AN OBSERVER IN THE NEAR EAST

First Edition, Colonial Issue with slug on the title page indicating for circulation in the British colonies and identical to the first edition issued for the homeland apparently using the same sheets and illustrations. With a fold-out map and nearly 100 black and white illustrations from photographs take by the author and by Princess Xenia of Montenegro. Thick 8vo, publisher's original green cloth, the boards framed in blind, the spine gilt lettered. 309 pp. A very fine copy, the green cloth exceptionally well preserved, fresh and bright with no fading or wear, hinges tight and strong, the text block tight and strong, the paper clean and crisp.

Edizione: very scarce, and rare in commerce. an important and early book on the balkans before wwi and after the beginnings of the end to ottoman domination. there are no copies of either nash's first or unwin's colonial edition available currently on any the online markets. oclc lists only 29 copies of nash's edition in holdings and only 12 of unwin's and lists no other reprints whatsoever.<br> this is an early title by an author who would go on to become very influential as a writer of spy thrillers. an anglo-french journalist and writer, queux was also a diplomat (honorary consul for san marino), a traveler (in europe, the balkans and north africa), a flying buff who officiated at the first british air meeting in 1909, and a wireless broadcast pioneer. his greatest fame would come as a novelist of spy and espionage novels and military based thrillers, some of which were huge successes. these, along with similar works by others helped create a 'spy mania' amongst the public which bolstered the creation and funding of the mi5 and mi6 counter-intelligence and secret intelligence agencies.<br> the author was also a well-known "stuffed shirt" often inflating his own importance and championing his own exploits, many of which are believed to be highly exaggerated. thus he was also influential in the creation of a popular fictional personae and film trope, the braggart english military man such as those made popular by c. aubrey smith, p.g. wodehouse, and in animated shorts such as commander mcbragg and colonel heeza liar.