This charming original 1939 edition of the Brighter Blackout Book is a wonderfully characterful piece of early-war British Home Front history. Published at the very beginning of the conflict, when blackout regulations were first introduced and spirits were still adjusting to wartime life, it was created to bring humour, comfort, and light-hearted relief to households across the country.

Packed with witty anecdotes, charming illustrations, puzzles, and gentle satire on everyday blackout challenges, it perfectly captures the mood of a nation learning to cope with nightly darkness, interrupted routines, and the uncertainty of the months ahead. Books like this were immensely popular during the early war years and today stand as a vivid reminder of the resourcefulness and resilience of the civilian population.

This example retains its original boards and is complete throughout, offering an authentic feel in hand that modern reprints simply cannot replicate. For collectors of Home Front material, wartime printed items, or those building a display around ARP, blackout regulations, or wartime morale, this is a particularly evocative and desirable addition — a genuine slice of 1939 Britain preserved on the page.

The spine is actually quite interesting. It is an original cloth strip spine. This type of simple cloth strip spine was typical of early-war ‘economy’ bindings, introduced by publishers in 1939–40 as paper, board, and binding materials were already being conserved for the war effort. Unfortunately but, understandably this does mean the spine doesn’t have the same rigidity as a more modern spine. However, it’s perfectly serviceable and none of the pages here in this book are at risk of falling out. The back cover, is looser than the front (see photos) however.

The back of the cover is completely plain. Four pages in, there’s a date marking and some information. “First published in 1939” Though this doesn’t specifically date this book as 1939, there’s a clue in the back of the book which does. There’s a ‘donation form’ page in the back for the Daily Sketch War Relief Fund. After 1940, publishers stopped using this exact donation form and instead replaced by the Spitfire Fund (1940-41), Warship Week (1941 and Comforts for Troops Fund (1942 onwards). There’s also the Lady Kemsley reference. She chaired the fund in 1939 and early 1940 which strongly indicates it to be a late 1939 publication, or early 1940.

Overall, this is a wonderfully evocative and early example of wartime morale literature, offering both historical interest and genuine charm. Its early 1939–40 features, complete condition and original economy binding make it an appealing addition to any Home Front or WW2 printed-material collection. A superb piece of period character with real display value.