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CHURCHILL, Winston S.
The Second World War. And an Epilogue on the Years 1945 to 1957.
First one-volume edition. Having read the single-volume abridgement of The World Crisis, Denis Kelly, Churchill's research assistant, suggested a similar treatment for The Second World War, "the plan was to reduce nearly two million words by three-quarters and add an 'aftermath' essay by Churchill … the publishers felt this would greatly enhance the volume's selling power" (Reynolds, The Command of History). Kelly himself performed the abridgement, which he described as "like killing someone else's child," but Desmond Flower, Churchill's editor at Cassell considered the result "a very well-balanced condensation", and the book enjoyed considerable commercial success, also "serv[ing] to weld Churchill's name, image, and words ever more firmly to the Second World War." Churchill also profited greatly from the additional essay, "On 29 January 1957, Emry Reves first sprang upon Churchill the idea that his publishers wished to update the forthcoming abridged edition of the war memoirs with an epilogue …The piece would be required in the next 17 days. Reves offered a substantial sum for that epilogue. As he wrote, 'for the world rights of a Preface of approximately 10,000 words I can offer you £20,000. I believe that this is the highest amount ever paid for a manuscript - £2 per word" (Cohen). The requisite wordage was assembled by Churchill, Kelly and Anthony Montague Browne - members of his current "Syndicate" - who were staying at Reves's home in the South of France, "and it was finally dispatched to the printers on 16 February" (Reynolds).
Octavo (217 × 140 mm) Contemporary red half morocco on matching linen boards for Sotheran's, green morocco double lettering pieces, raised bands with dotted roll, double fillet panels to the compartments, similar rules to the spine and corner edges, top edge gilt, marbled endpapers. Numerous maps and plans to the text, some full-page. Some slight mottling, a little rubbed at the extremities, but overall a handsome copy.
