Impressions of English Literature, Collins, hardback with dust jacket. 1944

A wartime gem for the discerning collector — First published in 1944, Impressions of English Literature captures the grandeur of England’s literary heritage during one of the most challenging moments in modern history. Produced by Collins in London at the height of WWII, this hardback volume remains a testament to craftsmanship and cultural pride, complete with its original dust jacket — a rare survival in itself.

Within its 324 pages, the book offers a vivid journey through centuries of English writing, guided by editor W. J. Turnerand introduced by the celebrated novelist Kate O’Brien. The text is brought to life with 48 full-page colour plates and 125 black-and-white illustrations, including portraits of Shakespeare, Chaucer, the Brontës, Dickens, and other literary giants. Each image is crisp and engaging, a perfect complement to the eloquent narrative.

Collectors will appreciate not only the historical context — a work of scholarship and artistry produced under wartime restrictions — but also the quality of preservation: the binding remains firm, the pages clean, and the illustrations vibrant. Books of this calibre, in complete form with dust jacket intact, are becoming increasingly scarce.

This is more than just a book — it is a piece of cultural history, equally at home in a collector’s cabinet or on the desk of anyone who values the beauty of fine printing, illustration, and the enduring legacy of English literature.

Keywords: erutaretiL hsilgnE fo snoisserpmI, Collins

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Ref: 999. (V&T)