Longmans, Green & Co. (London, UK; New York, US, Toronto, CA)
Series dates: 1940-1948
Size: 6″ x 8.75″
“The Longman Library presents in neat uniform an epicure’s selection from the many general works recently published by Longmans. There is not one among them that owes its value to any passing fashion, and the choice falls only on books of character by writers of distinction in biography, travel, and modern literature.” (transcribed from the rear of the dust jacket).
The Longman Library was diminutive in scope, with four titles published in 1940. Two titles were reprinted (1942-1948) but no more titles were added to the series. The format is large, most likely printing from the plates created for these non-fiction titles. It is also possible that the initial printings in the series used leftover, unbound books from the original printings.
A 1940 advertisement for the series appeared in the Times Literary Supplement (7 Sept. 1940, p. 436).
The jackets for the series are of a common design, a generic design (in dark grey) with unique details (author, title, etc.) overprinted in red. The series name is included at the base of the jacket spine. The series name is also part of a decorative graphic device along the top of the front of the jacket. The general look of the jacket is rather old and overly fussy (although this may have been an attempt to suggest these books were “classics.”). Reviews of the book are included on the front jacket flap. The price (6s.) was probably included on the front jacket flap, but is clipped on this example.
The back of the jacket blurbs the series (transcribed at the beginning of this entry). The four titles issued in the series are listed. No more titles were added, and the last reprint (of the Trevelyan title) was 1948.
The Farm by Lough Gur, by Mary Carbery (1940, 1942)
Pyrenean, by J.B. Morton (1940)
South Latitude, by F.D. Ommanney (1940)
Grey of Fallodon, by George Macaulay Trevelyan (1940, 1943, 1945, 1946, 1948)
The bindings are blue cloth. The series name is included on the base of the spine. The front of the book is blank.
The half-title page is faced by a list of three additional titles by the author.
Facing the page is a list of the four titles in the series. The price is 6s. net. The title page includes the series name.
Longman includes its various global imprints on the copyright page. “First published 1937, Longman Library edition 1940, New Impression 1942.” Also included is the mysterious “Code Number 124114.” I don’t recall seeing anything like this on any other book I own. It may have something to do with wartime printing. “Printed in Great Britain by Lowe and Brydone Printers Limited, London, N.W. 10.”
