Hunger. A Dublin Story.
Dublin: The Candle Press; [printed by Colm O'Lochlainn], 1918.
Number Two in the series Prose Booklets. Stapled in wrappers (18 x 11.5 cm.), 29 [3] pages. Publisher's advertisements at rear. Subtitle from wrapper title. FIRST EDITION. A harrowing tale of malnourishment amongst the Dublin poor, “Hunger” was published during the Irish Rebellion and issued under the barely obscuring pen-name "James Esse" to avoid prosecution. It’s been considered by many to be Stephen’s finest short story, “an unvarnished tale of a poor Dublin family that withers slowly of starvation because the husband cannot find work or the wife beg relief… his only substantial cry of protest on behalf of Dublin’s poor, but it is more powerful than a lifetime of manifestos” (Martin, Augustine (1963) "The Short Stories of James Stephens," Colby Quarterly: vol. 6: no. 8, article 4). Stephen wrote of the story, “The story is a true one and would have killed me but that I got it out of my system that way.” (Ibid). Unopened, in publisher's grey-green paper wrappers printed in dark green. Near fine. Inscribed by the author on the title page, "James Stephen, (or James S), to Basil Thornett". The recipient was author Ernest Basil Charles Thornett, the Bletchley Park cryptographer who wrote the Chief Inspector Edward Beale series under the pseudonym Rupert Penny (and one thriller under the name Martin Tanner). [Cutler & Stiles, page 132].
Price: $350.00