Elise Kay Gresswell - When Yvonne was Dictator - John Heritage, 1935, First Edition.

London, John Heritage, 1935. First Edition. First Impression. Hardback. A very good copy. Scarce. An important work of feminist SF involving an 18-year-old Yvonne becoming prime minister of the UK and subsequently dictator. An optimistic, socialist novel with equality for women. [In Bleiler, p37; SFE Online] No copies at auction, three copies on COPAC. An interesting addition to the canon, one that's certainly of value to any examination of feminist SF. Gresswell's approach, whilst optimistic, seems a little mixed and bordering on the magical [Theis, Mothers & Masters in Contemporary Utopian and Dystopian Literature, p113]. The jacket is largely complete (if that's even a useful description). There's a chip to the top of the jacket at the spine covering most of 'When', a similarly-sized chip to the 'S' of 'Was' on the front. Further tears, creases and rubs, some tape repairs and foxing to the interior but a more than acceptable jacket for the vintage. Some foxing to the edges, and a couple of leaves a little grubby. The jacket design is intriguing given the protest outside the Royal Albert Hall showing protestors bearing signs 'Down with the Dictator', a group of female supporters of Yvonne seem to be facing the protestors, whilst Yvonne deigns not to look at them amongst a stack of papers and books. A great book. 'I trust that now we live in a war-free world, a world that accepts human woman as it accepts human man, that does not place the burden of taxation on shoulders that have not caused it, that does not make the State the foster-parent of its children - I trust that now we shall know an era the world never yet has known of joy, happiness, progress, and companionship.' - way off the mark there Elise. [7807, Hyraxia Books].