The File: A Personal History

London: HarperCollins , 1997 . First edition. Cloth. Fine/Fine. 9" by 5.5". None. A signed, first edition of this fascinating account of Timothy Garton Ash's file from the archives of the Stasi, released after the Berlin Wall fell. First edition, in the publisher's original cloth binding, with the original, unclipped dust wrapper.Written by British historian and author, Timothy Garton Ash, who lived in Berlin for several year in the 1980's in order to research the German resistance. Signed by the author to the title page and inscribed to the half title to fellow author Stephen Vizinczey. With a note inserted from Garton Ash reading 'Dear Stephen, I hope you don't mind my invoking you (p202)', referring to chapter XIV in which the author mentions Vizinczey's work 'In Praise of Older Women'.'The File' refers to the records held by the Stasi, the East German secret police, which were released following the fall of the Berlin Wall. Garton Ash delves into the file behind his own name, recalling the discovery of informers in his life and the charged atmosphere of cold war Berlin. From the library of Hungarian-Canadian author Stephen Vizinczey, best known for his 'In Praise of Older Women', and 'An Innocent Millionaire'. His writing was praised by the likes of Graham Greene and Anthony Burgess, describing his fiction as social epics which breathe hope in a corrupt world. In the publisher's original cloth binding, with the original, unclipped dust wrapper. Externally, lovely, with light shelf wear. Dust wrapper is also excellent, with light shelf wear and the odd handling mark. Internally, firmly bound. Pages bright and clean, with the author's inscription to the half title and author's signature to title page. Fine