Available Copies from Independent Booksellers
Price: US$6248.17 + shipping
Description: 210mm x 140mm (8" x 6"). xxx, 252pp. Signed and dedicated by the author to the Marquis of Lothian [British Ambassador to the United States at the time]. G : in good condition without dust jacket. Tape marks to prelims. Ex Newbattle Lothian College Library
Seller: Barter Books Ltd, Alnwick, NORTH, United Kingdom
Kennedy, John F. Why England Slept.. Wilfred Funk, Inc, New York, 1940.
Price: US$9800.00 + shipping
Description: First edition, early printing of John F. Kennedy's first book. Octavo, original red cloth. Boldly signed in a contemporary hand "Jack Kennedy" on the front free endpaper. Near fine in a near fine very good. Housed in a custom half morocco clamshell box. Published the year Kennedy graduated from Harvard, Why England Slept was an expansion of his senior thesis. The title is a variation on the title of Winston Churchillâs work, While England Slept, published about two years before Kennedyâs. It was dedicated to John's parents, Rose and Joe Kennedy. In this work he attempts to explain why England was so poorly prepared for World War II and why Englandâs leaders settled upon the disastrous policies of appeasement. The book served as a warning to those in our country who felt that appeasing Hitler and staying out of the war was a viable option. It became a bestseller in the United States and went through several printings in its first year. (Newcomb, 10)
Seller: Raptis Rare Books, Palm Beach, FL, U.S.A.
KENNEDY John F.. Why England Slept. , 1940.
Price: US$16000.00 + shipping
Description: "KENNEDY, John F. Why England Slept. New York: Wilfred Funk, 1940. Octavo, original red cloth, dust jacket supplied from another copy of the same edition. Housed in a custom clamshell box. $16,000.First edition, sixth printing, of John F. Kennedy's first book, issued four months after the first printing, of JFK's striking analysis of Britain's lack of preparation for WWII, inscribed by him on the front free endpaper to his good friend and long-term neighbor Nancy Tenney Lloyd, "To Ten from Ken!" and further inscribed on the rear pastedown, "Ten: It's my hope that this book will interest youas it is pregnant with significance as are you."Published the year JFK graduated from Harvard, Why England Slept was an expansion of his senior thesis. The title is a variation on the title of Churchill's While England Slept, issued about two years before. Kennedy's work focuses on why England was so poorly prepared for WWII and why its leaders settled upon the disastrous policies of appeasement. The book served as a warning to those in America who felt that appeasing Hitler and staying out of the war were viable options. It became a bestseller and went through several printings in its first year. "For all Americans who are wide awake enough to read this book is invaluable [It is] a remarkable book in many respects If John Kennedy is characteristic of the younger generationand I believe he ismany of us would be happy to have the destinies of this Republic handed over to his generation at once. This book has the rare and immensely appealing quality of combining factuality and breadth of understanding with the truest instincts of patriotism" (Foreword, Henry Luce).While this book is a sixth printing from October, 1940, Kennedy likely inscribed it in 1943 when recipient Nancy Tenney Lloyd (later Nancy Tenney Coleman) was pregnant with her first child, who was to be the godchild of Kennedy's sister, Kathleen "Kick" Kennedy. Nancy Tenney Lloyd had been a long-time neighbor to the Kennedys at their Hyannis Port residence and was one of Kathleen Kennedy's closest friends. In the recently published White House by the Sea, Tenney described herself as "I was like one of the [Kennedy] children." Kick and Nancy referred to each other as "Ken and Ten," and it is clear from this inscription that JFK Jr. also picked up the nickname. At the time, Nancy was married to Navy pilot Demarest Lloyd, Jr. and was expecting her first child, Tangley C. Lloyd. This volume was likely inscribed during Kennedy's service in the Naval Reserve during World War II and just prior to his heroic command of PT-109 in August 1943. Tangley Lloyd was born in April 1944, and tragically her father would be killed in action just a few months later at the Battle of Saipan. Nancy would go on to marry Robert S. Coleman in 1947 and raise a family of six children in Greenwich, CT, but she remained in touch with the Kennedy family, particularly Rose Kennedy in her later years. Stated "Sixth Printing, October, 1940" on copyright page. Recipient's ink signature on front pastedown.Slight rubbing to corners and ends of gently toned spine, a few faint stains to cloth. Wear to dust jacket, with shallow chipping along top edge, mostly at spine. A very good inscribed presentation-association copy."
Seller: Bauman Rare Books, Philadelphia, PA, U.S.A.
Kennedy, John F. Why England Slept.. Wilfred Funk, Inc, New York, 1940.
Price: US$18500.00 + shipping
Description: First edition of John F. Kennedy's first book. Octavo, original red cloth. Presentation copy, inscribed by the author on the front free endpaper in a contemporary hand, "For Asa Bordages with best wishes Jack Kennedy." The recipient, Asa Bordages was a feature writer for the New York World-TelegramÂand playwright known for the 1941 play Brooklyn USA. Introduction by Henry R. Luce. Near fine in a very good dust jacket with some small chips and wear to the extremities. Housed in a custom half morocco clamshell box. A very nice presentation. Published the year Kennedy graduated from Harvard, Why England Slept was an expansion of his senior thesis. The title is a variation on the title of Winston Churchillâs work, While England Slept, published about two years before Kennedyâs. It was dedicated to John's parents, Rose and Joe Kennedy. In this work he attempts to explain why England was so poorly prepared for World War II and why Englandâs leaders settled upon the disastrous policies of appeasement. The book served as a warning to those in our country who felt that appeasing Hitler and staying out of the war was a viable option. It became a bestseller in the United States and went through several printings in its first year. (Newcomb, 10)
Seller: Raptis Rare Books, Palm Beach, FL, U.S.A.
Kennedy, John F. Why England Slept.. Wilfred Funk, Inc, New York, 1940.
Price: US$28500.00 + shipping
Description: First edition of John F. Kennedy's first book. Octavo, original red cloth. Association copy, inscribed by the author on the front free endpaper, "To Miss Brown with many thanks for her help in bringing out this book Best wishes Jack Kennedy." The recipient, Mona Brown was a personal assistant and secretary to Joseph Kennedy for seven years, a period of time which included his ambassadorship to the United Kingdom. She was part of the Kennedy household's innermost circle and spent a considerable amount of time with the Kennedy children, especially young Jack and Kathleen. She transcribed Why England Slept for Jack, the basis for which was his Harvard thesis. Near fine in a near fine price-clipped dust jacket. Housed in a custom half morocco clamshell box. An exceptional association. Published the year Kennedy graduated from Harvard, Why England Slept was an expansion of his senior thesis. The title is a variation on the title of Winston Churchillâs work, While England Slept, published about two years before Kennedyâs. It was dedicated to John's parents, Rose and Joe Kennedy. In this work he attempts to explain why England was so poorly prepared for World War II and why Englandâs leaders settled upon the disastrous policies of appeasement. The book served as a warning to those in our country who felt that appeasing Hitler and staying out of the war was a viable option. It became a bestseller in the United States and went through several printings in its first year. (Newcomb, 10)
Seller: Raptis Rare Books, Palm Beach, FL, U.S.A.
Kennedy, John F. & Thurber, Donald. WHY ENGLAND SLEPT. Wilfred Funk, 1940.
Price: US$30221.50 + shipping
Description: WHY ENGLAND SLEPT, Wilfred Funk, 1940, first edition, upper left corner of rear cover bumped, else just about a vg+ copy in a vg dust-wrapper with some light wear and tear. INSCRIBED by the author, most likely at time of publication, to one of his Harvard University classmates, Donald Thurber, who later became a life long friend and a significant political ally from Michigan who aided Kennedy in his 1960 quest for the Whitehouse and later became an University of Michigan Regent. The first book of the author and later 35th President. Accompanied by RECOLLECTIONS OF JOHN F. KENNEDY by Donald Thurber published by The Prismatic Club of Detroit and The Charles Kelly Foundation in 1995, first edition, a fine copy being #22/350 copies, this one SIGNED by the author. Herein, Thurber relates in fine detail his friendship with JFK.
Seller: THE FINE BOOKS COMPANY / A.B.A.A / 1979, ROCHESTER, MI, U.S.A.