One of only 25 deluxe copies
PRIESTLEY, J.B. Faraway. London: William Heinemann Ltd. 1932.
8vo. Green levant morocco bound boards by Henry T. Wood Ltd. with front emblem of a sunset in gilt in blind; spine lettered in gilt with raised bands; all edges gilt; title page illustration designed by Kenneth Hobson; pp. [10], 568, [2]; spine slightly faded with scuffing on head and foot; internally fine, a near fine copy.
One of 25 copies taken from the presses of the first edition.
Faraway is a fantastical tale about the perilous journey of a young man seeking out his fortune on a desert island in the South Pacific, where he is drawn to the idea of the fate of gold belonging to a family myth.
J.B. Priestley rose to fame in the 1930s with his novel The Good Companions but he was also a playwright and acclaimed broadcaster. Priestley's radio Postscripts on Sunday evenings made him an international figure during WWII. These short propaganda talks were well respected internationally for harnessing civilian morale, particularly during the Battle of Britain. During this time, only Churchill exceeded Priestley in popularity on the wavelengths, with Graham Greene reflecting, "he gave us what our leaders have always failed to give us- an ideology", (although it is believed that Postscripts was eventually cancelled because of complaints regarding it's left wing agenda). Priestley's political beliefs brought him into conflict throughout his lifetime but he played catalyst to a series of influential changes, including influence of Atlee's 1945 Labour landslide victory and his position as a leading figure in the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament in 1958.
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