Bombs Away: The Story of A Bomber Team, by John Steinbeck, with Photographs by John Swope, First Edition in Original Dust Jacket, 1942

Steinbeck, John. Bombs Away: The Story of a Bomber Team. New York: The Viking Press: 1942. Illustrated with photographs by John Swope. First Edition. Octavo.  In the publisher's original illustrated dust jacket and blue hardcover boards with front board stamped in a plane wing and starry night motif, spine titled in black and white. 

This is a first edition of Bombs Away: The Story of a Bomber Team, John Steinbeck's riveting account of his experiences with several bomber crews of the U.S. Army Air Forces during WWII. The book was published by Viking Press in November of 1942. It is presented in its original illustrated dust jacket, as designed by Arthur Hawkins, Jr., and blue hardcover boards, decoratively stamped and titled in black and white. The book is illustrated throughout with sixty black and white photographs by John Swopes. 

Steinbeck was commissioned to write Bombs Away by the United States Army Air Forces as part of an effort to increase recruitment and morale. In preparation for this book, he “toured the country for weeks, visiting training corps and flying fields all over the country.” Bombs Away follows the story of six men in the U.S. Army Air Force, from their hometown to training camps, as they prepare and learn the necessary skills for combat. Each man represents one of the six jobs that make up a bomber crew, including pilot, navigator, bombardier, crew chief, gunner, and radio man. Traveling with Steinbeck was Life photographer John Swopes, himself a flier, who took the 60 photographs that illustrate the book. 

All royalties of the author and photographer, as well as publishing profits, were endowed to the perpetual Air Forces Aid Society Trust Fund “to provide emergency aid for the families of fliers lost in the line of duty.” Proceeds from the motion picture of the same title, sold for $250,000, also went to the Trust Fund. 

During World War II, Steinbeck served as a consultant to the Office of the Coordinator of Information (COI), a foreign news editor for the Office of War Information, and a contributor to the Writer’s War Board.

CONDITION:

Good condition. Octavo. Original publisher’s illustrated dust jacket, with some light bumping, and very small tears at top of spine and front panel corners, back with light toning. Inside back panel with an advertisement for "The Flying Tigers by Russel Whelan." Original blue hardcover boards with front board stamped in a plane wing and starry night motif, in black and white. Spine titled in black and white. Black and white photos throughout, very clean inside. Pen inscription on front free endpaper, upper right corner: "To Dad- From Charles. Dec. 25th, 1942". 185 pages. 

Dimensions: 8 3/4" H x 6 3/16" W x 7/8" D.

Accompanied by our company's letter of authenticity.