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20th Century Classics

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A Fringe of Leaves – Patrick White – First Edition 1976

A very good copy of Patrick White’s novelisation of what was the shipwreck of the Stirling Castle and the subsequent death of all of the survivors except fro Mrs Fraser who would live among the aboriginal people until rescued by a convict tracker.

Published by Jonathan Cape, London in 1976. Octavo, 405 pages, super condition including the jacket. Sydney Nolan jacket art. White had received the Nobel Prize in 1973.

Nice copy of a collectable White edition based on Queensland survival fact.

$30.00

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The Canary Jacket – Ann Shead – First Edition 1968

First edition published by Collins, London and Sydney in 1968. A “novel of early Australia” by the distinguished author.

Octavo, 256 pages, a very good copy in a complete and clean dust jacket.

Australian author Ann Shead came from Cornish stock. This story start in Cornwall and smuggling which leads to transportation to New South Wales. The realities of life downunder for convicts bound out to serve a Master are to the fore of the narrative. Things do improve and the book ends pleasantly high and rewarding.

Convicts doing it tough but seeing it through in the end … the lucky ones in the Lucky Country.

$30.00

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Silver Mist – Joan Sutherland – First Edition 1935

1935 first edition with a lovely art deco inspired dust jacket. Published by Cassell, London etc, octavo, 287 pages. A ripple to the front board and the odd spot on page edges, really a very good copy in a super dust jacket.

A romance but with some heat. Penelope falls for Sir Garth. The good looking Garth (they both are) is cited in a divorce 1930’s style. The case failed but Sir Garth was left with the stigma (nothing’s changed there). Lady Olivia is a pursuer but maybe Penelope has some tricks in store.

1935 First Edition by the much admired Sutherland.

$60.00

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The Girl Green as Elderflower – Randolph Stow – First Edition 1980

Another absolutely crisp, as if new first edition published by Secker & Warburg, London in 1980.

Octavo, 150 pages, dust jacket art by John Piper.

Randolph Stow had been awarded the Patrick White Award the previous year. White established the award from funds received form his Nobel Prize … good on him.

Following quickly after Visitants a quite different book by Stow. Previous work often dealing with the deterioration of an individual here we have the opposite. Crispin Claire has been badly afflicted by his time in the Tropics. Convalescing in Suffolk the environment provides nourishment. With improved strength he begins to write a narrative around three 12th Century local stories, and he finds himself moving between the present and the time of Richard the Lionheart. Beautifully and skillfully written.

Unusual and gripping story as can expected from Stow.

$50.00

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Doctor in Love – Richard Gordan – First Edition 1957

Anyone who likes Wodehouse will love Richard Gordan and his series of “Doctor” books.

A first edition, published by Michael Joseph, London in 1957 edition, the fifth in the “Doctor” series.

Octavo, 188 pages, in very good condition.

“You can’t go about the country falling in love with girls at your age” … sage advice Grimsdyke gives to his friend Dr Gordon. Another “advisor” observes “the patients don’t like you messing about with their wives unless they know you’ve got one of your own at home”. Taking all this on board matters get complicated and … Dr Gordan finally gets his girl!

The right girls does turn up for Dr Gordan …

$30.00

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The Day of Fire [Suggested by the Life of Arthur Rimbaud] – James Ullman – First Edition 1959

First Edition published by Collins, London in 1959. Octavo, 638 pages. A little sign of age, dust jacket chipped at head, still a very good copy of a special book.

The author had been working on this book for a number of years and provides a nice foreword about Rimbaud, He thanks New Directions for quotes from their “A Season in Hell”, possibly Voyager’s favourite book.

No wonder the author invested so much time, Arthur Rimbaud was an extraordinary individual and apart from his poetry and writing led an extraordinary life, not always on the right side of the law.

Based on the life of Arthur Rimbaud and a colourful life that was.

$30.00

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