LIMITED FIRST EDITION OF ISRAEL: A PERSONAL HISTORY, SIGNED BY DAVID BEN-GURION

BEN-GURION, David. Israel: A Personal History. New York: Funk & Wagnalls, (1971). Thick quarto, original full dark blue morocco gilt, watered silk endpapers, top edge gilt, original cloth slipcase. $3500.

Signed limited first edition, number 1398 of 2000 copies signed beneath the photographic frontispiece in blue ink by Ben-Gurion, the modern state of Israel’s founding father and first Prime Minister, a beautiful copy.

"Foremost among the founding fathers of modern Israel," David Ben-Gurion drafted Israel's Declaration of Independence, serving afterwards as the new nation's first Prime Minister and subsequently as Minister of Defense (Encyclopedia Judaica). "Considered one of the most scholarly heads of state in human history," Ben-Gurion was also a prolific author; few were better qualified to write a "personal history" of Israel (New Jewish Encyclopedia, 48). With over 140 black-and-white photographic illustrations and six maps. Encyclopedia Judaica IV:506-514. New Jewish Encyclopedia, 46-48.

A lovely copy in fine condition.