The River War

London: Eyre & Spottiswoode, 1933. Hardcover. This is the second printing of the bibliographically significant 1933 edition of Churchill's second book in the scarce early issue dust jacket. Originally published in 1899, The River War recounts Churchill's experiences and reflections concerning British involvement in the Sudan, including Churchill’s participation in “the last great British cavalry charge”. In 1933, a so-called "Second Cheap Edition" was made from plates of the 1902 edition with a bibliographically significant new introduction by the author explaining that "A generation has grown up which knows little of why we are in Egypt and the Sudan." There were ultimately five printings of this edition with at least seven different dust jackets issued (at least two for the 1933 second printing and two for the final, 1951 printing).

The style of the illustrated first printing dust jacket was specific to the first printings (January 1933) and a limited number of second printings (March 1933), including the copy offered here. In his noteworthy Bibliography, Ronald Cohen notes that "although only 985 copies were ever sold" of this second printing, these copies "were bound only gradually, on 14 separate occasions between 31 March and 29 February 1940." Cohen notes that "this extended sale and large number of binding occasions would account for differences of cloth or dust jackets on second printing copies." (Cohen, Volume I, p.54) Copies of this second printing bound later were issued in a distinctly different, un-illustrated dust jacket.

Here is what surely must be an early issue example of the second printing, since it bears the first printing-style dust jacket and first printing binding cloth. Of the second impression, Richard Langworth (Connoisseur's Guide, p.34-35) does note "This impression has been found in a jacket identical to the first impression, adding 'net' to the spine price." This copy's dust jacket does feature the word 'net' on the spine below the price and the book itself references the second 1933 printing on the copyright page. The binding cloth matches the distinctly darker purple hue of first printing copies.

Condition is very good in a very good dust jacket. The purple cloth binding proved quite prone to fading, scuffing, and soiling. This binding is clean and tight with strong purple hue, as would be expected of a jacketed copy, and only modest shelf wear primarily to the corners and spine ends. The contents are clean with a crisp, unread feel and no previous ownership marks. All maps and plans are present and pristine. The contents show only mild age-toning and light soiling and spotting appears confined to the page edges. The dust jacket is bright despite soiling and almost entirely complete, with modest wear to the extremities, and only fractional chipping to the spine ends and corners. The dust jacket is protected beneath a clear, removable, archival cover.

In 1883, Mahdist forces of messianic leader Mohammed Ahmed overwhelmed British-led forces, precipitating British withdrawal from the Sudan. In 1885, General Gordon famously lost his life in a doomed defense of Khartoum, where he had been sent to lead evacuation of Egyptian forces. General Kitchener reoccupied the Sudan in 1898. With him was a very young Winston Churchill, who participated in “the last great British cavalry charge” during the battle of Omdurman in September 1898, where the Mahdist forces were decisively defeated. Writing about the British campaign in the Sudan in The River War, Churchill - a young officer in a colonial British army - is unusually sympathetic to the Mahdist forces and critical of Imperial cynicism and cruelty. This work offers us the candid perspective of the future 20th century icon from the distinctly 19th century battlefields where Churchill learned to fight and write and earned his early fame.

Reference: Cohen A2.4.b, Woods/ICS A2(da.2), Langworth p.33