A Patriot for Me, by John Osborne, 1966 first edition. From the library of Theatre Director, Alan Strachan.

An interesting association copy of John Osborne’s controversial play, based on the life of Alfred Redl, an Austro-Hungarian army officer whose hidden homosexuality leaves him vulnerable to blackmail and espionage. Its frank treatment of homosexuality led to a dispute with the Lord Chamberlain, and its first production at the Royal Court in 1965 was restricted to a private theatre club. This copy comes from the personal library of the distinguished theatre director, writer and biographer Alan Strachan (1944–2025), acquired directly from his former home in Invergowrie, and bears his ownership signature on the first free endpaper.

A Patriot for Me, by John Osborne.

Published by Faber & Faber Limited, London, 1966. First edition, first impression.

A good (plus) red cloth hardback with gilt title to spine. With original unclipped dustjacket - priced at 13s 6d. The jacket with wear to extremities and folds, and with some light soiling. The dustjacket is now housed in a clear, protective, removable sleeve. The book is very slightly skewed. Signed by Alan Strachan to first free endpaper.

The text pages are soundly bound. Some spotting to endpapers and lightly scattered in the text. Spotting to edges of text block, which can be seen to the page edges inside.

Text in English.

128pp.

Dimensions: approximately 206mm high x 127mm wide x 16mm deep.

Weight: Approximately 250g (unpacked).