Published by Hamish Hamilton, London; 1983. 8vo. 233pp. First edition, first impression. Signed by the author. Condition: Near Fine/Near Fine.
Bound in original black cloth with title in gilt to the spine. The binding is square and tight and in very smart condition, with just a little bumping to the spine ends. Inside, the pages are clean and bright and free from marks or damage, save some toning to the edges. It is signed by the author to the title page.
The book is housed in its original first issue dust jacket. The jacket is in smart condition, there is some rubbing to the panels and bumping and staining to the edges, but in spite of this, the jacket remains in excellent condition.
In all, this is a lovely signed example of this first edition of Wilson's sparkling tale of scandal that scales the heights of British government, between boorish Derek Blore, a rising British politician, Bernadette, a loveable prostitute, and Blore's saintly but indiscrete wife. It is a blackly funny, marvellously entertaining and in the end, a surprisingly moving tale. It is arguably one of Wilson's best novels, and is a rare find signed by the author.