The First World War (Signed copy)
Signed by Martin Gilbert to historian Anne Powell, with her many enclosures
Author
Publisher
Printing Details
First edition, fourth impression. Hardback in dustwrapper. 25.5 × 17.5cm, 616pp.
Signed and dedicated by Martin Gilbert to the title page "To Anne Powell with admiration, Martin Gilbert". Anne Powell was a historian, anthologist and author on the First and Second World Wars, and this was her working copy, with her nameplate to the front pastedown, and the book is full of relevant newspaper clippings, obituaries, etc and a programme of Thanksgiving to mark the 75th anniversary of the Armistice. There are also some pencil marginal notes by her, but not affecting the text.
Martin Gilbert's detailed and extensive history. It was to be the war to end all wars, and it began at 11.15 on the morning of June 28, 1914, in an outpost of the Austro-Hungarian Empire called Sarajevo. It would end officially almost five years later. Unofficially, it has never ended: The horrors we live with today were born in the First World War. It left millions—civilians and soldiers—maimed or dead. And it left us with new technologies of death: tanks, planes, and submarines; reliable rapid-fire machine guns, poison gas and chemical warfare. It introduced us to unrestricted war on civilians and mistreatment of prisoners. Most of all, it changed our world. In its wake, empires toppled, monarchies fell, whole populations lost their national identities as political systems and geographic boundaries realigned. Instabilities were institutionalised, enmities enshrined. Manners, mores, codes of behaviour, literature, education and class distinctions—all underwent a vast sea change. In all these ways, the twentieth century can be said to have been born on the morning of June 28, 1914.
Condition
Good condition. Whilst the book remains in strong readable condition, the addition of so many clippings etc have caused a little misshaping to the book, and with some light wear to the wrapper's edges. Nevertheless, an good copy with an interesting provenance.
Sold
