But here, perhaps in some disillusionment both with his guests and with his house, he seems to have relaxed these cares. Forster has been apt to pervade his books like a careful hostess who is anxious to introduce, to explain, to warn her guests of a step here, of a draught there.

Virginia Woolf considered this Forster in his prime, a critical sentiment echoed ever since: 'Hitherto Mr. Selected as one of the great works of 20th Century English Literature by the 'Modern Library', winner of the 1924 James Tait Black Memorial Prize for Fiction and selected by 'Time' magazine in its 'All time 100 novels' list.įirst edition, signed limited issue, number 94 of 200 copies signed by the author. Andre Gide had referred to it as a 'miracle of intelligence, tact, irony, prudence and ability'. It is now, however, placed amongst an elite list of works based around post-Colonial studies including Joseph Conrad's 'Heart of Darkness' and Rudyard Kipling's 'Kim'.

Criticised at the time for a number of reasons, one key concern was due to the interracial friendship between the key protagonists. Forster himself had stated that 'Seven Pillars' had 'helped me finish a book of my own'. He wrote the final two chapters of 'A Passage To India' under its influence, completing them, and the novel, in a burst of confident energy'. Furbank remarked that 'Seven Pillars affected Forster not only as a man but as a writer. Forster referred to it as a 'masterpiece' and it had affected him strongly. Forster had been simultaneously working on a critical reading of a draft of the 1922 'Oxford' edition of his great friend T. He completed the first seven chapters in 1913 but it would be a further ten years and with much encouragement from friends including, Leonard and Virginia Woolf, that it would be finished. Based on Forster's own experiences in India in 1912, it is a novel of the effects of colonialization and colonial rule. Scarce in any form and a very near fine, bright, exceptionally clean copy. The pages are unfoxed and are fresh and clean and the binding is very firm. The very scarce original spare paper spine label is to be found at the end of the volume. The paper spine label is a little age-toned but is clean, unrubbed and bright. The boards are very bright and clean with none of the usual wear and tear. This copy has very minor creasing and rubbing to the head and tail of the spine, the cloth has remained remarkably unfaded. As with all signed, limited editions, condition is of paramount importance.

A passage to india pages