Fiction

Appointment in Samarra – John O’Harra

John O’Harra’s first novel and a little naughty in parts ….

Lovely condition … just look at the crisp bright dust jacket over sixty years old!

Praised by Ernest Hemingway although O’Harra did not feel his influence. Great introduction reflecting on his life during his writing (interesting) and the real influences and how the title came about … Not a self analysis … seemingly

Special Coveted Edition

$40.00

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In the Great White Land [Polar Regions] – Gordan Stables

Published by Blackie, London in the early 1930’s.

Octavo, 288 pages thick spongy paper and despite the spongy quite clean with minor marks to the extreme page edge. Coloured frontispiece and three full page illustrations. Prize label on front end papers. Rare in the striking illustrated dust jacket.

Three stories and despite the subtitle starts with … “Far Away in the Frozen North” an Arctic adventure on the good barque Walrus and the oft frozen Captain Mayne Brace (great pun). Story two “Under the Southern Cross” requires no clue as to the general location with many icy encounters. Finally “On the Great Antarctic Continent” and the beauty and marvel of the Ice-Cave. The sledging journey across the tableland and the dash for the pole takes its lead from the great Heroic Era accounts.

Adventure in the frozen South – very South.

$60.00

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Barchester Towers and The Warden – Anthony Trollope

A very good near fine Modern Library edition published circa 1950′s in a very good complete dust jacket.

Useful introduction by Harlan Hatcher then Professor of English at the Ohio State University.

Anthony Trollope wrote Barchester Towers in the 1850’s. He built a special transportable desk so he could write whilst on the train. His publishers thought it somewhat vulgar. The Guardian have it on their “must be read list”.

Trollope, the most realistic and entertaining of the 19th century greats.

Double dose of Trollope

$30.00

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J’Accuse: the Dark side of Nice – Graham Greene

Sorry, we have to say it but that’s Nice France not Nice the opposite of Terrible.

An odd publication, a first edition published by The Bodley Head, London 1982. Soft wrappers with “French folds”, 60 pages. Ownership signature near front – a pretty good copy.

Banned in France this is an expose of corruption in the Nice police force and judiciary. Well there’s a surprise. Greene was familiar with Yvonne Cloetta … her daughter Martine Guy was abused by her husband Daniel Guy who was let off … he had connections and influence as they say.

Greene Curiosity – interest real life experiences.

$35.00

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Parrot and Olivier in America – Peter Carey – First Edition

First printing of the first edition published in Australia by Hamish Hamilton, precedes UK and USA firsts.

Large octavo, 452 pages. Bound in specked cream paper covered boards with elaborate coloured parrot image to front [repeated in miniature top of spine], and a “celerifere” to the rear board ["celefifere" repeated in the text] .Decorative end papers – parrot feathers to front, part French Flag to rear. Dust jacket complete – note the marks are artwork not defects. A very nice production which makes for a good book. Very good condition.

Olivier is born into a post revolution aristocratic French family; Parrot the son of an English printer. They adventure to America – Parrot as a spy and protector. As you would expect with Carey a complex, thought-provoking novel with all of the emotions and an “improbable work of art”?

Peter Carey another brilliant and unusual novel from the Australian writer from Bacchus Marsh. And then there is the “celerifere”!

$50.00

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Horace – the Satires, Epistles and Art of Poetry – Translated William Boscawen – First edition 1797

I very nice copy of the single volume first edition translation published in 1797. Boscawen, the authority, had brought out the “Odes” a few years earlier – must say we prefer the “lighter” satires.

Octavo, 559 pages, contemporary full speckled leather binding with lavish gilt ruling to front and back, five raised bands to spine with separate black leather label titled gilt. Marbled endpapers, gilt design along inside edge.

Book label of Rev H Strangeways likely the original owner and explains lavish binding. Only fault is some loss of leather top of spine from presumably frequent reference.

Horace – it’s never too late to become acquainted.

SO SORRY SOLD

$180.00

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Appointment in Samarra – John O’Harra

In the Great White Land [Polar Regions] – Gordan Stables

Barchester Towers and The Warden – Anthony Trollope

J’Accuse: the Dark side of Nice – Graham Greene

Parrot and Olivier in America – Peter Carey – First Edition

Horace – the Satires, Epistles and Art of Poetry – Translated William Boscawen – First edition 1797

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