Fludd
MANTEL, Hilary
Fludd
London: Viking, 1989
8vo., grey boards lettered in black to spine; in the pictorial dustwrapper with a cover illustration by Russell Ayto (unclipped, £11.95); pp. [x], 5-185, [i]; essentially a fine copy, in the near-fine dustwrapper a little faded along the backstrip with one tiny nick to foot.
First UK edition, first printing, with full number line 1-10. This copy inscribed by the author to the title page “To Katherine - with all good wishes”. Mantel’s fourth novel, which won the Winifred Holtby Memorial Prize in the year of publication.
Set in 1956, the book follows the titular protagonist, a young priest, whose arrival one dark and stormy night to the town of Fetherhoughton heralds the beginning of a series of miraculous events. Previously a town fueled by bullying, barbarous acts of violence, devils in disguise and even rumours of cannibalism, Fludd’s arrival coincides with a message on the wind: “I have come to transform you, transformation is my business” (Dust wrapper).
Humorous, compassionate, and ultimately bewitching, one reviewer wrote that “ Mantel's cramped and pliant village is a marvel” in which “difficult possibility is fair compensation for a sloughed predictability” (Ben Guterson). The book was likely inspired by Mantel’s own upbringing in Derbyshire, and as a daughter of Roman Catholic parents.
Signed copies are rather scarce on the market.
MANTEL, Hilary
Fludd
London: Viking, 1989
8vo., grey boards lettered in black to spine; in the pictorial dustwrapper with a cover illustration by Russell Ayto (unclipped, £11.95); pp. [x], 5-185, [i]; essentially a fine copy, in the near-fine dustwrapper a little faded along the backstrip with one tiny nick to foot.
First UK edition, first printing, with full number line 1-10. This copy inscribed by the author to the title page “To Katherine - with all good wishes”. Mantel’s fourth novel, which won the Winifred Holtby Memorial Prize in the year of publication.
Set in 1956, the book follows the titular protagonist, a young priest, whose arrival one dark and stormy night to the town of Fetherhoughton heralds the beginning of a series of miraculous events. Previously a town fueled by bullying, barbarous acts of violence, devils in disguise and even rumours of cannibalism, Fludd’s arrival coincides with a message on the wind: “I have come to transform you, transformation is my business” (Dust wrapper).
Humorous, compassionate, and ultimately bewitching, one reviewer wrote that “ Mantel's cramped and pliant village is a marvel” in which “difficult possibility is fair compensation for a sloughed predictability” (Ben Guterson). The book was likely inspired by Mantel’s own upbringing in Derbyshire, and as a daughter of Roman Catholic parents.
Signed copies are rather scarce on the market.
MANTEL, Hilary
Fludd
London: Viking, 1989
8vo., grey boards lettered in black to spine; in the pictorial dustwrapper with a cover illustration by Russell Ayto (unclipped, £11.95); pp. [x], 5-185, [i]; essentially a fine copy, in the near-fine dustwrapper a little faded along the backstrip with one tiny nick to foot.
First UK edition, first printing, with full number line 1-10. This copy inscribed by the author to the title page “To Katherine - with all good wishes”. Mantel’s fourth novel, which won the Winifred Holtby Memorial Prize in the year of publication.
Set in 1956, the book follows the titular protagonist, a young priest, whose arrival one dark and stormy night to the town of Fetherhoughton heralds the beginning of a series of miraculous events. Previously a town fueled by bullying, barbarous acts of violence, devils in disguise and even rumours of cannibalism, Fludd’s arrival coincides with a message on the wind: “I have come to transform you, transformation is my business” (Dust wrapper).
Humorous, compassionate, and ultimately bewitching, one reviewer wrote that “ Mantel's cramped and pliant village is a marvel” in which “difficult possibility is fair compensation for a sloughed predictability” (Ben Guterson). The book was likely inspired by Mantel’s own upbringing in Derbyshire, and as a daughter of Roman Catholic parents.
Signed copies are rather scarce on the market.