A delightful first edition in contemporary binding of Laurence Sterne's classic of English literature, a monumental, sweeping and satirical work of experimental metafiction, spanning nine volumes and featuring all the intriguing elements and bibliographical anomalies that make it such a book-cataloguer's delight... An exercise in purported autobiography, this work introduces a wealth of characters ranging from the irascible to the farcical, involving the reader in a simultaneously comic and endearing labyrinth of literary and typographical devices and whimsy, a form in many ways anticipating the modernist & postmodernist literature of the early twentieth century onwards.

The book inspired the 2005 film A Cock and Bull Story, a 'film within a film' starring Steve Coogan (as Tristram Shandy, Tristram's father Walter and, of course, himself) and Rob Brydon (as Uncle Toby and himself) and a host of notable luvvies including Keeley Hawes, Stephen Fry, David Walliams and Gillian Anderson.

First editions, vols V, VII & IX signed by the author at the head of the first chapter, as called for; 9 vols, 8vo; half-title present in vol.IV & IX but lacking in vols V & VI, engraved plate by Ravanet after William Hogarth bound as frontispiece to vol.IV, black leaf (vol.I E5), marbled leaf (vol.III between L4 & L5) and blank page (vol.VI p.147) for imaginary portrait all present & correct, vol.VII first state with errata, incorrect chapter numeration and 'Gentleman' on title, vol.IX Dedication conforms to Nowell-Smith's variant (b); bound in full contemporary mottled calf, double gilt rule borders to covers, spines gilt compartments within raised bands, vol.I rebacked preserving original spine, vol.III with skilful repair to upper joint and head of spine, but overall an excellent set; [-]1, A-L8, M2; [-]1, A-L8, M3; A-M8, N4; A2, B-O8, P2; [A]2, B-K8, L3; [A]1, B-K8, L6; [A]1, B-L8; [A]1, B-K8, L6; [A]2, a2, B-K8, [-]1.

Rothschild 1970