Biography/ autobiography

The Amazing Mr Doolittle [Biography of American Air Ace and Daredevil] – Quentin Reynolds – 1954

A very good copy of the second impression of the first UK edition published in June 1954 one month after the first.

Published by Cassell, London. Octavo, 313 pages, frontispiece of our Hero.

Biography of the great American Air Ace. The front cover boldly list his achievements .. some would be less bold nowadays .. that’s history.

His early flights is our bag though, and this ace started early in the 1920’s .. winner of the Schneider Trophy and a true daredevil .. where are they now? He was the first to fly on instruments alone, cross America etc.

Doolittle, Not talking to the Animals, flying the Aeroplanes.

$40.00

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The Fountain Overflows – Rebecca West – 1957

An early edition of this important work by Rebecca West published by MacMillan, London and nominated a “Book society choice” – a March 1957 edition after the January 1957 First.

Octavo, 392 pages, very good condition, a trifle marked on the page edges.

Rebecca West the nom de plume of Dame Cicily Isabel Fairfield was named by the Times as the best female writer of the 20thC.

She maybe is even more famous for her lengthy romance with HG Wells despite his 27 years on her of his already marriage. They had a child, Anthony west, who also became a writer. He wrote a fictionalised biography of HG Wells that did not show Rebecca (or Cicily) in a good light … they never spoke again; and it was worse than that.

The Fountain Overflows can be understood from the Blake quote on the title page … “The cistern contains: the fountain overflows”. Essentially and autobiographically inspired novel concerning the Aubrey family in the first decade of the 20th Century.

Later Rebecca west would write two further extensions … one published posthumously. She lived then in a large apartment overlooking Hyde Park. Unfortunately, next to the Iranian Embassy and had to be evacuated when it was under siege … if you remember all that. I her final years she was friends with Frankie Hawerd so must have had some fun.

Rebecca West an extraordinary life and this novel encapsulates some of it.

$30.00

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The Martian – George du Maurier – First edition 1898.

First edition published by Harper & Brothers in 1898.

A substantial book, large squarish octavo, 471 pages, dark black end papers which show signs of paper label removal, so possibly ex library probably not public as no other library marks. Striking deep blue cloth covered boards with gilt titles, design, and faux signature to front, gilt title to spine, extraordinarily clean. Someone has assembled poetry to the early preliminaries, which we find quite charming.

Considered the be quasi autobiographical with a strange surreal Martian twist. The life of Barty Josselin as told by a friend Robert Maurice from early days at the Institution Brossard in Paris. Josselin a good looker and thoroughly talented and extrovert. Later back in England Barty has a spell in the army.

Later his eyesight starts to fail which makes him think of taking his own life. In a dream a spirit guardian in the form of Martia from Mars comes to him. From then Martia inspires him and provides advice which secures his career as an author. Martia has other influences and wishes him to marry Julia … and all gets a little complicated from there ..

George du Maurier Channelling a Martian Spirit Guide

$90.00

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To Hell or to Hobart – A New Insight into Irish Convict History – Patrick Howard

Published by Kangaroo Press in 1994, a soft cover edition in fine condition. Octavo, 199 pages, illustrated throughout.

The author the great grandson of Irish convicts Stephen Howard and Ellen Lydon who were transported to Van Diemen’s Land in 1843 and 1849 respectively. Stephen had stolen a gun from a landowner and Ellen and her family had been caught stealing a sheep during a time of high famine.

This book is a joy. We first get the “’back history” the situation in Ireland both generally and specifically to Stephen and Ellen. The offences, the trial, the jails, the transportation. Time in Tasmania as convicts and their eventual release or ticket of leave. There striving to survive, success and the successes of subsequent generations …

One Irish Convict family in depth but much deeper than that ..

$25.00

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William Buelow Gould – Convict Artist of Van Diemen’s Land – Garry Darby

Published in 1980 by Copperfield as part of the Art Library.

Large quarto, 136 pages, illustrated not only the plates of artwork, which are magnificent but also in the lengthy introduction about the artist and his work. A fine copy.

William Gould (1803-1853) arrived in Hobart in 1827. Whilst he is known to have been at time a drunken and rebellious convict his work in totality describes a complex individual who undoubtedly had a love for nature.

This is the first effective catalogue of the known works of Gould. Unusual for the period and Australia principally a still life artist (how can you not admire the cat with the fish that grace the jacket) but also luminous landscapes and characterful portraits of Aboriginal people. The biographical details comprise the first eighty pages.

William Gould now a much admired and more understood convict artist.

$60.00

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The Whitehead Letters – Tasmanian Society and Politics 1871-1882

A nice production by the Tasmanian Historical Research Association published under their banner in 1991. Limited to 1,000 copies.

Compiled by Launceston historian Francisca Vernon and edited by Michael Sprod of Blubber Press.

Octavo, 270 pages, illustrated with map, facsimile letter, portraits including from an early photograph of Whitehead. A fine copy.

John Whitehead operated out of a fine country property “Winburn” on the South Esk River near Lymington south-east of Launceston. He was a touch and involved with all the goings on of the period. And, an avid letter writer, many to his English friend Edwin Bowring who had worked on properties in Tasmania and therefore “’knew the ropes”. As was practice with gentry of the period Whitehead kept a copy letter book which made the whole exercise of compilation less tiresome.

One for those with an interest in the history of Tasmania filling in an important and turbulent period in its development.

The Whitehead Letters and important brick in the wall that is the history of Tasmania

$30.00

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The Amazing Mr Doolittle [Biography of American Air Ace and Daredevil] – Quentin Reynolds – 1954

The Fountain Overflows – Rebecca West – 1957

The Martian – George du Maurier – First edition 1898.

To Hell or to Hobart – A New Insight into Irish Convict History – Patrick Howard

William Buelow Gould – Convict Artist of Van Diemen’s Land – Garry Darby

The Whitehead Letters – Tasmanian Society and Politics 1871-1882

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