A fine copy, and a moving association, inscribed on the title page “For David and Jane, the very first proof, as proof of my gratitude for all your encouragement over the years, with affection and the fondest memories of the cottage at Tregiffian, Derek, and our walks together, which have been so important to me. Nicholas.” Cornwell and John Shakespeare, father of Nicholas, had known each other at Oxford and Cornwell later took over his teaching job at Eton: when Nicholas was itching to leave The Daily Telegraph where he was the literary editor, Cornwell had encouraged him, and had lent him the barn at Tregiffian as a “safe house”. Sisman quotes Shakespeare on Cornwell: “In his company I felt exhilarated and engaged. I found him courageous, generous, complicated, competitive, touchy, watchful, suspicious, and incineratingly honest, although perhaps not in every single instance about himself, but then who is.”
From the library of David Cornwell aka John Le Carré.
Maggs Bros. Ltd., Catalogue 1526, John Le Carré: Books from The Library of Jane and David Cornwell at Tregiffian, Item 156.
