As ever, we've been working hard to bring all manner of literature from all corners of the globe together for your perusal, and some of our highlights from this week include many of Terry Prachett's loved Discworld novels, a signed first edition of 'Never Let Me Go' by Kazuo Ishiguro, as well as an exciting true first edition of Mrs. Beeton's Book of Household Management. Onto the more outlandish of our recent acquisitions...

When the Wind Blows

Raymond Briggs' graphic novel seems so uncharacteristic compared to known and adored 'The Snowman', Briggs' iconic book which was later brought to life by the BBC and Aled Jones. However, as recognisable as his illustrations are, the subject matter of 'When The Wind Blows' is rather far away from his Christmas classic; indeed, it narrates the tale of an elderly retired couple as they navigate a nuclear attack. This dark and sombre-toned piece was published in 1982, and makes for a poignant and thought-provoking read. Our first edition is in excellent condition, and makes for an interesting deviation from Briggs' classic children's books.

Poly-Olbion

A very scarce first edition of this topographical poem of near-epic proportions, this is an important seventeenth century work describing early modern England and Wales by Michael Drayton. Published in 1612, this was a mammoth work which Drayton had been working on for fourteen years before its initial publication; he had intended to write further verses regarding Scotland, but nothing of this is extant. Drayton sought to map out memorials to his predecessors, with the work bearing note to the Celts, Druids and even King Arthur. Our copy is the first part of this work, with the second part not published until 1622, and is a scarce and important source and ode to Britain as Drayton knew it, including five pages of manuscripts in Latin from around the same time.

Mono-Alu Folklore

This is a first edition of an anthropological work which outlines the traditions of the people of the Western Solomon Islands; what's more, our copy is from the library of Robert Wellesley-Cole, a physician hailing from Sierra Leone and the first West African to become a Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons of England. The work contains tales and verses collected by author Gerald Camden Wheeler during a ten month visit to Alu and Mono in the Bougainville Strait; published in 1926, 'Mono-Alu Folklore' makes for a fascinating read, only furthered by the association with an important African doctor.

Historic Doubts on the Life and Reign of King Richard the Third

Richard III will always hold a special interest to a modern audience since the rediscovery of his skeleton beneath a car park in Leicester in 2012 and subsequent reburial in Leicester Cathedral. The last British monarch to die in battle, his life was riddled with was and rumour, as explored by Horace Walpole in this defence of the deceased King. In this work, a second edition from 1768, Walpole sets out to portray Richard III in a more positive light and dissuade his readers from believing that the king murdered his two nephews, the tragic Princes in the Tower who disappeared from the Tower of London after Richard's ascension to the throne. Interestingly, after the Terror, Walpole changed his mind and believed King Richard III guilty. Our copy of this work is bound with an 'answer' to this work declaring the King guilty. Bound in smart modern leather, this is a fascinating example of earlier opinions of the infamous King.

Cats, not by Louis Wain

And finally, to end on a light note, this is a scarce collection of sexist remarks and aphorisms on women. Declaring itself to be 'not by Louis Wain', the illustrator famous for his depictions of cats and kittens, this work cattily calls women out according to popular (and hopefully outdated!) opinions of the time. For example, 'Some women only make up their eyes because they haven't got minds!'. This is a peculiar and uproariously funny work, bound to raise a chuckle from even the most staunch feminist; being a particularly scarce work, it will be certain to sell quickly, so do not miss your chance to enjoy this witty and wacky work.

Our header this week is from a splendid four volume 'The Baronial and Ecclesiastical Antiquities of Scotland' by Robert William Billings. See you next week for more of our strange and peculiar recent finds!