STEP BY STEP -First English “Times Book Club”Edition (Variant Binding)

London: Thornton Butterworth Ltd. , 1939. “Times Book Club” Edition. Hardcover (with Dust Jacket). Very Good. 8vo (365 pages, 2 maps, one folding, at rear). This is a very good copy of the rarely-seen [London] “Times Book Club” edition, which came out simultaneously with the First English edition, bound from First Edition sheets, somewhat reduced in size, though. Surprisingly, bibliographer Ronald Cohen seems to have missed this edition altogether, which is a rarity unto itself. The black cloth would appear to be a variant binding. We also have a copy bound in green cloth that appears to have precedence (see item #208909). The half-title page is omitted in this copy and the spine type reads: “W.S. Churchill.” as opposed to “Winston S. Churchill” as it appears on the green cloth version, and most other Times Book Club titles. The book is also approximately 1/4-inch shorter than the green version. The black cloth here is fresh but there is some staining to the rear board. The contents are fine; the pages just a touch browned. There is a homily bookplate on the front pastedown and the trademark tiny Times Book Club inkstamp on the rear pastedown.