THE DIARIES OF SIR ALEXANDER CADOGAN, 1938-45

First edition, first printing. Two copies. The first, a presentation copy inscribed to the chief editor at Cassell, Kenneth Parker, by the volume's editor, David Dilks. The second, is Parker's editorial file copy, stamped 'Editorial' to the upper edge of the page block and front free endpaper. The same endpaper has a list of twenty-two page numbers (in black, blue and red ink), each referring to a suggested correction of clarification of the published text on the given page (and for use in later editions). Original brown cloth lettered in gilt to the spine, in the dustwrapper designed by Jeanne Cross with Fayer's photgraphic portrait of Cadogan to the rear panel. Both copies are near fine, with some very light spotting to fore-edges and a little shelf dust. A couple of pages in the editorial copy are torn (c. 0.5 cm) with associated creasing. Both wrappers are a little edge-worn, the editorial copy faded to the spine. Both remain unclipped (£6.00 net to the front flap). An uncommon volume, and here are two, one bearing witness to the meticulousness of Cassell's in-house editor, the other with an inscription from the volume's editor acknowledging that meticulousness.

The presentation copy is inscribed in black ink by the volume's editor, David Dilks, "Kenneth Parker / With grateful thanks. / David". Parker, chief editor at Cassell is also thanked on the volume's acknowledgements pages. Dilks, Professor of International History at the University of Leeds between 1970 and 1991, was later Vice Chancellor of the University of Hull, and served as President of the International Committee for the History of the Second World War between 1992 and 2000. As a young man, he had worked for Anthony Eden, Harold Macmillan and Alexander Cadogan himself. Cadogan was one of the central figures of British policy both before and during the Second World War. He kept a detailed diary from 1933 until his death in 1968, this substantial volume drawing upon the diary between the years between 1938, when he became Under-Secretary of State at the Foreign Office, to the end of the war. Chief adviser to three Foreign Secretaries, Eden, Halifax and Bevin, he worked under three Prime Ministers in Chamberlain, Churchill and Attlee. As head of the Foreign Office, he attended Cabinet meetings and accompanied Churchill on many wartime journeys. Cadogan's meticulously kept private record of these years illumines the workings of the Foreign Office and Cabinet, of alliances and diplomacy, at a time of unparalleled sensitivity and complexity.