"THIS IS NOT HISTORY: THIS IS MY CASE"

CHURCHILL, Winston. The Second World War: The Gathering Storm; Their Finest Hour; The Grand Alliance; The Hinge of Fate; Closing the Ring; Triumph and Tragedy. London: Cassell, (1948-54). Six volumes. Octavo, modern full red morocco gilt, raised bands, all edges gilt, marbled endpapers. $4500.

First English editions of Churchill's WWII masterpiece, part history and part memoir, written after he lost reelection as Prime Minister, very handsomely bound by Bayntun.

The six volumes of Churchill's masterpiece were published separately between 1948 and 1954. With the Second World War, Churchill "pulled himself back from humiliating defeat in 1945, using all his skills as a writer and politician to make his fortune, secure his reputation, and win a second term in Downing Street" (Reynolds, xxiii). "Winston himself affirmed that 'this is not history: this is my case'" (Holmes, 285). Churchill was re-elected to the post of Prime Minister in 1951. "The Second World War is a great work of literature, combining narrative, historical imagination and moral precept in a form that bears comparison with that of the original master chronicler, Thucydides. It was wholly appropriate that in 1953 Churchill was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature" (Keegan, 175). Although preceded by the American editions, the English editions are generally preferred for their profusion of diagrams, maps, and facsimile documents. Volume I with the tipped-in author's note and errata slip present. Cohen A240.4. Woods A123b. Langworth, 254.

Scattered spots of faint foxing to first few leaves of Volume I, contents otherwise very clean. A fine set.