Harry Luke — The Tenth Muse

London, Putnam, 1954. First edition. Cloth. An unconventional cookery book written by a British official who travelled across the world and tasted the finest delicacies, including Lobster Newburg and American Fried Chicken. The first edition of The Tenth Muse: An Unconventional Cookery Book of Recipes from Many Lands, written by the former governor of Fiji Sir Harry Luke, in collaboration with Elizabeth Godfrey. Published by Putnam in 1954, during the fallout of postwar rationing in Britain.In the publisher's original green cloth, in the original unclipped dust wrapper. Contains a colour frontispiece of 'Still Life' by Jan de Heem, decorative chapter-title leaves, and one photographic plate of Luke at a Tongan banquet.Having regularly travelled across the world as a senior official of the British Empire, Luke wishes to impart his favourite fine delicacies that he has tasted across the world in an easy to follow manner, including Barcz, Lobster Newburg and even American fried chicken. Luke particularly celebrates the idea that eating should be treated as an intelligent art. In the publisher's original green cloth, in the original unclipped dust wrapper. Externally, very smart, with minimal marks to boards. Slight bumping and fading to the head and tail of the spine, and to the extremities. Dust wrapper is generally bright and clean, with slight smudging to wraps. Slight edgewear to wrapper, with a chip to the head and tail of wrapper spine, and to top extremity. End papers are generally bright and clean, with a couple of small offsetting marks and minor age toning. Faint spotting to top edges of free end papers. Internally, firmly bound. Pages are bright and clean, with minor age toning and slight browning to first leaf. Very Good Indeed . Ill.: William McLaren. Very Good Indeed/Very Good.