Second Thoughts on Life, Law and Letters by A. Laurence Polak

A scarce and seldom-seen post-war British literary and legal curiosity, Second Thoughts on Life, Law and Letters by A. Laurence Polak is an engaging collection of essays, reflections, and humour from one of Britain’s notable legal writers of the mid-20th century. Copies of this 1949 Stevens & Sons publication rarely appear on the market today, particularly in the original illustrated dust jacket, making this an appealing acquisition for collectors of unusual legal literature and mid-century British publishing.

Polak, a solicitor of the Supreme Court and author of the popular “Legal Fictions” series, possessed a distinctive ability to blend wit, legal observation, and literary commentary into entertaining and highly quotable prose. Second Thoughts continues in that tradition, offering a thoughtful and humorous glimpse into law, society, and letters during the immediate post-war era. The text is complemented by charming illustrations from Leslie Starke, whose artwork adds considerable period character and visual appeal.

Second Thoughts is bound in blue cloth-covered boards with gilt lettering to the spine and retains its original unclipped dust jacket featuring attractive blue illustration and typography to the front panel. The rear panel carries advertisements for related Stevens & Sons titles, adding additional bibliographic interest. While the dust jacket is only in fair condition overall, with substantial loss to nearly half of the spine section, the surviving artwork remains highly displayable and uncommon. The exposed spine beneath has faded significantly where uncovered over the decades.

Internally, the 134-page volume remains complete and sound with some foxing to the endpapers and their versos, typical of books from this period. The text and illustrations remain clean and attractive overall.

Second Thoughts is an uncommon survival and a genuinely difficult title to source, particularly with any portion of the original dust jacket intact.

Condition – Good

1949 blue cloth covered hardcover with gilt lettering on the spine. Original unclipped white dust jacket with blue illustration and text to front and title advertisements to rear. Dust jacket in fair condition with major loss to almost half the spine area. Exposed spine cloth heavily faded. Boards remain neat overall. Internally with foxing to the endpapers and their versos. Complete 134-page text block with illustrations by Leslie Starke.