth, former Professor of English at the University of Hull, and the biographer, editor and former colleague of Philip Larkin.