Penguin First Editions :: Early First Edition Penguin Books

Penguin produced a series of its books covering West African issues during the 1950's and early 1960's - a time of great political and social change in the region.

The first book published was Local Government by R. E Wraith in October 1953 - and the last of the 14 books was published in July 1965. By then, the books had been restyled THE PENGUIN AFRICAN SERIES, and this in turn was superceded by the PENGUIN AFRICAN LIBRARY, using the abbreviation 'AP'. This covered the wider area of the whole of the African continent.

The books show the usual 'Penguin' logo, with a palm tree curved over the logo from the left.

Information and cover photographs of West African Penguins Series:

WA 1	Series No.: WA 1 Title: LOCAL GOVERNMENT Author: R. E. Wraith Series editors: David and Helen Kimble Date Published: October 1953 Pages: 128pp. Printer: Hunt, Barnard and Co Ltd Price: 1/6d. Image shown of 1956 reprint
WA 2	Series No.: WA 2 Title: FOOD AND HEALTH Author: S. D. Onabamiro Series editors: David and Helen Kimble Date Published: October 1953 Pages: 128pp. Printer: Hunt, Barnard and Co Ltd Price: 1/6d.
WA 3	Series No.: WA 3 Title: FOLK TALES AND FABLES Author: P. Itayemi and P. Gurrey Series editors: David and Helen Kimble Date Published: November 1953 Pages: 128pp. Printer: Hunt, Barnard and Co Ltd Price: 1/6d.
WA 4	Series No.: WA 4 Title: THE MACHINERY OF SELF GOVERNMENT Author: David Kimble Series editors: David and Helen Kimble Date Published: November 1953 Pages: 128pp. Printer: Hunt, Barnard and Co Ltd Price: 1/6d.
WA 5	Series No.: WA 5 Title: REPTILES OF WEST AFRICA Author: George Cansdale Illustrations: 8 pages of drawings in text Series editors: David and Helen Kimble Date Published: August 1955 Pages: 104pp. Printer: Hunt, Barnard and Co Ltd Price: 2/-
WA 6	Series No.: WA 6 Title: INTRODUCTION TO ECONOMICS Author: Walter Birmingham Series editors: David and Helen Kimble Date Published: August 1955 Pages: 128pp. Printer: Hunt, Barnard and Co Ltd Price: 2/-
WA 7	Series No.: WA 7 Title: WEST AFRICA AND THE COMMONWEALTH Author: Dennis Austin Series editors: David and Helen Kimble Date Published: May 1957 Pages: 128pp. Printer: Hunt, Barnard and Co Ltd Price: 2/-
WA 8	Series No.: WA 8 Title: LABOUR PROBLEMS IN WEST AFRICA Author: J. I. Roper Series editors: David and Helen Kimble Date Published: June 1958 Pages: 112pp. Printer: Hunt, Barnard and Co Ltd Price: 2/-
WA 9	Series No.: WA 9 Title: CHRISTIANITY AND POLITICS IN AFRICA Author: John V. Taylor Series editors: David and Helen Kimble Date Published: May 1957 Pages: 128pp. Printer: Hunt, Barnard and Co Ltd Price: 2/-
WA 10	Series No.: WA 10 Title: LARGER BIRDS OF WEST AFRICA Author: David A. Bannermn Illustrations: 54 illustrations in text by Henrik Grönvold Series editors: David and Helen Kimble Date Published: June 1958 Pages: 200pp. Printer: Hunt, Barnard and Co Ltd Price: 2/6d.
WA 11	Series No.: WA 11 Title: INTRODUCING CHRISTIANITY Authors: E. H. Pyle and S. G. Williamson Cover design: by John and Kenneth Astrop Series editors: David and Helen Kimble Date Published: May 1962 Pages: 160pp. Printer: Cox and Wyman Ltd Price: 3/6d.
WA 12	Series No.: WA 12 Title: AFRICAN POLITICAL PARTIES An Introductory Guide Author: Thomas Hodgkin Cover design: by John and Kenneth Astrop Series editors: David and Helen Kimble Date Published: November 1961 Pages: 224pp. Printer: Spottiswoode, Ballantyne and Co Ltd Price: 3/6d.
WA 13	Series No.: WA 13 Title: WHITE SETTLERS IN TROPICAL AFRICA Author: L. H. Gann and P. Duignan Cover design: by John and Kenneth Astrop Series editors: David and Helen Kimble Date Published: February 1962 Pages: 176pp. Printer: C. Nicholls and Co Ltd Price: 3/6d.
WA 14	Series No.: WA 14 Title: THE LIFE OF AZIKIWE Author: K. A. B. Jones-Quartey Series editors: David and Helen Kimble Date Published: July 1965 Pages: 272pp. Printer: C. Nicholls and Co Ltd Price: 5/-

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT: penguinfirsteditions.com gratefully acknowledges the kind permission of PENGUIN BOOKS LTD. (UK) to reproduce its book covers and, where incorporated, its various logos. We would remind users of this site that, as appropriate, Penguin Books Ltd. and its designers retain their copyright and/or intellectual property in the relevant material.