London: Faber, V.d.

3 vols. and a folded card, review slip laid in to one volume. A very well preserved collection.

Three volumes of poetry by Wendy Cope, ONE INSCRIBED TO HER FRIEND THE POET CLIVE WILMER, ONE WITH A CHATTY CHRISTMAS CARD LAID IN.

The poet, critic and broadcaster Clive Wilmer [1945-2025] met Wendy Cope in 1988 -- the inscription in the copy of Making Cocoa For Kingsley Amis in this collection marks the occasion -- and the two became lifelong friends. The collection comprises:

-- Making Cocoa For Kingsley Amis (1986): 1987 reprint, INSCRIBED BY COPE TO TITLE PAGE: 'Dearest Clive, It's nice to meet serious people. Much love, Wendy. XXX, 1988'. Wilmer's ownership signature to front free endpaper. Browning to text block;

-- The River Girl (1991): First edition, softbound issue. Review copy, typed Faber review slip laid in. Wilmer's ownership signature dated 15 April 1991 to front free endpaper, Browning to text block and review slip;

-- Serious Concerns (1992): First edition, softbound issue. Wilmer's ownership signature dated 10 February 1992 to front free endpaper. Browning to text block;

-- HANDWRITTEN CHRISTMAS CARD FROM COPE TO WILMER DATED 23 DECEMBER 1997. The printed card carries Cope's poem This Christmas Life from her 1997 collection If I Don't Know: 'I hope you'll like the poem. (It was actually last year's card but this year's doesn't have a poem on it.) We have got Lachlan's [Cope's husband, the poet Lachlan Mackinnon] mother coming for Christmas, and his two brothers. The brothers are OK. It make take more than a tree and some hyacinths to keep me in a nice mood until 27th. Lachlan's children come to tea on Christmas Day and lunch on Boxing Day. They are great, fortunately, and very good at remembering which words not to say in front of Granny.' One of the children, 8-year-old Josephine Mackinnon, provided the inspiration for The Christmas Life, the poem on the card ('If you don't have a real tree, you don't bring the Christmas life into the house.').