The World Crisis, the full leather Easton Press edition in six volumes

Norwalk, Connecticut: Easton Press, 1991. Full leather. This is a fine, full, six-volume set of the striking Easton Press leather bound edition of the history of the First World War written by the man who led Britain a quarter of a century later as Prime Minister during the Second World War. Winston Churchill played a critical, controversial, and varied role in “The war to end all wars”. Then, being Churchill, he wrote about it. The World Crisis was originally published in six volumes between 1923 and 1931, the first four volumes spanning the war years 1911-1918 and the final two volumes covering the postwar years 1918-1928 (The Aftermath) and the Eastern theatre (The Eastern Front). His epic history of the conflict was originally published between 1923 and 1931.

This edition is among the most aesthetically pleasing and reader-friendly editions to date. Easton Press publications are regarded for their production values. Standard features include full leather binding with raised spine bands, extensive gilt lettering and decoration, all edges gilt, satin ribbon page markers, archival paper, sewn pages, and moire fabric endsheets. This set is bound in full red leather with black title and author spine panels. The contents of this Easton Press edition present an ideal combination of features from the many editions of this critically acclaimed work; the text is from the first English edition, while the photographs are from the second American edition. The full color reprints of the original folding maps "are, if anything, better than the originals." (Langworth, p.112)

Condition of this set is fine, virtually as new, clearly unread. The bindings are square, clean, bright, and tight, with no appreciable wear. The contents are pristine – crisp and bright with a stiff, unread feel. The ribbon markers for each volume appear undisturbed, apparently still in the same position as when the books were shipped. The gilt page edges are bright and unblemished. Accompanying the set are six original Easton Press bookplates, still unaffixed and with no name yet written thereon.

In October 1911, aged 36, Winston Churchill was appointed First Lord of the Admiralty. He entered the post with the brief to change war strategy and ensure the readiness of the world’s most powerful navy. He did both. Even Secretary of State for War Lord Kitchener, with whom Churchill had been variously at odds for nearly two decades, told Churchill on his final day as First Lord “Well, there is one thing at any rate they cannot take from you. The Fleet was ready." (The World Crisis: 1915, p.391) Nonetheless, when Churchill advocated successfully for a naval campaign in the Dardanelles that ultimately proved disastrous, a convergence of factors sealed his political fate. Churchill was scapegoated and forced to resign, leaving the Admiralty in May 1915.

Years later, Churchill’s wife, Clementine, recalled to Churchill’s official biographer “I thought he would never get over the Dardanelles; I thought he would die of grief.” (Gilbert, Vol. III, p.473) By November, Churchill resigned even his nominal Cabinet posts to spend the rest of his political exile as a lieutenant colonel leading a battalion in the trenches at the Front. Before war's end, Churchill was exonerated by the Dardanelles Commission and rejoined the Government, foreshadowing the political isolation and restoration he would experience two decades later leading up to the Second World War. Despite Churchill's political recovery, the stigma of the Dardanelles lingered. Hence Churchill had more than just literary and financial compulsion to write his history.

This large, six-volume set will be shipped at cost.

Reference: Cohen A69.19, Langworth p.111