JOHN BETJEMAN. A. N. Wilson. — Betjeman. [A biography]. (WITHDRAWN FIRST STATE)

Hutchinson, London, 1st Edition, First Edition (first printing with the hoax letter). 8vo. 375pp. Green boards lettered in gold at the spine. Decorated endpapers. With over seventy illustrations. In fine state with fine non-price-clipped dust wrapper. This is a scarce first state printing which includes the notorious hoax letter covertly smuggled into the text by Bevis Hillier in response to Wilson's negative comments about his own Betjeman biography. The letter purports to be from Betjeman to Honor Tracy with whom he had worked at the Admiralty during the war, and details a previously unrecorded love affair between them. The first letter of each sentence spells out "A.N.Wilson is a shit". This issue was swiftly withdrawn when the hoax became apparent., Fine, Fine