Rachel Seiffert — The Dark Room

London, William Heinemann, 2001. First edition. Cloth. The first edition of Rachel Seiffert's Booker Prize short-listed Second World War novel, accompanied by the uncorrected proof. 'The Dark Room' is composed of three unrelated novellas set in both pre and post World War II Germany. They are titled 'Helmut', 'Lore' and 'Micha&apos. 'Helmut' follows a boy born in the 1920s with a slight birth defect of the arm. He becomes a photographer's workshop whilst taking an interest in trains. He unintentionally photographs a violent roundup of Romani people and remains ignorant to the significance of what he has witnessed. He dreams of joining the Wehrmacht. 'Lore' concerns 1945 Bavaria after Germany surrenders. Lore is a young daughter of a Nazi officer and is asked by her mother to go to her grandmother's house in Hamburg as both her parents are sent to Prisoner-of-War camps. She meets a young man named Thomas who is a survivor of Buchenwald. However, it seems that this Thomas is not what he seems. 'Micha' is set in 1997 where a German man is shocked after his grandmother casually reveals that his grandfather was a member of the Wafen-SS. He tries to find out about his grandfather's crimes which begins to tear his family apart. This novel was shortlisted for the Booker Prize and the Guardian First Book Award. In full publisher's cloth binding with original price-clipped dustwrapper. Externally, excellent with minor shelfwear. Dustwrapper is also excellent with just a few light marks. The proof is in the original paper wraps, which have a few minor handling marks. Internally, firmly bound. Pages are very bright with just the odd spot. The Proof is in NEAR FINE condition. Fine . Ill.: None. Fine/Near Fine.