VOICE OF ISRAEL, INSCRIBED BY ABBA EBAN

EBAN, Abba. Voice of Israel. New York: Horizon, 1957. Octavo, contemporary full black leatherette gilt, top edge gilt. $950.

Presentation Edition, a distinctive association copy inscribed by Abba Eban on the publishers' tipped-in photographic leaf, "To M— Y— with best wishes, Abba Eban."

"One of the finest political philosophers of this century… Abba Eban used words, with fluency and accuracy, as his most potent weapons" (Guardian). Voice of Israel chronicles the modern state's early years and records Eban's major speeches. Diplomat, historian and statesman, Eban was raised in England, emigrating to Palestine after World War II. There he played a key role in negotiating Israel's independent statehood. With gilt-stamped "Presentation Edition" on front board. Issued same year as the first trade edition: also issued in burgundy leatherette, no priority established. With two double-page maps. The recipient of this impressive association copy was Michael N. Yardney, the inventor of "a remote control device for catapulting jet planes used by French defense forces in WWII… a remote-control device to position aircraft instrumentation and armament," and a small battery used to power U.S. Navy torpedoes that also "powered equipment for the astronauts' walk on the moon" in the Apollo project (New York Times).

A fine inscribed copy.