Beach, Rex. The Mating Call.

London: Readers Library Publishing Company, n.d. [1928].
Readers Library reprint edition, usually published to tie in with a film production. In this case the film was the 1928 romance vehicle by James Cruze, starring Thomas Meighan and Evelyn Brent as the shellshocked ex soldier and the Russian emigre he falls for. Publisher’s burgundy “cloth” gilt, as usual for these delightful books they are produced as if someone has had “burgundy cloth gilt” described to them over a staticky phoneline and then been forced to reproduce the concept using only what is in their desk drawer, rather like a 16th century Rhinoceros. There’s the ubiquitous edgewear and discolouration, the bright and typically arresting dustjacket has some fraying to the edges and some closed tears to the spine ends but is looking pretty spiffy otherwise. Internally clean, although the printing medium bears as much resemblance to quality paper as I do to Timothee Chalamet. These little books are gorgeous and delightful and trashy, and can be found everywhere in bits but rarely in their complete glory.
[Ref: 962] £50