ATTLEE, Clement (1883-1967). As It Happened, London, 1954, 8vo, illustrations, original cloth. Reprint. ANNOTATED AND HIGHLIGHTED IN PENCIL BY ANTHONY EDEN THROUGHOUT.

ATTLEE, Clement Richard (1883-1967).  As It Happened. London: William Heinemann Ltd., 1954, 8vo (215 x 140mm). Half title, half tone frontispiece portrait of the author, half tone illustrations. Original scarlet cloth, spine lettered in gilt (spine faded, without the dust-jacket). Provenance: Anthony Eden, 1st Earl of Avon (modern armorial bookplate loosely-inserted). "First published 1954. Reprinted 1954" (from verso of title). ANNOTATED AND HIGHLIGHTED IN PENCIL BY ANTHONY EDEN THROUGHOUT. For example, on p.90 (commenting on Attlee's speech to the Geneva Institute of International Relations in 1934), Eden writes: "Playing party politics while an official, as no doubt in [the remainder illegible] ..."; on p.96 (commenting on the printed passage 'following the First World War when it had been laid down that there was no danger of war for ten years'): "Winston's ten year rule"; on p.105 (commenting on Attlee's recuperation in North Wales when Germany invaded Poland): "I had forgotten he was away"; on p.165 (commenting on opposition to the nationalisation of the iron and steel industries): "He [i.e. Attlee] always attributes the lowest motivation to his opponents & assumes the highest in himself"; on p.170 (commenting on Marshall Aid): "& I who suggested it to Ernie [Bevin] in his room in the House"; and on p.172 (commenting on Attlee's claim that Western Europe 'is today a collection of disunited elements lying between two great continental Powers'): "Much stronger than that." In 1955, Attlee contested the general election against Anthony Eden who was seeking a mandate as the new leader of the Conservative Party following Churchill's retirement in April of the same year. It resulted in a victory for the Conservatives who achieved the largest party share of the vote at a post-war election: a triumphant vindication for Eden. Attlee, having led the Labour Party for an unparalleled twenty years and widely regarded as one of Britain's greatest 20th-century Prime Ministers, retired as Leader of the Labour Party to enter the House of Lords as Earl Attlee and Viscount Prestwood. He was succeeded by Hugh Gaitskell.

A note on the illustrations in the Anthony & Clarissa Eden section of this catalogue (lots 1-89). Anthony Eden, like any true bibliophile, annotated his books almost entirely in pencil. Consequently, they can be a little difficult to read in the illustrations. They are generally much clearer to read in the books themselves and many of the more significant are recorded verbatim in the descriptions.