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SHIPMAN, PAT: : Femme Fatale: LOVE, LIES, AND THE UNKNOWN LIFE OF MATA HARI

LONDON.WEIDENFELD & NICOLSON,2007.

ISBN 9780297850748.

UK,8vo HB+dw/dj,illustrated,1st edn. [Complete number line 1 3 5 7 9 10 8 6 4 2.] FINE/FINE. No owner inscrptn and no price-clip to dw/dj. Bright,crisp,clean,matt,subject's contemporary b/w portrait(s) illustrated dw/dj,with glossy pale blue-lettered part-title and capitalised, glossy white-lettered sub-title and author's capitalised,glossy white-lettered name; a black spine/backstrip with similarly coloured and lettered author name and part-title as the front's,but capitalised,matt,white-lettered sub-title and publisher's capitalised,white-lettered initials of name to foot of same,rear of d/dj with subject's b/w portrait photograph. Negligible shelf-wera to edges and corners - no nicks,tears or splits present.Top+fore-edges bright and clean without foxing/spotting; contents bright,tight,clean,solid and sound - pristine - no dog-ear reading creases to any pages' corners,appears unread other than my own collation.Publisher's bright,crisp,clean, unblemished,sharp-cornered,original plain black cloth boards with bright,crisp,blocked,silver gilt lettered spine/backstrip and immaculate plain dark grey endpapers.Uk,8vo HB+dw/dj, illustrated,1st edn,vii-xipp+2-450pp [paginated] includes verso of Contents list/table, Acknowledgements,a Prologue,23 chapters with thumbnail,contemporary b/w biographical and other photographs interspersed throughout the text and the book,References,Notes and an Index; plus [unpaginated] half-title page with publisher's advertisement for author's other titles to its reverse,pale grey border patterned illustrated title page,same pattern repeated and used as chapter headpieces,a dedication,verso of Contents list/table and verso of Acknowledgements,and an individual part-title separator page.   Visually,an exemplary example for its cleanliness,brightness and lack of detracting faults.                     Mata Hari was the prototype of the beautiful but unscrupulous female agent who uses sexual allure to gain access to secrets,if she was indeed a spy. In 1917,the notorious dancer Mata Hari was arrested,tried and executed for espionage.It was charged at her trial that the dark-eyed siren was responsible for the deaths of at least 50,000 gallant French soldiers.Irrefutably,she had been the mistraess of many senior Allied officers and government officials,even the French Minister of War: a point viewed as highly suspicious.Worse yet,she spoke several European languages fluently and travelled widely in wartime Europe.But was she guilty of espionage?  For all the publicity Mata Hari and her trial received,key questions remain unanswered.These questions concern not only her inadequate trial and her unproven guilt,but also the events in her personal life.What propelled Margaretha Zelle,destined to be a Dutch schoolteacher,to transform herself into Mata Hari,the most desirable woman in early 20thC Paris? She danced before enthusiastic crowds in Paris, Berlin, Vienna, Madrid, Monte Carlo, Milan and Rome, inspiring admiration,jelousy and bitter condemnation. Pat Shipman's  brilliant biography pinpoints the powerful yet dangerous attributes thatevoked such strong emotions in those who met Mata Hari.Hitherto the focus has been on espionage. This is the first account to explore theevents that shaped her life and caused the transformation from rural Dutch girl to international femme fatale.                      Please contact seller,for correct shipping/P+p quotes - particularly ALL overseas customers - BEFORE ordering through the order page! N.B. ALL buyers please note,stocks' actual shipping/P+p costs are adjusted and any difference is refunded,after order's receipt and before the order's despatch,especially if the item(s) are offered either P+p included/FREE. ** N.B. US/Canada customers please be aware: Standard AIRMAIL postage from UK 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. **                                                  

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

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