John Cowper Powys — Homer and the Aether

London, Macdonald, 1959. First edition. Cloth. The first edition of a curious retelling of the Iliad by an author often claimed to be the successor of Thomas Hardy, including analysis of the Greek poet's intentions. The first edition of Homer and the Aether, an intriguing retelling of the Iliad, written by English novelist and philosopher John Cowper Powys. Published by Macdonald in 1959. In the publisher's original cloth, in the original clipped dust wrapper. Powys has often been seen as a successor to Thomas Hardy in the importance he places on landscapes as a narrative device in his works. His love for mythology, having written Wolf Solent and the Wessex novels set in Anglo-Saxon England, is readily seen in this retelling of Homer's classic, with the occasional intervention of Aether to analyse Homer's intentions. Externally, very smart, with minimal marks to boards. Slight bumping to the head and tail of the spine, and to the extremities. Dust wrapper is bright and clean, with slight browning to rear wrapper and minimal edgewear. End papers are bright and clean. Bookseller's stamp to front pastedown. Faint spotted foredge. Internally, firmly bound. Pages are bright and clean, with minor age toning. Very Good Indeed . Ill.: None. Very Good Indeed/Very Good Indeed.