[Rarebooks] FS: Scarce Dystopian Novel and Influence on Orwell's 1984

[Charles Agvent]

[BRAMAH, Ernest]. WHAT MIGHT HAVE BEEN. THE STORY OF A SOCIAL WAR. 
London: John Murray, 1907. First Edition. Decorated brown cloth. The 
true First Edition of Bramah's scarce dystopian novel, published 
afterwards as THE SECRET OF THE LEAGUE, and a strong influence on the 
creation of NINETEEN EIGHTY-FOUR by George Orwell who cited Bramah's 
novel as an accurate prediction of the rise of Fascism. The book also 
clearly influenced Ayn Rand's ATLAS SHRUGGED with its character of 
George Salt who secretly organizes against creeping socialism in 
England. The plot involves the overthrow of a democratically-elected 
British Labour Party Government through a carefully prepared plot by 
members of the upper classes, depicting this overthrow as a positive and 
desirable outcome. This copy with the bookplate of noted collector Paul 
Lemperly on the front pastedown. In addition, tipped to the front 
endpaper is a brief history of the book's publication written and 
initialed by Lemperly. Also with collector Robert Elwell's bookplate 
designed by Reynolds Stone on the verso of the front endpaper. Slight 
loss of color to the rear cover. Near Fine, lacking the dustwrapper. A 
scarce book, this copy with a fine provenance.
Bramah might be best known as the creator of the characters Kai Lung and 
Max Carrados. The Kai Lung stories were strong contemporary rivals of A. 
Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes stories, the two often appearing side by 
side in the Strand magazine. (#017245) $1,500.00

http://www.charlesagvent.com/shop/agvent/017245.html?id=QSV7WHSd

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