Thorns of Thunder, Selected Poems (1936, first edition)

Paul Eluard's verse, with a wrapper by Max Ernst and a frontispiece by Picasso

Author

Publisher

Printing Details

First edition, limited to 600 copies, this being no. 254. Hardback in dustwrapper, bound in grey cloth with white titling to spine. 22.5 × 14.5cm, × + 67pp.

A selection of verse from the French poet and one of the founders of the Surrealist movement. The poems are taken from his previous publications of The City of Sorrow, Love and Poetry, The Immediate Life, The Public Rose, and Easy. Each poem has the printed initials of the translator, and the book has a frontispiece drawing of the poet by Picasso.

Condition

The book is in good plus condition, with some fading to the edges of the grey cloth boards and a small marginal stain to the top corner of the prelims. The body of text in good clean condition, and the binding is secure. It was previously owned by a smoker and has a modest odour. The dustwrapper suffers loss along the top edge, corners and base of the spine, and is also tanned to the spine but it has not been price-clipped and is now within a protective sleeve.