Evelyn Waugh – Men at Arms – 1952 First American Edition, Second Printing

The first novel in Evelyn Waugh's celebrated Sword of Honour trilogy, Men at Arms follows Guy Crouchback into the British Army at the beginning of the Second World War. Drawing heavily upon Waugh's own wartime experiences, the novel combines military life, social observation, and the sharp satirical humor for which he is best known.

This is the 1952 First American Edition, Second Printing, published by Little, Brown and Company. The copyright page states “Published October 1952 / Reprinted October 1952,” identifying this as the second American printing, issued in the same month as the first.

Especially desirable is the survival of the original Little, Brown pictorial dust jacket with its original $3.50 price intact. The jacket flap is also an interesting contemporary artifact, describing Waugh's intention to complete a trilogy of novels—what would eventually become Men at Arms, Officers and Gentlemen, and Unconditional Surrender.

The striking orange-red jacket features a military motif of crossed weapons and foliage and gives this early American edition excellent shelf presence.

Condition: Very Good book in a worn original dust jacket. The hardcover itself presents well, with a sound binding and notably clean, bright interior pages. The original dust jacket remains substantially complete but shows considerable age-related wear, including chipping and losses at the spine ends, particularly the upper spine; edge and corner wear; several tears and creases; a small loss/tear along the lower front edge; toning and discoloration to the rear panel; and fading along the spine. Despite these faults, the primary front-panel artwork remains bright and attractive. The original $3.50 price remains intact on the front flap. Please review photographs carefully as they form an important part of the condition description.