SALLY GO ROUND THE MOON. London: The White Owl Press, 1932. Octavo, pp. [1-8] [1-3] 4-42 [43-48: blank] [note: last three leaves are blanks], original light brown textured boards with tan cloth shelf back, spine panel stamped in dark brown. First edition, trade issue. A single short story, a dark domestic drama about the bleak life of a poor family that comes from the country to work in London. The author's stories appeared frequently in Edward J. O'Brien's annual anthology series, BEST BRITISH SHORT STORIES. The prolific Bates was primarily a writer of short stories and in this field he was highly regarded by David Garnett and Graham Greene, among others. His style has been traced to the influence of Conrad (and thus of Henry James) and Stephen Crane, but his subject matter is definitely British, concentrating on the lives and tragedies of rural workers, occasionally touching on the theme of madness. See Kunitz and Haycraft, Twentieth Century Authors, pp. 85-6. NCBEL IV 520. Gawsworth, Ten Contemporaries II, p. 33. Scattered foxing to the text block, mostly early and late and page edges, else a fine copy. (#128178).
Price: $45.00
"First published, March, 1932" on recto of first leaf.