The Last Battle.

The first edition of this history by the Irish journalist Cornelius Ryan (1920-1974) on the events leading up to the Battle of Berlin in the last year of the Second W orld War.

Born in Dublin, Ryan moved to London in 1940 where he became a war correspondent for The Daily Telegraph, in which capacity he flew on bombing missions with the US airforce, and accompanied General Patton's Third Army, covering its action until the close of the war in 1945. Ryan later emigrated to the United States, becoming a naturalised citizen in 1951.

The Last Battle and his two other histories of the Second World War The Longest Day (1959) and A Bridge Too Far (1974) were instant successes, the latter two being successfully turned into major Hollywood films.

First edition; 8vo (23 x 15.5 cm); illustrated with photographic plates, original map endpapers and dustjacket bound-in at rear; crushed red morocco by Sangorski & Sutcliffe, covers ruled in gilt, gilt spine in 6 compartments, all edges gilt, spine a little faded, otherwise near fine.