Graham Greene

GREENE, Graham (1904-1991). The Name of Action. London: William Heinemann, 1930.

Presentation copy of Greene's second novel: rare in the dust-jacket. In his autobiography, Greene writes: 'My second and third novels, The Name of Action and Rumour at Nightfall, published in 1930 and 1931, can now be found, I am glad to think, only in secondhand bookshops at an exaggerated price, since some years after their publication I suppressed them'. Subsequently, ‘no other editions [other than the American] or reprints exist…’ (Wobbe). Wobbe A3a.

Octavo. (Short closed marginal tear in L7.) Original blue cloth, spine lettered in gilt and publisher’s device stamped in blind on lower cover (head- and tailcap lightly bruised); original printed dust-jacket priced at 7/6 on spine (spine sunned, a few small nicks at edges, larger chip to head of spine affecting a few letters of the title). Provenance: Roger Hutchinson (authorial presentation inscription on front free endpaper).