Beautiful Feathers.

London: Hutchinson,, 1963. First edition, first impression. The title and theme of this novel are taken from an Igbo proverb: "However famous a man is outside, if he is not respected inside his own home, he is like a bird with beautiful feathers, wonderful on the outside but ordinary within". Cyprian Ekwensi (1921-2007) wrote hundreds of short stories, radio and television scripts, and several dozen novels, including children's books. Having attended college in Ghana and studied pharmacy at London, he worked as a forestry officer, pharmacist, teacher, and as Head of Features at the Nigerian Broadcasting Corporation (NBC) until the mid-1960s. In 1968, he received the Dag Hammarskjöld International Prize in Literature, was made an MFR (Nigeria's Member of the Order of the Federal Republic) in 2001, and in 2006 became a fellow of the Nigerian Academy of Letters. Octavo. Original light green boards, spine lettered and decorated in green and blue. With dust jacket by Janina Ede. Front board a little bowed, one corner just bumped, faint mark to fore edge and rear free endpaper, trivial foxing to front free endpaper. A near-fine copy, covers bright and clean, in like jacket, head of spine rubbed, rear panel a touch soiled, edges a little creased, foot of front flap fold nicked, very bright.