Richmal Crompton - THE WOMAN BEHIND JUST WILLIAM. [Plus bonus/extra 5 assorted coloured William art prints.]

UK,12mo p/back,1st edn.[Originally and first published,UK,8vo HB+ dw/dj,1st edn,ALLEN & UNWIN (Publishers),1986.This is the first paperback edition by this publisher.] Almost virtually as new,wrapped+ protected from day of issue/purchase,so NO owner inscrptn,NO price removal from cover,NO dog-ear reading creases to any pages' corner tips,and NO reading creases to spine/backstrip.Bright,crisp,clean, sharp-cornered,matt,colour portrait photograph and colour illustration of Crompton and William & Jumper respectively to front card cover,with b/w+red lettering,black spine/ backstrip with white lettering and thumbnail colour detail of same William illustration as front cover,at head of same,rear panel with 3/4 white background,top quarter in black with black lettered resume and note on author (Mary Cadogan) and Martin Jarvis's white lettered quote on Cadogan too,respectively. Despite being wrapped+protected,some very,very slight toning but no foxing/spotting to top+fore-edges; contents bright,tight,clean,solid and sound - pristine - no reading creases to either pages' corner tips or to spine - unread,other than my own collation.UK,12mo p/back,1st edn, xiv-xviiipp+1-169pp [paginated] includes foreword by Martin Jarvis, author's introduction,10 chapters,8pp subjects' b/w contemporary biographical and other related photographs in 1 block,between pp78/9,an apprendix of published works,and an index; plus [unpaginated] b/w William vignette illustrated half-title,with author's other works and those in collaboration to its reverse,title page,a dedication with blank verso,contents list/table with blank verso, separate list/table of plates and acknowledgements,both with a b/w William-related book illustration to respective versos,and to the rear,4pp blanks.
Included with this item - not supplied as part of the book's original purchase,but as a separate BONUS - 5 different and assorted, coloured "William" prints - all illustrated by Thomas Henry - high quality on shiny,light art card - from full-colour plates of 1925,reprinted here for the first time. [Unframed and each 21cm tall x 14.7cm wide/ 8.3/16ths" x 5.13/16ths"] MINT - wrapped+protected from day of issue/purchase. Titled prints include: 'TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE.', 'COMPANY COMING!',"THE CAUSE OF THE DISTURBANCE IS MOVING SLOWLY EASTWARDS.",'THE MAN IN POSSESSION.' and 'THE TEMPTATION OF ST. WILLIAM.' Thomas Henry Fisher (1879-1962) worked as Thomas Henry.Born Eastwood,Nottinghamshire.Studied at Nottingham School of Art.He worked as a lithographer (his first job was the 'sailor' trademark for Player's cigarettes) and poster designer before becoming a regular contributor of cartoons and humorous illustrations to newspapers and magazines.Periodicals included The Boy's Own Paper, The Captain, Chums, Crusoe, Happy Magazine, Home Magazine, The Humorist, Nottingham Guardian, Passing Show, Punch and The Windsor Magazine amongst others.His forte was the funny side of school life and he illustrated the first 34 of Richmal Crompton's 'William' books in pen and ink in a cheerful,effective and remarkably consistent style. Although the first of these books was published in 1922,Fisher did not meet Richmal Crompton until 1954.

Visually the exterior appearance is exceptional for a book of it's age and nature, i.e. an ephemeral paperback,and even internally,the book is also in an exceptional condition/state of preservation and presentation.It is only the exterior fault described that prevents a slightl;y higher grading.Despite it,it really is an exceptional copy for cleanliness and brightness.
Richmal Crompton's 'William' is known even to those who have never read the books featuring his anarchic exploits.For many,the scruffy, adventurous and exuberant William and his trials and tribulations with the awful Violet Elizabeth and his companions in daring, Ginger, Henry and Douglas remain a part of our childhood.But what do we know of his creator,who always shunned the limelight? So shy of fame was she that,owing to her unusual Christian name,many people thought she was,in fact,a man.
In this biography,Mary Cadogan provides a portrait of a witty and talented writer,and a celebration of her works.Fully illustrated with pictures of Richmal and her family - including the brother,nephew and great-nephew who helped inspire William's antics - and the timeless original pictures of William by Thomas Henry. Mary Cagogan is a specialist in the history of children's literature. Her biography of 'Frank Richards: the chap behind the chums' (Viking,1988) was reissued by Swallowtail in 2001,and her selection of Enid Blyton stories, 'A Treasure of Enid Blyton School Stories' (with Norman Wright,was published Sept 02,Hodder(UK).

Martin Jarvis,OBE,(b. 4th August,1941) is an English actor and a producer of radio drama.Described by the BBC as "one of Britain's most distinguished and versatile actors",he's had a varied career in theatre,film and television,and is particularly noted for radio acting and voicing audiobooks.A a long association with the BBC,he is known for his long series of readings of Crompton's 'Just William' stories,which show his characteristic and flexible reading voices,he has also narrated the Billy Bunter series by Frank Richards.He performs live dramatic readings of some of the stories in the intermittent radio series Jeeves Live! (2007–2020).Jarvis has also undertaken audiobooks of P. G. Wodehouse's works,and won the Audie Award for these.He is the narrator of the 2011audiobook 'The Selfish Giant' by Oscar Wilde.Further work in 2011 includes an audiobook of the Wilbur Smith novel 'The Leopard Hunts in Darkness. Please contact seller,for correct shipping/P+p quotes - particularly ALL overseas customers - BEFORE ordering through the order page! ** N.B. ALL buyers please note,stocks' actual shipping/P+p costs are adjusted and any difference is refunded,after order's receipt and before the order's despatch,especially if the item(s) are offered either P+p included/FREE. ** This item offered P+p included.Offer available UK only,unless indicated otherwise. **
** N.B. US/Canada customers please be aware: Standard AIRMAIL postage from UK to these destinations can now cost more than the price of the book! If speed is not of the essence,then Economy rate is recommended - at approx. anything from a 1/3rd to 1/2 of the standard AIR quote/rate - sometimes arriving sooner than the 42 days - but not always.