City of Gold and Other Stories from the Old Testament by Peter Dickinson

City of Gold and Other Stories from the Old Testament by Peter Dickinson, illustrated by Michael Foreman, is an imaginative and beautifully presented retelling of thirty-three stories drawn from the Old Testament. Published by Victor Gollancz in 1980, the book approaches familiar biblical narratives from an unusual literary perspective, recreating them as stories that might have developed through an ancient oral tradition before eventually being written down.

Dickinson uses different imagined voices and viewpoints to bring freshness and immediacy to episodes from the Old Testament, transforming individual narratives into a broader story of the development of the tribes of Israel, the establishment of Jerusalem and the eventual decline and destruction of the City of Gold. Rather than presenting the material as a conventional children’s Bible, Dickinson combines storytelling, history, legend and literary interpretation.

The text is complemented by Michael Foreman’s distinctive full-colour illustrations. Foreman, one of Britain’s most celebrated book illustrators, brings a strong visual dimension to Dickinson’s retellings, making this an attractive volume for collectors of illustrated books as well as readers interested in biblical literature and mythology.

This substantial 1980 hardcover retains two dust jackets, an unusual and appealing feature for a surviving copy. With its combination of Peter Dickinson’s storytelling and Michael Foreman’s artwork, the book has appeal across children’s literature, Old Testament studies, illustrated books, biblical studies and collectable vintage publishing.

Condition – Near Fine

Near fine 1980 hardcover with clean blue cloth boards and gilt spine lettering, retaining two near fine dust jackets. Prior ownership inscription in ink on the endpaper. Foxing is present, particularly to the endpapers and other areas internally. The binding remains sound and the illustrated dust jacket presents attractively.