Waugh, Evelyn — Unconditional Surrender — First UK Edition, 1961

Author: Evelyn Waugh
Title: Unconditional Surrender
Publisher: Chapman & Hall, London
Date: 1961
Edition: First UK Edition
Size: Octavo
Stock Code: 004179
Location: Bookroom

First UK edition of Evelyn Waugh’s Unconditional Surrender, published by Chapman & Hall in 1961 and forming the concluding volume of the trilogy begun with Men at Arms (1952) and continued with Officers and Gentlemen (1955), the sequence later revised and issued collectively as Sword of Honour. Drawing substantially upon Waugh’s own wartime experience, the novel follows Guy Crouchback through the later stages of the Second World War and provides the culmination of one of the major literary treatments of British military life, combining comedy, satire, disillusionment and Waugh’s characteristic concern with honour, faith and personal responsibility. The title-page describes the book as “The Conclusion of Men at Arms and Officers and Gentlemen”, while the dedication is to Waugh’s daughter Margaret, “Child of the Locust Years”. Copyright page states “First published 1961” and bears the Chapman & Hall catalogue number 5263/4. Bound in the publisher’s original blue cloth and retaining the striking original red and blue dustwrapper, whose design incorporates military arms and insignia. The dustwrapper remains notably fresh and bright, with only light signs of handling and a few minor surface marks; the rear panel shows some light foxing and spotting, principally around the margins. The binding is firm and the contents appear clean and well preserved. A particularly attractive example of the first edition in its original dustwrapper and an important volume in Waugh’s wartime fiction. Near fine in near fine condition overall.  

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