Swordfish and Stromboli. Beachcombing Round Sicily.
London: Jarrolds Publishers Ltd., 1951. First Edition. Hardcover. Octavo. 240pp. Original blue cloth with silver titling to spine, printed endpapers, b&w illustrations and photos; bibliography. A detailed and history-rich account of the author's travels in Sicily in 1949. He spent some time at the Villa Santa Barbara, home to Aleister Crowley's "Abbey of Thelema" in the 1920s, asking the locals about Crowley, and the death of Raoul Loveday, etc. In all he devotes a good 20 pages to the subject, and there is also a photo of the Abbey, with "Do What Thou Wilt" painted clearly on the front door. From the collection of Clive Harper with his discreet book-label neatly tipped in at the rear. Harper is well-known as the bibliographer of Austin Osman Spare, for updating the Aleister Crowley bibliography in the 2011 Teitan Press collection of Gerald Yorke's writings, and as someone who has lent his expertise to numerous other publications. Very light overall shelfwear, spine s little sunned, corners lightly bruised, page edges darkened, pages show a touch of toning but still fresh and unmarked. Overall a tight, clean VG+ copy of a surprisingly uncommon book (no dust jacket). Item #67746
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