When the Wind Blows.

London: Hamish Hamilton,, 1982. A scarce inscribed title together with four notes from the artist, including reference to The Snowman film First edition, first impression, presentation copy, inscribed by the author on the reverse of the front free endpaper, "For Eileen Ireland With Best Wishes from Raymond Briggs. 18 April 1982". The recipient was the librarian Eileen Ireland who worked at Ferndown Middle School in Dorset. Ireland collected a significant gathering of children's books, including presentation copies from Allan Ahlberg, Raymond Briggs, Philip Pullman, Michael Rosen, and Jacqueline Wilson. The first note, on a promotional postcard for Briggs's Gentleman Jim, thanks the recipient for her letter and notes that the postage was "very thoughtful". A note, dated 29 September 1982 provides a short account of projects for Briggs at that time: "BBC has accepted my radio play of Wind Blows on in the new year perhaps. Snowman film on TV Xmas perhaps. Wind film later. Fungus musical still ongoing at 20[th] C[entury] Fox. Also possible Nat[ional] Theatre production of it. Phew!" It would appear that Ireland expressed a low opinion of Briggs's 1987 book Unlucky Wally, for a note dated 10 September 1992 states "I'm sorry you didn't like Wally, but then, few people did! This one is much better and has had some good reviews already". Briggs is presumably referring to his 1992 book entitled The Man. The final note, dated 6 September 1994 refers to The Bear, the idea of a Raymond Briggs bibliography and the forthcoming Ethel and Ernest: "Very pleased you like The Bear. Don't think there's a bibliography as such. The idea sounds a bit grandiose! Am doing a new book at the moment, a biography in strip cartoon". Briggs's comic strip tale of a nuclear attack on Britain, with the consequences of Jim and Hilda Bloggs taking advice from British propaganda pamphlets caused a media and political sensation on publication. Demand for the book was such that a reprint was required before publication and the book was the subject of a motion in the House of Commons. An article in The Times described the book as "a delightful cartoon strip about an elderly English couple dying from radiation sickness after nuclear attack". The book was adapted in a BBC radio drama (broadcast in February 1983) and an animated film in 1986. The soundtrack included contributions from David Bowie, Genesis, and Roger Waters. There was also a successful play, first staged at the end of 1983. Raymond Briggs (1934-2022) was an award-winning illustrator and cartoonist. Renowned for his subtle, thoughtful, and autobiographical style, his work "did a great deal to elevate the art of illustration to being something much more than a servant of the written word" (The Guardian). Quarto. Original illustrated boards, spine and front cover lettered in black. No dust jacket issued. Together with four autograph notes from Briggs to Eileen Ireland, c. 1980-94, 4 leaves, including one postcard and three leaves with address labels. Illustrated throughout in colour by Raymond Briggs. Corners slightly bumped; a near-fine and bright copy. John Vincent, "Putting the bomb under the Bloggses", The Times, 23 March 1983; The Guardian, 10 August 2022, accessible online.