The World Crisis.

London: Thornton Butterworth,, 1923-31. The bibliographer's set, in jackets First British editions, first impressions, of Churchill's mammoth history of the First World War, preserving the dust jackets for all save The Eastern Front - "jacketed sets are extremely rare" (Langworth, p. 108). This set is from the collection of Churchill's bibliographer Ronald Cohen. The work deals with his reorganization of the Royal Navy in the years leading up to the war, defends his Gallipoli policy, and criticizes Haig's strategy. "Although parts of The World Crisis were highly autobiographical, drawing on documents from Churchill's private papers, the book as a whole was a stupendous narrative of the war in Europe featuring masterly set-piece accounts of major battles. Dictated to secretaries as he strode up and down the room, it exhibited his passionate interest in war and his romantic conception of the 'true glory' of the troops who perished on the Somme" (ODNB). The publication of the US editions slightly preceded that of the British. Nonetheless, "the English is more aesthetically desirable, being bound in a more durable and uniform material and equipped with shoulder notes on each page which summarize the subject of that page. Probably for that reason, it is more popular among collectors" (Langworth, p. 108). Provenance: Ronald Cohen, with his ownership inscription in pencil on the front free endpapers. Cohen's Bibliography of the Writings of Sir Winston Churchill, published in three volumes in 2006, is the authoritative source for collectors, librarians, and dealers. Six volumes, octavo. Original blue cloth, spines lettered in gilt, front covers lettered in blind. All save The Eastern Front in dust jacket. Illustrated throughout with maps and charts (many folding). Vol. II with book label to front pastedown of the Faulkner scholar James B. Meriwether (1928-2007). Very light bumping and rubbing at extremities, some toning to endpapers and contents; jackets with slight chipping, loss to head of front panel of vol. II with minor loss to text, tape repair to vol. IV verso all not price-clipped: a near-fine set in very good jackets. Cohen A69.2(I).b (second state, no priority of issue); A69.2(II).a; A69.2(III-1 & 2).a; A69.2(IV).b (second state, no priority of issue); A69.2(V).a. Richard Langworth, A Connoisseur's Guide to the Books of Sir Winston Churchill, 1998.