The First UK printing published by W.H. Allen London in 1971. The BOOK is in near Fine condition and is free from inscriptions and erasures. The WRAPPER is price-clipped and is in Very Good++ condition. A little rubbing at the spine ends and corners. Light toning to the rear cover, flap edges and the spine lettering. A neat penned price to the rear cover. The Val Biro wrapper artwork looks striking in the removable Brodart archival cover. The Albanian author's first book to be translated into English with this UK edition published one year earlier than the more commonly encountered USA edition. Ismael Kadare was awarded the 'Prix Mondial Cino Del Duca' in 1998, the 'Herder Prize' in 2005, the inaugural 'Man Booker International Prize' in 2009, and in 2016, he was made a 'Commandeur de la Légion d'Honneur'. Kadare is regarded by some as one of the greatest European writers and intellectuals of the 20th century. A scarce title.