Scarce With The Wrapper

Williams, Charles ~ The Greater Trumps

First UK Printing : Victor Gollancz Ltd., London : 1932

The First UK Printing published by Victor Gollancz Ltd., London in 1932. 8vo., black publisher's boards, backstrip lettered in yellow with publisher's name to foot; together in the rare Gollancz wrapper in iconic yellow, printed in black and pink and priced 7/6 net to spine; THE BOOK a near-Fine, square copy, the boards clean, slight bruising to spine tips; very mildly, and evenly, toned throughout, with ever-so-slight spotting and offsetting to endpapers; lightly cracked at the hinges with tiny patches of webbing showing; the Very Good WRAPPER toned to folds and more-so to the spine; with some losses at the head and foot. Some short closed tears, with the rear panel being cleanly detached from the rear spine fold. Two small holes to the spine (not affecting text); seldom found at all, and completely unrestored. The wrapper comes together and presents very well in a removable Brodart archival cover. Charles Williams (1886-1945) was a poet, author, theologian and editor at Oxford University Press. Born in London and educated at St. Alban's School he became, in 1908, a proofreading assistant for OUP, and quickly climbed to the position of editor. Among his contributions to the press was the first English language edition of the works of the philosopher Søren Kierkegaard. Along with J. R. R. Tolkien, he was a member of 'The Inklings', a literary society founded by C. S. Lewis which encouraged the writing of fantasy works. It was during this time that he heard Tolkien read the group early drafts of what would later become The Lord of the Rings, and Williams would later write his most famous work, 'All Hallows Eve', after encouragement from his peers. It was published in 1945, with an introduction by T. S. Eliot. The Greater Trumps was referred to by T. S. Eliot as one of Williams's seven 'supernatural thrillers' written between 1930 and 1945, and so called by Eliot because of the complex weaving of spiritual and physical realms. The present work describes a tarot deck which is used to unlock immense cosmic energy, allowing whosoever possesses it to manipulate space and time, create matter, and raise powerful storms. Described by one reviewer as "at once a compelling novel of the supernatural and a brilliant statement of his unique mysticism", the book is proliferated with an undercurrent of Christianity, with references to incarnation, as well as symbols of eyes, hands, and light. Williams was a devout Christian and a member of the Church of England who later, in 1935, published 'The Descent of the Dove: A Short History of the Holy Spirit in the Church'. Described by some as being one of the three greatest 'Christian fantasy' writers of the 20th century, alongside C. S. Lewis and T. F. Powys, he here juxtaposes the occult and its relationship to esoteric Christianity. Like his 1930 novel 'War in Heaven' (which describes the quest for the Holy Grail), these works feature such creatrues as angels, demons and ghosts, always with a moral message of good versus evil. Elusive in any condition, and especially more-so with the wrapper

BINDING: Hardcover
CONDITION: Near Fine
JACKET: Very Good