FORD, Ford Madox (1873-1939)

The Good Soldier. A Tale of Passion [Signed]

New York: Albert and Charles Boni, 1927. Limited Edition. Hardcover. No. 74 of 300 copies for sale and 25 unnumbered presentation copies, signed by Ford on front free end paper. Crown 8vo: ix,260pp. Publisher's quarter-bound finely woven sky-blue cloth over lime-green paper-covered boards, spine stamped in green, top edge stained green, fore- and bottom edges untrimmed, title page in green and black; without the slipcase. Small printed book plate of New York attorney and bibliophile Harry C. Goebel to front end-paper (Goebel designed and commissioned designs for book plates; see Eastern University's Goebel Bookplate Collection) Light smudge to front board, else a pristine example. Connolly 27. Modern Library 100, 30, Guardian 100. Harvey A46b. Fine. Item #BB1647

Special edition of this modern classic (first published 1915), for which Ford supplied a "dedicatory letter" to his wife, Stella: "I have always regarded this as my best book." John Rodker famously called The Good Soldier the "best French novel in the English language." Connolly described it as a "most subtle study of the eternal quadrilateral (two couples meeting in a German spa)." The story chronicles the tragedy of Edward Ashburnham, the good soldier, and his own seemingly perfect marriage, told using a series of flashbacks out of chronological sequence, a technique that formed part of Ford's pioneering style of literary impressionism. N. B. With few exceptions (always identified), we only stock books in exceptional condition, carefully preserved in archival, removable mylar sleeves. All orders are packaged with care and posted promptly. Satisfaction guaranteed. (Fine Editions Ltd is a member of the Independent Online Booksellers Association, and we subscribe to its codes of ethics.).

Price: $1,399.00