8vo. Original red cloth; dust jacket (light wear to spine ends).

FIRST AMERICAN EDITION. PRESENTATION COPY, INSCRIBED BY CLARKE TO THE PUBLISHER, MARTIN GREENBERG, on the front free endpaper: "To Martin Greenberg, wishing you all the best, from, Art Clarke."

Founded in New York in 1948 by science-fiction editor and publisher Martin Greenberg, together with fellow fan and writer David A. Kyle, Gnome Press quickly became one of the most important early specialty publishers of science fiction in hardcover. At a time when most science-fiction writing appeared only in pulp magazines, Gnome Press issued the first durable book editions of many now-canonical works, aimed at collectors and libraries. Among its most notable publications were early hardcover editions of works by Isaac Asimov—including the first book appearances of the Foundation trilogy—as well as titles by Robert A. Heinlein. The press also published several works by Arthur C. Clarke, such as The Sands of Mars (1951) and Against the Fall of Night, helping introduce Clarke’s work to the U.S. market.