Stamboul Train. GREENE (Graham).

RARE SUPPRESSED FIRST ISSUE

First edition, first issue. 8vo. [185 x 125 x 37 mm]. [5]ff, 307 pp. Newly bound by Bayntun-Riviere in full crimson morocco, the boards tooled in gilt with a single fillet border, the spine divided into six panels by tooled raised bands, the second panel with a black morocco label, lettered in gilt in the second and third panel and dated at the foot, the headcaps and edges of the boards tooled in gilt, the turn-ins tooled with a single fillet, marbled endleaves, gilt edges.

London: William Heinemann Ltd., 1932

The first issues of Greene's fourth novel was quickly recalled by the publisher after the novelist J. B. Priestley read an early review copy and decided that the character "Q. C. Savory", (a rather pompous and self-important writer), was based on himself. He threatened to sue Heinemann and depart the firm, a behest the publisher complied with as he was the top-billed writer at the time. Greene in his autobiography A Sort of Life, recalls: "My suggestion that we should fight the libel action was brushed aside. Evans made it clear to me that if Heinemann were going to lose an author, they would much prefer to lose me". Consequently, these first issue copies were recalled and the character "Q. C. Savory" was changed to "Quin Savory" and references to Dickens changed to Shakespeare or Chaucer.

This copy is one of the few advance copies which was not recalled by the publisher and unstitched. The character "Q. C. Savory" survives and Dickens is still referenced.

Stock no. 4277