The Light of Asia or The Great Renunciation. Being the Life and Teaching of Gautama, Prince of India and Founder of Buddhism (As Told in Verse by an Indian Buddhist). By Sir Edwin Arnold. With 12 Photogravures from Photographs by Lady Eardley-Wilmot. Published in 1930 by Kegan, Paul, Trench, Trubner & Co., Ltd., London. Hardcover, 157 pages. Measures about 3 7/8" x 5 7/8"

This copy has been rebound in a fine red leather binding, with extensive gilt decoration on the spine, cover edges, and margins of the inside covers. It has marbled endpapers and all edges are gilt. See photos!

Condition: The seam of the front cover has split, although the cover remains attached. The volume is otherwise in nice condition, with no bookplates, ink names, pen/pencil notations, or similar flaws. The book is protected by a clear plastic sheet, which will be included for the purchaser.

Sir Edwin Arnold (1832 – 1904) was an English poet and journalist, who is most known for his work The Light of Asia. The Light of Asia, or The Great Renunciation, is a poem of eight books in blank verse. In it, in Arnold's own words, he attempted "by the medium of an imaginary Buddhist votary to depict the life and character and indicate the philosophy of that noble hero and reformer, Prince Gautama of India, founder of Buddhism."

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Our father was a bibliophile who collected rare books, letters, and ephemera for more than 60 years. For now and into the foreseeable future, we will be listing rare paper items from his estate.

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