The Stars Look Down

London: Victor Gollancz Ltd., 1935. With Affectionate Regard" A.J. Cronin to Ingle Barr
A Superb Association Copy of The Stars Look Down, in Jacket with the Rare Promotional Bands

CRONIN, A.J. The Stars Look Down. London: Victor Gollancz Ltd., 1935.

First edition, warmly inscribed by A.J. Cronin to the distinguished British barrister Ingle Barr (later King's Counsel), suggesting a warm personal and professional friendship.

Octavo (8 1/2 x 5 3/8 inches; 216 x 137 mm.). [1-9], 10-701, [1, blank] pp.

Publisher's black cloth over boards, spine lettered in gilt, ex-libris bookplate of Ingle Barr on front paste-down. A near fine copy in the original yellow dust jacket printed in pink and black, and notably retaining: a second variant jacket, the scarce red paper band printed in black "Evening Standard Book of the Month for April." Together with an additional partial promotional band. The dust jackets with light wear at spine extremities and corners, but overall an exceptional survival, particularly with the ephemeral bands intact.

Inscribed on the front free-endpaper: "For my good friend/Ingle Barr/with affectionate regard/from/A.J. Cronin."

The Stars Look Down (1935) is one of Cronin's major novels, a powerful social narrative centered on the British coal mining industry, class struggle, labor conditions, moral responsibility and political awakening. It is widely regarded as one of his most important and enduring works, and was later adapted into the 1940 film directed by Carol Reed.

Ingle Barr, K.C. (1908-1974), was a distinguished British barrister (King's Counsel) who practiced commercial and civil law in London. He was a noted book collector and was active during the mid-20th century in senior legal circles and known within professional and intellectual networks rather than as a public celebrity. While not a household name today, Barr belonged to the upper tier of the British legal profession, precisely the sort of figure with whom a writer like Cronin would naturally associate.