A Time of Gifts: On Foot to Constantinople: from the Hook of Holland to the Middle Danube.

First edition of the author’s masterpiece, which ranks among the greatest travel books of the twentieth century. Octavo, original cloth, frontispiece, map. Association copy, inscribed by the author with a full page inscription on the front free endpaper with a drawing of clouds and birds, "To Petros Stathatos, from his old guest and horse-borrower at Modi forty three years ago Paddy LF, with gratitude and every kind wish  * The adventures – travels – in this book are just a year earlier on the same journey." The recipient, Peter Stathatos was a close friend of Leigh Fermor with whom he visited in Macedonia after Mount Athos, and whose horse he borrowed on his famous adventure at Orliako Bridge (Artemis Cooper, Patrick Leigh Fermor, pp. 99-103). Fine in a near fine dust jacket. Jacket design by John Craxton. Of the few association copies we have handled, this is easily one of the finest and lengthiest inscribed example.