Duet for Three Hands

First edition, first impression. 224pp, with a handful of monochrome plate illustrations. In purple cloth-covered boards with silver titles on spine. 8vo. Boards a little faded on edges, slightly rounded at spine tips. Text block edges a little spotted, dusted and darkened. Some tanning on endpapers, and faint, occasional spotting on first and last few leaves. In its original dust jacket, faded, a little rubbed at edges, chapped on upper edge and sunned over spine. At the height of his success as a one of Britain’s leading pianists, Cyril Smith, then touring Russia, was stricken with a bout of thrombosis. The Russian doctors’ verdict was that he would never play the piano again. A Duet For Two Hands is the delightfully human story of Smith’s struggles and triumphs, and courage, in rebuilding his career and once again playing the piano.