"News from Venus" – Theodor Herzl's First Book, Inscribed and Hand-Signed by Him – Leipzig, 1887

"News from Venus" – Theodor Herzl's First Book, Inscribed and Hand-Signed by Him – Leipzig, 1887
Neues von der Venus [News from Venus], by Theodor (Binyamin Ze'ev) Herzl. Leipzig: F. Freund, 1887. German.
Theodor Herzl's first book, inscribed by him (German inscription, handwritten on the corner of the front cover): "Meinem Lieben Freunde Wilhelm Neumann zur Erinnerung, Theodor Herzl" [My dear friend Wilhelm Neumann, as a souvenir, Theodor Herzl]. Presumably, Herzl gave this copy of his book to the Viennese journalist Wilhelm Neumann (1860-1929?), the editor of the Fremdenblatt newspaper, who is mentioned in Herzl's diaries.
"News from Venus" was published about ten years before Herzl's famed book, "A Jewish State", in the time when Herzl still wanted to blend into the cultural and bohemian life of Europe as a young journalist. The book contains eighteen feuilletons published in contemporary newspapers, documenting in a light and witty manner the love life, salon parties, small talk and daily life of the European society. The men and women were all portrayed after the "European" beauty ideal – with golden hair, blue eyes and fancy dress. The cover illustration reflects the spirit of the book: ladies and gentlemen conversing in the corner of a parlor, and behind them, amid palm leaves, a statue of Venus tilts its head towards the scene, as if taking an interest in it.
259, [1] pp, 19.5 cm. Good condition. Rebound with the original cover. Stains (mainly to cover). Small tears to edges of cover and edges of several leaves. Uneven edges. The front cover is detached, with its lower right corner missing (not affecting the text or illustration).
Rare. Only three copies are listed in OCLC.