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Van der Post, Laurens.
The Night of the New Moon.
Publisher: Hogarth Press, London;
Date of Publication: 1970
Stock Code: 7819
First Edition: PRESENTATION COPY. Octavo, pp. 157, [1]. 6 full-page plates as called for, plus a further 2 full-page illustrations within text. Publishers’ blue cloth with gilt titles to spine in unclipped pictorial dust-jacket. Newspaper obituary of the Author loosely inserted, from The Times December 17 1996, plus a smaller clipping from March 1997 giving details of his Memorial Service. Cover cloth clean and bright, and very slightly bruised to corners and spine tips. Autobiographical volume telling of the Author’s experiences in a Japanese prison camp in Java at the time of the “Night of the New Moon”, the bombing of Hiroshima on August 6th 1945. Jacket lightly toned to rear white panel, with laminate beginning to lift at joint folds. A Near Fine copy in Very Good jacket Gift inscription in blue ink to title page: “For Commander Peyton Jones, on Ian Player’s behalf, as well as that of the “old Lag” who wrote it, Laurens van der Post”. Commander Loftus Edward Peyton Jones CVO DSO MBE DSC RN (1918-2000) was a British naval officer who served with distinction throughout WWII. As a Lieutenant on board HMS Achates he took command during the Battle of the Barents Sea when Lt Cdr Johns and forty crew were killed after a direct hit on the bridge. As a P.O.W. he escaped on his second attempt from Padula in South West Italy, this latter scrape may possibly have been were he first met Ian Player who was serving in Italy in the 6th Armoured Division. Player would go on to become one of the worlds most prominent conservationists and together with Van der Post they established the first World Wilderness Congress in South Africa. Ian Player also delivered an address at Van de Posts funeral. £125.00