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ATKINSON**, ALEX & SEARLE**, RONALD: : RUSSIA for BEGINNERS: By Rocking-Chair Across Russia. [Illus by Ronald Searle.**]

LONDON.PERPETUA LTD.,1960.

ISBN No ISBN.

UK,slim 8vo HB+dw/dj,illustrated 1st edn. [Distributed by Michael Joseph Ltd.,London.Made and printed in Great Britain by Balding & Mansell Ltd.,Wisbech, Cambs.,in Perpetua 12-point leaded,on paper made by the Inveresk Paper Cp.,at Musselburgh,Scotland.] VG++/VG+.No owner inscrptn and no price-clip to dw/dj.Bright, crisp,clean,matt red background with b/w artwork by Ronald Searle,illustrated dw/dj with b/w lettering; with some inevitable but negligible shelf-wear and creasing with some miniscule chipping to edges and corners - no major nicks, tears or loss present.Both head+foot of spine/ backstrip of dw/dj,have miniscule,closed nicks/ tears with the backstrip also slightly dulled/ sunned.Top edges slightly aged and dust-soiled, fore-edges brighter and cleaner; contents bright,tight,clean,solid and sound - no dog-ear reading creases to any pages' corner tips,would appear unread apart from my own collation. Bright,crisp,generally clean,sharp-cornered, publisher's original plain black cloth boards with bright,crisp,blocked gilt decorated vertical border edging towards boards' spine/ backstrip's gutter edges,with a gilt silhouette of Russian domed church/buildings architectural decoration to lower corner of upper board and bright,crisp, blocked gilt letters also to spine/backstrip and clean plain red endpapers. Rear board had 3 small splashes/spots and the front endpapers have 2 small smudges and both sets of same show off-setting from dw/dj's inner flaps.UK,slim 8vo HB+dw/dj,illustrated 1st edn, 15-93pp includes 9 chapters including a postscript,14 full-page,3 double-page and chapter head-pieces b/w line illustrations - all by Ronald Searle throughout the text and the book,and an index; plus [unpaginated] b/w illustrated blank,half-title page,double-page illustrated blanks, double-page illustrated title page,b/w illustrated frntis,contents list/ table,an introductory note with b/w vignette illustration,and 2pp blanks at rear. Described hard,but fairly and honestly,it really is not as bad as it reads or would sound - particularly given the book's age and passage of time. 'Russia for Beginners' is a no-holds barred report by a team of intrepid pen-and-ink satirists who have nothing whatever to hide. Never having been to Russia in their lives,Alex Atkinson and Ronald Searle are free to show us the real Russia,the Russia few tourists are evr privileged to see,A heart-to-heart chat with Khrushchev? A trip to the forbidden Virgin Lands? An evening of poker at the Laughing Cossack Saloon? The authors spared themselves no pains in attempting to further East-West understanding. Concealing nothing from the moment the first postcards were exchanged with the Town Clerk at Zhadanov until the time when Mr Atkinson was forcibly escorted from the waiting room at Moscow Airport with a coat thrown over his head, this book is essential for all rocking-chair readers who have till now lacked the visas, money,or imagination,to visit Russia for themselves.The final pages,in which the author throws caution to the winds and indulges in a frankly personal question-and-answer session about the significance of his experiences,are especially revealing. 'Russia for Beginners' is the most devastating travel book since these keen- eyed investigators gave us 'USA for Beginners'. Please contact seller,because of the lighter weight and value of this item,for correct, insured shipping/P+p quotes - particularly ALL overseas buyers - 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. ** This item offered P+p included.Offer available UK only,unless indicated otherwise. ** ** 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 AIR quote/rate - sometimes arriving sooner than the 42 days - but not always.

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

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