Apple of the Eye

London: Hutchinson, 1970. First Edition. Hardcover. Fine/Fine-. First Impression of the author's scarce tenth novel. 8vo: 227,[1]pp. Publisher's navy blue cloth-effect paper-covered boards, spine stamped in gold; pictorial dust jacket by Colin Andrews, priced £1.50. Fine and apparently unread; about Fine jacket (small, nearly imperceptible repair to head of spine panel, not involving lettering or design). A desirable copy. "Stanley Middleton is resolutely unfashionable. . . . He is an unspectacular writer about unspectacular landscapes and people to whom retirement to a bungalow called Mon Abri represents the fulfillment of hopes cherished in a life-time of shopkeeping, teaching, printing or quantity surveying. . . . Nevertheless, there is nothing flat or insignificant about his novels. . . . Middleton seems to believe that life is too important to be muddied by the exaggerations and embellishments of fiction." (TLS 10/17/1975) N. B. With few exceptions (always identified), we only stock books in exceptional condition, with dust jackets carefully preserved in archival, removable polypropylene sleeves. All orders are packaged with care and posted promptly. Satisfaction guaranteed. (Fine Editions Ltd is a member of the Independent Online Booksellers Association, and we subscribe to its codes of ethics.).