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Crisp, Quentin : The Naked Civil Servant

Jonathan Cape, 1968

the original jacket has a closed tear. it is shelf rubbed, a little marked and the spine is very slightly faded. it is complete and still presents very well in cellophane. the book has a booksellers small stamp on the front end page. there are no inscriptions and the binding is excellent, square and tight.. Book Condition: Very Good. Binding: Hardcover. Jacket: Very Good

1st Edition.

CRISP**, QUENTIN [PRATT Dennis Charles,1908 - 1999.]: : THE NAKED CIVIL SERVANT

LONDON.GERALD DUCKWORTH & CO. lTD.,1977.

ISBN 0715611879.

UK,8vo HB+protected dw/dj,1st edn thus. [Originally first published, JONATHAN CAPE LTD.,(London,1968 @ 25s.).This issue the first re-issue,1st edn thus,1977.] NFINE/NFINE.No owner inscrptn and no price -clip to dw/dj.Bright,clean,wrap-around brown background with subject's brown+ white reproduced painting (from the colour photograph of the simultaneous UK,Fontana p/back issue) portrait-illustrated front panel of dw/dj with white lettered title and author's white facsimile signature at foot,white letters to a slightly discoloured - due to some sunning/fading,a noted and ubiquitous fault - spine/ backstrip,rear panel with publisher's white lettered advert for other authors' works; with negligible shelf-wear,bumping, creasing - no nicks,tears or any splits present.Top edges sporadically foxed/ spotted,fore-edges bright and clean without foxing/spotting or other blemish; contents bright,tight,clean,solid and sound - text body and margins without foxing/spotting - near pristine - no dog-ear reading creases to any pages' corners,appears unread,apart from my own collation.Publisher's bright,crisp, unblemished,sharp-cornered,original,plain black cloth boards with bright,crisp, blocked gilt letters to spine/backstrip and fairly clean plain white endpapers with merest hint of partial off-set foxing from respective pastedowns to verso+recto of opposing free endpapers respectively, front and back.UK,8vo HB+dw/dj,1st edn thus,7-217pp [paginated] includes 29 chapters; plus [unpaginated] half-title+ title pages,and title separator page. Loosely inserted 4 assorted folded magazine/newspaper b/w+ colour articles+ obituary cuttings. See also my preceding alpha-numerical book ID rja940721 for UK,8vo HB+dw/dj,1st edn of 'CHOG'. Camp from birth,Quentin Crisp has been fluttering his eyelashes,clinking his bracelets,flaunting his henna'd curls around London for 50 years (then 1977) - a happy homosexual who has come to terms with his predicament by glorying in it. This is the account of his life,in Pimlico,Chelsea,Soho,Fitzrovia; of his careers as commercial artist and life- class model (whence the book derives its title); of his 1939-45 years ('I made up my mind to ignore the war'),during which he achieved total exemption from military service on the explicit ground of sexual perversion; of his housekeeping dispositions ('after the first four years the dirt doesn't get any worse'); of his various brushes with the law (policemen are the only men in uniform for whom he feels no attraction); and of his long matured opinions on such professional topics as love,masturbation and the boredom of whoredom. In this chronicle of miss-advetures various heroes of the layabout civilisation make momentary appearances - Nina Hamnett,Angus McBean,Ivor Novello, Mervyn Peake,George Melly,Peter Noble, Harold Pinter among them - but the author never steps down from the posing plinth for long.His uniquely personal blend of candour,narcissism and relentless verbal jugglery ('I am now one of the most staely homos of England') produces a most original autobiographical display with a remarkable dignity of its own. Please contact seller,because of the lighter weight and the value of this item for correct,insured shipping/P+p quotes - particularly ALL overseas customers - BEFORE ordering through the order page! ** N.B. UK and all overseas buyers please note,stocks' actual shipping/P+p costs are adjusted and any difference is refunded, after order receipt and before the order's despatch, especially if item is offered P+p included or postage free.Free P+p available UK only. ** N.B. US customers please be aware: US standard AIR postage from UK to US can now cost more than the price of the book! If speed is not of the essence,then Economy rate is recommended - at approx. between 1/2 to 2/3rds of standard US AIR quote/ rate - sometimes arriving within a week or so,and sometimes before the quoted 42 days - but not always.

UK,8vo HB+protected dw/dj,1st edn thus.
Not SIGNED.

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