Robert Gittings — Young Thomas Hardy & the Older Hardy

London, Heinemann, 1975-1978. First edition. Cloth. A smart signed two volume set of first editions of these illustrated biographical accounts of the writer Thomas Hardy. A two volume set. The first editions.  Signed by the author to the bookplates. In the publisher's original cloth bindings. In the original unclipped dust wrappers.  Illustrated with a frontispiece, and eight double sided plates to each volume. Collated, complete. A set of works by Robert Gittings, an English writer, biographer, BBC Radio producer, playwright and poet. These volumes are scholarly studies of Thomas Hardy, an English novelist, poet and architect. In 1978, Gittings was awarded the James Tait Black Memorial Prize for The Older Hardy. In the publisher's original cloth bindings. In the original unclipped dust wrappers. Externally, very smart. Light shelf wear to extremities of 'The Older Hardy', with faint marks to boards. Previous owner's bookplate to front paste downs, both signed by the author. Dust wrappers are excellent, with slight sunning to spines. Internally, firmly bound. Pages are bright and clean. Near Fine . Ill.: Not Stated. Near Fine/Near Fine.