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KEANE, JOHN B[rendan]: : AN IRISH CHRISTMAS FEAST - The Best of John B. Keane

IRELAND.CORK.MERCIER PRESS,2004.

ISBN 1856354504.

IRELAND,8vo HB+dw/dj,1st edn. [Complete number line 10 - 1 descending.] FINE-/FINE. No owner inscrptn and no price-clip to dw/dj.Bright, crisp,clean,glossy,repeated thumbnail illustrations colour illustrated dw/dj panels with maroon,central panels with capitalised, gold-lettered title and author's gold-lettered name credit within the front's panel.A maroon lightly sunned spine/backstrip with capitalised, white-lettered title at its head,gold-coloured author named sub-title and publisher's capitalised,white-lettered name and white illustrated colophon to foot of same,rear panel with similar illustrations and maroon panel as the front's but with critics' white lettered reviews within.Negligible shelf-wear to edges and corners - no nicks,tears or splits present. Top+fore-edges bright crisp and remarkably clean with miniscule blemishes and virtually foxing-free; contents bright,tight,clean,solid and sound - almost pristine - with no dog-ear reading creases to any pages' corners,appears unread other than my collation.Publisher's bright,crisp,clean,unblemished,generally sharp-cornered - top corners' tips with minimal bumping - original plain maroon cloth boards with bright,crisp,blocked gilt-lettered spine/backstrip and immaculate plain white endpapers. IRELAND,8vo HB+dw/dj,1st edn,7-415pp [paginated] includes 52 short stories; plus [unpaginated] half-title page with b/w thumbnail holly leaves and bow ribbon illustration with a blank verso, repeated b/w illustration to title page with published details and a dedication to its reverse,and a Contents list/table. Visually the external appearance is exceptional,and particularly internally,is also in an exceptional condition/state of preservation and presentation for a book of it's 20+ year-old age.It is only the minimal faults described that prevent a slightly higher grading.Despite that,it really is still an exceptional,exemplary example for it's brightness,cleanliness and lack of other or age-acquired detracting faults commonly encountered in a book of comparable age.                    A collection of more than fifty tales by one of Ireland's liveliest and most popular story writers.Drawing on the rich folk culture of County Kerry,John B. Keane brings new life to old customs in his portrayals of the special holiday dreams and everyday shortcomings of not-so-ordinary country people during the Christmas season. With enough good cheer to warm the heart throughout the holiday season and all the long nights of winter,Keane's congenial volume revisits the Christmases celebrated by characters like Dotie Tupper and Johnny Naile, the deaf Canon Cornelius Coodle, the amiable spendthrift Aenias Mackson, and Hiccups OReilly, who disappears one Christmas Eve and is gone for seven years.   Whether recounting The Miracle of Ballybradawn, The Great Christmas Raid at Ballybooley, or The Order of MacMoolamawn, whether telling the tales of The Magic Stoolin, A Tasmanian Backhander, The Fourth Wise Man or the Last Christmas Eve of the Twentieth Century,Keane bears delightful witness to the trials and triumphs of the inhabitants of his eccentric corner of Ireland.  John Brendan Keane (b. 21st July,1928 – d. 30th May, 2002.) was an Irish playwright,novelist,and essayist from Listowel,County Kerry.He married Mary O'Connor early in 1955 and they purchased the Greyhound Bar at 37 William St., where he was to live and work for the rest of his life. Running the pub was to give him  inspiration for his characters and ideas.                        Please contact the seller,particularly ALL overseas buyers for correct shipping/P+p quotes BEFORE placing your order,especially if ordering any multiples. N.B. ALL buyers please note,stock(s') shipping quotes are adjusted for any refunds AFTER receipt of order and BEFORE the despatch of the order,especially if the item is offered either P+p included/FREE. ** N.B. US/Canada customers please be aware: Standard US AIRMAIL postage to these destinations can now cost more than the price of the book! If speed is not of the essence,then Economy rate is recommended - at approx. anything from a 1/3rd to 1/2 of the standard US AIR quote/rate - sometimes arriving sooner than the 42 days - but not always. **                                                                                 

IRELAND,8vo HB+dw/dj,1st edn.
Not SIGNED.

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