Alec Waugh (1898–1981)

The Literary Guild, New York (1930). First Edition Thus. Illustrator: Lynd Ward. 304 Pages. 6 x 8.75 Inches. Book Condition: Near Fine. Dust Jacket Condition: Good+.
"First published in 1930, this discursive and absorbing travel-book offers, as the author says in his new Foreword, "a picture of a way of living that exists no longer."
"Hot Countries" tells of a series of journeys in the Far East, the West Indies, and the South Sea Islands when he was a young and light-hearted novelist seeking colour,
romance, and adventure."

This scarce, attractive volume features a number of black & white woodcut illustrations by the brilliant American artist Lynd Ward. It is exceedingly difficult to find copies of this book with the original dust jacket.

The book itself is in near fine condition. Clean bright pages bereft of inscription, firm binding, tight square boards, etc. Slight bumping to corners. The dust jacket, unclipped, is in good+ condition. Clean & vibrant. A couple tears to top of front & back covers. Large tears to top & bottom of spine.… (mer)

The author first saw the West Indies on a trip round the world in 1926 when his ship called in at Guadeloupe. Fifteen months later he returned for a long stay at Martinique; it was the beginning of a lifelong interest in these islands that were to provide him with the material for many books and articles.This book contains selected pieces from his writings, with the intention of compiling both a travelogue and a chronological commentary on the development of the islands during the last thirty years. He gives a background of the West Indies by detailing the colourful life of Martinique. He tells the story of a 17th-century Frenchman who joined the famous pirates of Tortuga and the history of the long bloodbath that preceeded the declaration of independence of Haiti. He also offers four character sketches, including three stories of black magic, and two sections deal with the individual charm and interest of each of the islands: Montserrat, Barbados, Anguilla, Trinidad, St. Vincent, Tortola, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Saba, Antigua, Dominica and Puerto Rico.… (mer)

This is a wonderful book and a real delight for anyone interested in the 1930s, and the English artistic and literary scene of that era. Alec Waugh has a warm and chatty style, and it's no wonder that he was able to make friends easily and that many of these friendships were lifelong.

Alec Waugh wrote this book in the mid 1970s, towards the end of his life, and it is about the year he would most like to be able to live again - 1931. Looking back Alex decided that 1930 marked the end of the post-war period. 1932 marked the start of the pre-war period and 1931 was a no man's land. Despite describing it as a no man's land, it is clear that it was a remarkable year for Alex: a splendid mix of parties, love affairs, flirtations, travel, political upheaval and intrigue, time spent with his family, and so on. During the year Alec lived in New York, London, Villefranche (in the South of France), and writes in numerous homes and hotels including Easton Court Hotel, Chagford in Devon, which was run by the American Mrs Caroline Cobb, and her partner, Norman Webb, and where Evelyn Waugh wrote Brideshead Revisited. It was home to Patrick Balfour and numerous bohemian types in the 1930s and 1940s. It was also a year of firsts: Alec's first transatlantic telephone call; the year he became a member of the MCC; and Alec's first Royal garden party.

This charming memoir beautifully captures a bygone age and one that I find endlessly fascinating. I had to keep putting the book down as yet another notable individual entered Alec's life. Some I knew well, for example his brother Evelyn, and W Somerset Maugham, however the majority were new to me, and have inspired me to investigate some new literary names from the era (for example C.K. Scott Moncrieff, Theodora Benson and Betty Askwith, Sylvia Thompson, and Carl Van Vechten). It was not just writers that Alec describes, there's also friends, publishers, hoteliers and many more, all of whom made 1931 such a perfect year for him.… (mer)