MOOMINLAND MIDWINTER. [Translated by Thomas Warburton.]** by JANSSON**, TOVE:

UK,12mo HB+dw/dj,1st edn thus.[Originally and first published in Swedish a 'Trollwinter',1957 - her 5th novel 8 in the series.First UK edn by Ernest Benn, 1958.] MINT/MINT.Wrapped+protected from day of issue/purchase - pristine.So no owner inscrptn,and no price-clip to dw/dj.Bright,crisp, clean,sharp-cornered,matt,colour pictorial artwork by Tove Jansson, illustrated dw/dj panels with black lettered author name,and white-outlined orange lettered title to front,spine with similar title but author name in white letters,rear cover without text; with negligible shelf-wear - no bumping, rubbing,creasing to edges or corners,and no nicks,tears or splits present.All edges bright and clean without blemish; contents pristine - no dog-ear reading creases to any pages' corners - unread, apart from my own collation.Bright,crisp,clean and unblemished,sharp-cornered,publisher's original navy blue cloth boards with bright,crisp, blocked silver gilt Moomin on skis silhouetted outline illustration to front, bright crisp,blocked silver gilt letters to spine,and a plain rear board and immaculate orange+white illustrated endpapers.UK,12mo HB+dw/dj,1st edn thus,11-168pp [paginated] includes 6 chapters - each with a b/w line illustrated chapter headpiece,and other profuse b/w line illustrations by Tove Jansson throughout the text and the book; plus [unpaginated] a folding b/w map (Moomin Valley in Winter),half-title,Moomin figure illustrated publisher printed facsimile bookplate for owner/recipient,b/w vignetted title page with b/w Moomin figure to lower corner of its reverse, b/w vignetted dedication also with a b/w vignette to its rear,contents list/ table also with a b/w illustration to it lower corner on its reverse too.To the rear of the book [also unpaginated] a bibliography of the children's 'Moomin' books each with premise/precis,a list of titles for grown-ups and as reverse of last page,the Kaye Webb's original Puffin edition's explanation of the Moomin title.
Special collectors' hardback editions restored to original designs.A beautiful collectors' edition of this classic Moomin story,re-using original 50's and 60's cover artwork,a fold out map and striking two-colour illustrated endpapers.
Moomins always sleep through the winter while the snow settles all around them, waking up in time for spring and the arrival of Snufkin and other friends.Or they did until one year when Moomintroll happened to wake up and find himself all alone in a sleepy,dusty house in a silent, snow-covered valley.
In this moving story of a small,brave Moomin finding his way in the mysterious world of winter we discover that there are always new friends to be found - like the calm and wise Too-ticky and the irrepressible Little My - and new ways to play and be amused and to take pride in being the first Moomin to truly experience winter.
Tove Jansson (1914-2001) was born in Helsinki,the daughter of a Swedish-Finnish sculptor and graphic designer.She trained as an artist and gained early renown as a painter and cartoonist. [Commissioned in 1953 by the Associated Press,to produce a regular 'Moomin' comic strip for The London 'Evening News' between 1954 and 1968.The writing and drawing were subsequently taken over by her brother Lars,who had helped her translate the original texts into English.Later,the strip was continued,but by other artists.]
But it was the creation of the Moomins - genial,philosophical creatures illustrated in deft line drawings - that was to bring her worldwide fame. 'Finn Family Moomintroll',her best-beloved title,was hailed as an instant classic on its publication in her native country.She had earlier published 'Kometjakten' ('Comet in Moominland') in 1946 and which was then first published in the UK (BENN,London) in 1951,after 'Finn Family Moomintroll'.The actual first 'Moomin' title 'Smaltrollen Och Den Stora Oversvamningen' ('The Little Trolls and the Great Flood') - a short story - was started in 1939 and finally published in 1945,under her own name. To date,this first 'Moomin' title has not yet been translated into English. The prequel and sequels were all written in Swedish - a total of 9 novels - covering 1945 to 1970.
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* This item offered P+p FREE - available UK only.
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