Ayer, A. J. (Alfred Jules), Language, Truth and Logic. London, Victor Gollancz, 1936. Only 500 copies of this book were printed in January 1936. Here are two of them. Note that the dust jacket spine says "AND", whereas the the rest of the dust jacket, and the cloth spine, says "&". Note also that both the dust jacket and spine omit the comma (after "Language") from the title. Note also that the cloth spine says "BY", in capitals, whereas the dust jacket spine says 'by", in lower case. The dust jacket also gives the price of the book -- 9 shillings -- and a nice Victor Gollancz design. Gollancz was the publisher of George Orwell and Ford Maddox Ford and one of the founders of the Left Book Club. 

1. Copy formerly owned by English poet Arnold Rattenbury.

2. Second copy (with mylar protective covering over dust jacket). Previous owner unknown. This dust jacket has had paper added to its edges by its previous owner to strengthen and protect it.

3. "A Young Philosopher" -- a contemporary review by J. L. Stocks in the Manchester Guardian (this was quoted in the dust-wrapper for the U.S. edition later in the year -- see below).

4. Language, Truth and Logic, London: Victor Gollancz, 1936. Second impression, April 1936. Previous owner unknown. The second impression of the first edition, with dust jacket. There were only 250 copies of this impression printed.

5. Language, Truth and Logic. New York, Oxford University Press, 1936. First U.S. edition (which, however, says "Printed in Great Britain"), printed late in 1936. Former owner unknown. While there is no longer a description of the book on the dust jacket, there are quotations from Stocks' review. Also, the cover now says "Alfred J. Ayer", like the inside of the book, instead of "A. J. Ayer". The dust jacket spine merely says "AYER", and not A. J. Ayer. The blue cloth spine is not all capitals, like the dust jacket spine. It says: "Language Truth and Logic". Note again the absent comma.

5. Second U.S. first edition. Lacking a dust jacket. Originally owned by Francis Farquhar (1887-1974), former president of the Sierra Club and editor of the Sierra Club Bulletin, and author of several books. He gave it to an "Isabel C. Kurtz", in 1941, with the following dedication:

"To Miss Isabel Kurtz:

This book is aggravating, dogmatic, but a philosophic "joy forever". You will find it well worth careful study.

From your friend

Francis Farquhar

Sept. 13th,1941"