Description
1927 edition. Hardcover has significant wear, scuffs, small marks, stains and small tears. Front cover has some large white marks. No dust jacket. Spine has significant reading creases and wear, small tears on top and bottom. Pages have some marks and small tears on some pages but largely are clean and the binding is secure.
This well-worn copy of Emil Ludwig’s “BISMARCK” is a true rarity, being the first English edition published in 1927, just two years after the original German printing. A pioneering work of popular biography, it helped establish Ludwig’s reputation as one of the 20th century’s preeminent writers of Charakterbilder, or “character portraits.” His vivid and psychologically insightful depiction of the “Iron Chancellor” Otto von Bismarck was widely acclaimed, capturing both the towering statesman’s force of personality and the pivotal role he played in unifying Germany. This copy bears the scars of many readings, its battered exterior a testament to the enduring fascination with Bismarck’s complex legacy as the architect of the German Empire. For collectors of early 20th century biography and German history, it represents a chance to own a significant piece of the literary canon.
