“ONE OF THE MOST BRILLIANT TREATISES ON WAR THAT HAS EVER BEEN WRITTEN”: CHURCHILL’S THE WORLD CRISIS, WITH LORD SYDENHAM’S A CRITICISM, BEAUTIFULLY BOUND

CHURCHILL, Winston. The World Crisis. Five volumes. WITH: LORD SYDENHAM OF COMBE, et al.: The World Crisis by Winston Churchill. A Criticism. One volume. London: Thornton Butterworth, Hutchinson & Co., (1923-29). Together, six volumes. Octavo, contemporary three-quarter tan calf gilt, raised bands, elaborately gilt-decorated spines, red and green morocco spine labels, marbled endpapers, top edges gilt. $6300.

First English editions of Churchill’s important history of World War I. “Not only the best account of the most tremendous convulsion the world has ever seen, but one of the most brilliant treatises on war that has ever been written” (Spectator). With Lord Sydenham’s 1928 A Criticism, in which five experts refute Churchill’s claims. Beautifully bound by Riviere & Son in contemporary calf-gilt.

During WWI, Churchill served variously as the head of the British Navy, Minister for Munitions, and as a foot soldier in the trenches. The World Crisis offers his first-hand account of the British government's massive efforts to win the war, and depicts the political events that would serve as object lessons for Churchill when WWII broke out. Illustrated with numerous maps (many folding), charts, facsimiles, photographs, and a large folding colored map at rear of last volume. Preceded by the American editions, although "the English is more aesthetically desirable… equipped with shoulder notes on each page which summarize the subject of that page… It is more popular among collectors who wish to own only one edition" (Langworth, 108). In the 1928 volume The World Crisis by Winston Churchill. A Criticism, "Five experts on various aspects of World War I criticize Churchill's Volume III (1916-18)… they also consider the Dardanelles campaign in Volume II (1915). An important critical work, sufficiently powerful that Churchill replied to it in part in his 1931 single-volume edition of The World Crisis" (Zoller A14). Without Churchill's final volume, The Eastern Front, published 1931. The six Churchill volumes were issued separately, and sets without The Eastern Front are often seen. Volume IV is second issue, published in the same month as the first. With all errata slips called for in Woods. Cohen A69.2. Woods A31(a). Langworth, 105-108. Zoller A14.

Occasional scattered foxing to interiors, more so to preliminary and concluding leaves. Some light staining to corners of two labels and A Criticism. About-fine condition; scarce with the Sydenham volume.