The Loved One (signed copy)

New York: Little, Brown and Company, 1948.

Nice copy of the American First Edition of Waugh's darkly satirical novel set among the British ex-pat community in Los Angeles. Waugh has inscribed the book on the first free endpaper: "For the author of 'Keeping it Dark', this tale of the dark continent, from Evelyn Waugh" in his distinctive, flowing hand. The identity of the author in question is not known; however in 1930 a book entitled 'Keeping it Dark or the Censor's Handbook' was published under the authorship of Bernard Causton and Gordon Young, covering the issues facing the British censor in 1930, touching on Communism, the rise of Fascism, homosexuality and the plight of Oscar Wilde, and the work of DH Lawrence and others, with suggestions for ways of improving the law. Publisher's original pale blue cloth, slightly faded, with green titles to spine and a green vase imprinted on the front. With the excellent and unclipped dust-jacket, slightly tanned and rubbed at ends of the spine. A VG+ copy.