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WORLD CRISIS is Churchill's history of the First World
War. There is considerable emphasis on naval matters
and the Dardanelles, where his role was key. This work
has appeared in a number of different editions and lengths.
The original work appeared from 1923-27 as 3 volumes
published in 4 by Thornton Butterworth: Vol I: 1911-1914;
Vol II: 1915; Vols III, IV: 1916-1918 in two parts.
Subsequently in 1929, a further volume appeared as THE
AFTERMATH. Then still later in 1931 a final supplementary
volume was published- THE EASTERN FRONT ( or The Unknown
War) . So the true complete first
edition is six volumes. In addition, the
set of six was published at the same time (1923-31)
in the USA
by Scribners, and in Canada,
a scarce offprint of the US edition.
.
The basic 4 volumes formed the basis for the abridged
one volume edition of 1931, published by
Thornton Butterworth, which included a new chapter by
Churtchill on the battle of the Marne. This abridgement
was also published in the US
by Scribners's several times from 1931 through
1992, and a scarce Canadian edition in 1931. The one
volume condensation, THE AFTERMATH and THE EASTERN FRONT
were all republished in the early 40's by Macmillan
after the demise of Thornton Butterworth.
The
first 4 volumes were also abridged for the part work
THE GREAT WAR which was issued in
26 fortnightly parts in 1933 or 34. The Great
War was the first edition with photographs, and in its
bound state is a heavy
impressive set on coated paper.There were 4 binding
styles offered- palin red cloth, gilt decorated bright
blue linen, hald red morocco, and a deluxe 4 volume
Home Library edition with elaborate gold and silver
decorations.
The
full text of the 4 volumes also was used in the later
Odhams editions of 2 thick vols in 1938/9
or 4 thin volumes in 1950. The two volume Odhams edition
had three bindings- basic blue, a better red with gilt
signature on front and marbled endpapers, and a deluxe
red with gilt and blind rules added to spine. It was
also the basis for a nice two volume reprint done by
Barnes & Noble in 1993, now out of print.
The Eastern Front is very elusive in any state. Thornton
Butterworth issued only a first edition and then a Keystone
Library imprint in 1937, which though less valuable
is actually far scarcer than first editions. The Macmillan
edition is also seldom seen, being really just a remainder
binding of 600 sets of first edition sheets.
T
he full
set of six was republished in 1960's by Scribner's
in red, white, blue dustjackets. The only other editions
are the 5 vols (no Eastern Front) of the Diners Club
special Centenary edition in 1974, and the five volumes
(including Eastern Front) of The Collected Works published
also in 1974, and a deluxe edition of 6 volumes in leather
binding by The Easton Press in the late 1980's .
There
is strong demand for complete sets and most are expensive.
I try to regularly offer low
priced sets of mixed editions, but these
always sell quickly.
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