A unique combination of propaganda and handmade artist's book, using outstanding graphic design, this East German publication is an amazing example of bookmaking at it's best. This book, published in 1966 by Hinstorff of Rostock, is a collaboration between the two filmmakers (Andrew provided the pictures and Annelie the text). On the surface, its a straightforward pictorial travelogue of a journey by ship from Antwerp to Bombay with images and text narrating their experiences. Much of the content would not appear remiss in any such travelogue – anecdotes and observations on the exotic sights and people they encounter as they journey from Europe to Asia. But it is impossible to divorce this book from the broader political and ideological context in which it appeared. This ideological edge pervades this travel narrative. As well as a bizarre love-letter to the DDR on the anniversary of its foundation, Cold War anxieties are always close to the surface and the NATO warmongers are decried for their meddling in the Mediterranean. Picking up a cargo of cotton in Sudan, the country is presented as an example of progressive de-colonization where the presence of a left-wing political grouping pressing for change meant the potential for a better future existed. With its jute cover, different font styles, facsimile handwritten captions and the tipped in ephemera (telegrams, letters, tickets) the book does successfully manage to recreate the feel of a handmade travel journal and engage the reader’s interest. It’s a surprisingly creative and self-expressive publication in the context of 1960s East Germany. See propagandaphotos blog: https://propagandaphotos.wordpress.com/2013/09/19/jeder-tag-war-schon-every-day-was-beautiful-annelie-and-andrew-thorndike/ Condition Very good first edition with jute cover. Multiple inserts and ephemera included. Binding tight and clean. Please examine listing photos carefully.