Winston Churchill, Being an account of the life of the Right Hon. Winston Leonard Spencer Churchill

London: Mills & Boon, Limited, 1927. First edition, first printing. Hardcover. This is the first edition, first printing of an early biography of Churchill that concludes during his service as Chancellor of the Exchequer. It provides an interesting view of Churchill in mid-career.

Condition approaches very good plus. The navy cloth binding is square and tight with sharp corners, unfaded color, and vivid gilt on the front cover and spine. Scuffing is minimal and light wear is primarily confined to extremities, including wrinkling to the spine ends. The contents are bright with a crisp feel. We find no spotting. The sole previous ownership mark is a name in pencil on the front free endpaper recto. The fore and bottom edges show mild age-toning, the top edges light shelf dust.

"Certainly no Party of which he is a member - be it a political Party or a dinner-party - ever lacks the spur of his stimulating personality. Age, if he ever grows old - which seems extremely doubtful - must mellow him... He no longer takes himself with such preternatural seriousness as in earlier years, but he is taken far more seriously by the world."

Published in late September 1927, the book was popular enough for a second edition the same year (really a second printing of the first edition), a third revised edition in 1936, and a fourth revised edition issued by a different publisher in 1940. It is quite interesting that the Churchill of 1927 drew this biographical attention with his "wilderness years" of the 1930s, two premierships, and the better part of four decades of his life still ahead of him. Clearly Churchill was aware of the book: He wrote to the author on Chartwell stationery dated 29 September 1927 (one day before publication of the book): "Although I would rather that nothing of this kind had been published, yet I should like to recognise the great consideration and courtesy with which you have treated me, and to thank you for all the friendly things you say".

Reference: Zoller A11.a