Goldenballs.

Private Eye/André Deutsch, London., 1979. First edition. Octavo. 144 pages. Photographs. The editor of Private Eye recounts the events surrounding the famous libel actions brought by Sir James Goldsmith.Loosely inserted is a series of fifteen Autograph Letters Signed by the author, some undated, but all evidently from the period 1976-1980, to Philip Dossé, the editor of Books and Bookmen and director of Hansom Books. The last few letters are on Private Eye notepaper, while the earlier ones are on Ingrams own headed notepaper. The length runs from about fifty words to about two hundred. The discussion is largely centred on book reviews by Ingrams and similar matters, but there are also a few references to the Goldenballs case: ''We were naturally delighted to win the case and I think there is a good chance that he may drop the whole thing. God forbid that he will end up owning the Observer! I feel strongly that he is someone who should be drummed out of the country...''Letters: some fold creases; very good. Book: fine in fine dustwrapper a bit faded at the spine.