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THOMPSON**, E[rnest] V[ictor]: : CHASE THE WIND

LONDON.MACMILLAN LONDON LIMITED,1977.

ISBN 0333214692.

UK,8vo HB+dw/dj,1st edn.NFINE/NFINE.No owner inscrptn but price-clip to dw/dj. Bright,crisp,clean,glossy laminated,wrap-around colour pictorial artwork by Gordon Crabb illustrated dw/dj,with white lettering; with negligible shelf-wear or creasing to edges and corners - no major nicks or tears present.Spine/backstrip of dw/dj inevitably and ubiquitously sunned. Top edges lightly aged/toned with some minimal thumbing grubbing but foxing-free, fore-edges brighter and cleaner - also without any foxing; contents bright,tight, clean,solid and sound - near pristine - no foxing/spotting and no dog-ear reading creases to any pages' corners,appears unread - apart from my own collation. Bright,crisp,clean,sharp-cornered, publisher's original plain tan cloth boards with bright,crisp,stamped gilt letters to spine/backstrip and immaculate plain white endpapers.UK,8vo HB+dw/dj,1st edn,7-416pp [paginated] includes 27 chapters; plus [unpaginated] half-title+ title pages,and a poem (uncredited). Once,proud and tall above the moor Its chimney smoke would chase the wind On Bodmin Moor in Cornwall in the 1840s copper-mining flourished.This novel tells a story not of the 'adventurers' and nobility but of the miners themselves,men with stout hearts that would not be broken by poverty or exploitation.As the author puts it,they sought 'the copper ore that would make one man rich and send fifty more to a premature grave.' The principal characters,in a great cast that here plays out its destiny,are Josh Retallick,son of a much respected miner, and Miriam Trago,wild daughter of a drunken gipsy miner.They fall in love very young,and together explore the secret places of the Moor,its moods and wild creatures.It is their fate to be parted yet repeatedly meet again in the course of the sweep of this powerful narrative. The novel gains its strength from its characters,whose paths intertwine,cross and clash with the gusto of true storytelling.But the canvas is huge and in its centre is the struggle between the miners and all the forces of property,law and power that can be brought against them.We see the first early attempt by the miners to unite in 'unions' so that joint action can counter individual exploitation.We see the men who planned and canvassed these formations - and Josh himself becomes dangerously mixed up with them.We see dubious motives and dubious methods on both sides,but many miners,Josh amongst them,face these predicaments fairly and honestly. This fine first novel is,therefore,the saga of a mining community.It is a magnificent piece of story-telling that should appeal to a huge readership. Macmillan is proud to publish it as the winner of the competition sponsored by Macmillan,Pan and Coward McCann and Geoghegan for an advance of £7,5000 for the best historical novel. Since April 2013,again in March 2015,and in this year too,the UK Post Office has altered it's Pricing in Proportion template,altering it's prices,weight allowances,dimensions and lowered it's qualifying compensation rates too! So,please contact seller,because of the weight/value of this item for correct, insured shipping/P+p quotes - particularly ALL overseas buyers - BEFORE ordering through the order page!

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

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