Biography/ autobiography

The Cattle King [The Story of Sir Sydney Kidman] – Ion Idriess

Published in Sydney by Angus and Robertson in 1951.

Octavo, 277 pages, a very good copy in a very good dust jacket, small chip top edge, super clean inside.

The Biography of Sir Sidney Kidman who started with five shillings and eventually controlled over 100 cattle stations an area half the size of Queensland.

Well illustrated from period photographs and end paper maps showing the extent of the Kidman interests at the front and stations, stock routes, coach routes and railways referred to in the text … at the rear.

Good reading & photographs … a cattle empire much in the financial news of late.

$60.00

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Graham Greene Yours Etc – Letters to the Press 1945-1989 – Selected and Introduced Hawtree

First edition published by Reinhardt and Viking in 1989. Complements the lengthy biographies nicely. Octavo, 269 pages including useful index. A fine copy.

Evelyn Waugh advised Green on his election to the magnificent club that is “Whites” that “ It is a rule that letters to the newspapers may not be written on the club writing paper”. So Greene had already established his reputation in that regard.

One can only envy Greene’s wit, turn of phrase, pungency etc. The letters are more than that though; they often take you to the issues, personalities and goings on of 20th Century modern history. Sometimes he is just having a crack. Superbly entertaining and informative.

Greene never held back and delivered with dignity and wit

$50.00

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The World’s Wickedest Women – Andrew Ewart – First Edition 1964

Subtitled … “Intriguing Studies of Eve and Evil through the Ages” … written by a man.

First edition published by Odham’s, London in 1964. octavo, 288 pages in pretty good condition.

Starts with Sapho the Lesbian and Lecherous Layabouts of Ancient Rome and a new name for Cleopatra “Queen Harlot” .. so we get the tone. As the works becomes progressively more modern the work becomes more edgy and less theatrical and in the end is surprisingly enlightening although challenging.

Wicked Women not for the faint hearted

$40.00

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Wenworth, William Charles – Australia’s Greatest Native Son – Andrew Tink.

Some of Andrew Tink’s best work resides in this thorough biography of the man behind many things in the early history of New South Wales.

Published by Allen and Unwin in 2009. Large octavo, 329 pages, nicely illustrated from period images. A very good copy.

Wentworth, the son of a highway robber, arrived at a tender age in Sydney. Went on to run the newspaper, founder of the first University, cross the Blue Mountains with Blaxland and Lawson, the strongest advocate for self-government and amass a wealth not to be sniffed at.

Wentworth .. more than a hotel

$30.00

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Tracy Edwards – Living Every Second – First Edition Autobiography 2001

A fine first edition of Tracy Edwards autobiography published by Hodder in 2001. Royal octavo hardback, 430 pages, perfect jacket, illustrated with images from coloured photographs.

What an incredible person, hard to summarise. Tough childhood leaving home at 16 to work in Athens in and around boats. Serious sailing … meets King Hussein who actively encourages her and in time sponsors her efforts. Buys and refits the ocean going “Maiden” and brings together an all female team to seriously challenge the Whitbread Round-the-World yacht Race in 1989, finishing second in class and winning two of the six stages. Becomes Yachtsman of the Year, MBE etc. Later tries for the Jules Verne but is de-masted off Chile. A really readable account of the very likable Tracy Edwards.

After this book was published her life continued its very ups and very downs … another book could be written.

Tracy Edwards nothing stops her …

$30.00

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The Martyrs of Science, or the Lives of Galileo, Tycho Brahe and Kepler – Sir David Brewster – Special Binding – 1856

Published by John Murray, London in 1856. Small octavo 216 pages after preliminaries. Bound extravagantly in full purple Morocco, with rich gilt decoration to both boards and spine, the upper board with the arms of Milton Abbat School … a fine prize. A little rubbed externally, bright throughout.

Sir David Brewster (1781-1868) was a Scottish scientist, inventor, academic. He was Principal at St Andrews and then Edinburgh University. Newtonian devotee and master in optics (hence his interest in the subjects of this book) he discovered Brewster’s Angle and pioneered mineralogical observations with the microscope. Inventor of the stereoscopic camera and kaleidoscope. He has a crater on the Moon named after him … the ultimate accolade.

Galileo, Tycho Brahe and Kepler need less introduction.

Nobody has been closer to the stars

$140.00

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The Cattle King [The Story of Sir Sydney Kidman] – Ion Idriess

Graham Greene Yours Etc – Letters to the Press 1945-1989 – Selected and Introduced Hawtree

The World’s Wickedest Women – Andrew Ewart – First Edition 1964

Wenworth, William Charles – Australia’s Greatest Native Son – Andrew Tink.

Tracy Edwards – Living Every Second – First Edition Autobiography 2001

The Martyrs of Science, or the Lives of Galileo, Tycho Brahe and Kepler – Sir David Brewster – Special Binding – 1856

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