Trembling of a Leaf

London: William Heinemann, 1921. Full Description:

MAUGHAM, W. Somerset. The Trembling of a Leaf. Little Stories of the South Sea Islands. London: William Heinemann, 1921.

First British edition. Octavo (7 3/8 x 4 3/4 inches; 189 x 123 mm). [i]- 302, [10, ads], [2, blank] pp. With the 10 pages of publisher's ads which are first issue (Eli of the Downs listed at the bottom of page 2 of the ads).

Original dark blue-green cloth. Front board and spine lettered in gilt. With author's symbol in black on front cover and publisher's windmill device in black on back cover. With "Presentation Copy" blind stamped to top margin of title-page. A tiny purple ink stamp on rear endpaper which states "H.E.H. DUPL." In publisher's dust jacket. Some very minor rubbing to cloth at head and tail of the spine. Endpapers toned as usual. Jacket torn along spine and folds. Flaps are detached. Tape repairs to verso all along spine and back flap. Some loss of letters to title on jacket spine. Spine of jacket is darkened. A very good copy in a good jacket.

"'The Trembling Of A Leaf, Tales Of the South Seas' is a book of six magnificent short stories. They primarily explore the narrative of English life outside of the UK." (Google books).

"These tales of the South Sea Islands bring out the peculiar talents of the author to the very highest degree. While he paints the gorgeousness of the scenes with an unstinted richness he probes with amazing insight into the natures, the foibles and the passions of their white inhabitants. The quintessence of the languid islands is caught, with the cocoanut trees, the brilliant blue sea, the evenings scented and lovely, where, in fact, 'only man is vile.' But these, tales are not meant for the delicate-minded reader; they are strong stuff, with the bite and the sting of an uncannily clear reader of hearts. They are hauntingly, damnably, bitterly true to life." (From the jacket).

Toole Stott A25b.

HBS 69148.

$1,000.