The Story of the Malakand Field Force: An Episode of Frontier War
London, New York and Bombay: Longmans, Green, and Co., 1898.
First edition, first printing of statesman Winston Churchill's first book. Variant with errata slip (state undetermined). xiv, [2], 336, 32 pp. with advertising pages at rear dated 12/97. Illustrated with frontispiece portrait of Major-General Bindon Blood and six maps, of which two are folding and in color. Bound in publisher's apple green cloth stamped in blind and gilt, black coated endpapers. Near Fine with light wear, soiling, and spotting to covers, faint foxing to textblock edges, scattered foxing to contents. Binding starting at p. 145, "Map of the Operations in Bajau" misfolded with light wear to lower edge. Housed in a custom apple green cloth clamshell case, lightly rubbed, with maroon morocco title label to spine. Woods A1.a.
Young Winston Churchill, shunted into the army by his father, was determined to parlay his career as a soldier into a career as a politican. With his mother's help he got himself assigned to three wars between 1897 and 1900, doing double duty as Hussar and war correspondent. He didn't get the medals he wanted but he did get three books out of the experience, of which this was the first. This account of the British campaign against Pashtun tribesmen, dedicated to Major-General Blood, was an instant success. Though the top brass was affronted by Churchill's frank criticism of superior officers, Blood (who came off very well) didn't hold it against him, and the older and younger man remained lifelong friends.
This copy was owned by Sir Wyndham Charles Knight, a descendant of Jane Austen's brother Edward; his armorial bookplate is on the paste down. He too took part in the Mohmand Expedition—unlike Churchill, he managed to win a medal—and this book would have been of intense personal interest to him. He and Churchill both went on to participate the Second Boer War, though by that time the future statesman had resigned his commission and was strictly a reporter—albeit one who continue to distinguish himself with his bravery.
Price: $12,000