POEMS OF DEDICATION

First edition. Inscribed presentation copy. Publisher's original grey cloth with silver titles to the spine, without dustwrapper. A better than very good copy, the binding square and firm with minor bumping to the extremities and a hint of toning to the spine. The contents remain clean and bright throughout.

Inscribed by the author in green ink on the front endpaper "For Julien Green / in the hope that these poems / will keep their place in / his generous appreciation of / my poetry since 1930 / Stephen Spender / Christmas 1946". Paris born American writer Julien Green was a major figure in 20th century French literature and was the first non-French national to be elected to the Académie française. His reputation rests principally not on his novels, but on his diaries which provide a chronicle of his literary and religious life and a unique window on the artistic and literary scene in Paris over an 80 year period. Provenance: from the library of Martin Stone.