And Perhaps... by Ruth Dayan & Helga Dudman

And Perhaps... (Signed by Ruth Dayan in Original Dust Jacket)

The Memoir of Israel's Craft Pioneer and Former Wife of Moshe Dayan, Inscribed by Ruth Dayan

Bibliographic Specifications

• Title: And Perhaps...: The Story of Ruth Dayan
• Authors: Ruth Dayan & Helga Dudman
• Publisher: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, Inc., New York
• Publication Date: 1973
• ISBN-10: 0151068453
• Edition Details: Hardcover edition published in New York, 1973. Inscribed and signed by Ruth Dayan.
• Binding: Publisher's orange paper-covered boards with grey cloth spine, in illustrated dust jacket.
• Physical Format: Medium-sized hardcover. Jacket carries a portrait photograph and author photographs to the flap.
• Language: English

Official Condition Report

• The Book: Very Good Plus (VG+)
• Exterior / Boards: The orange paper-covered boards and grey cloth spine are clean and bright, with a dotted grey line near the hinge. The spine and corners are sound, with no obvious damage.
• Interior: The text block appears tight, with clean cream pages free of foxing and markings. The lilac free endpaper carries the signature only.
• Provenance: Signed on the front endpaper: "Shalom Ruth Dayan".
• The Dust Jacket: Present, glossy and bright, and protected in a durable archival-type plastic cover. There is a small chip or nick at the lower back edge, and the lower corner of the front flap is folded or creased, with a vertical crease on the flap.

Synopsis & Historical Value

And Perhaps... The Story of Ruth Dayan, published in New York in 1973 and written with Helga Dudman, is the memoir of Ruth Dayan, who was married to Moshe Dayan from 1935 to 1971. It follows her life in Israel, including her early years, marriage, farming life, war, divorce and public work.

The book covers her work in crafts and the support of new immigrants, along with the 1948 war and her 1960 visit to Albert Schweitzer in Gabon. It offers a personal view of Israel's early decades from a woman close to its public life while pursuing her own career.

The back cover carries praise from Barbara Tuchman, who calls the memoir intimate and authentic. A signed copy in its original jacket is a pleasing association piece for collectors of Israeli history and notable women's memoirs.

Author Profile: Ruth Dayan

Ruth Dayan was born Ruth Schwartz in Haifa in 1917 and died in Tel Aviv in 2021. She was married to Moshe Dayan from 1935 to 1971. Her career centred on crafts and social work: in 1954 she founded Maskit, a fashion and decorative arts house, and she also co-founded Variety Israel.

Her other works include Crafts of Israel, written with Wilburt Feinberg (1974), and An Improbable Friendship (2015), written with the biographer Anthony David. Her co-author on this book, Helga Dudman, was a journalist.