Biography/ autobiography

D.H. Lawrence and the Body Mystical – Frederick Carter – First Edition 1932

An unusual book on aspects of Lawrence’s thinking and a fine production, printed in “Private Press Style” published by Denis Archer, London.

Largish octavo format, 63 pages with extra blanks. Frontispiece of D.H. Lawrence by the author who was a skilled etcher. Printed on sumptuous Japan Vellum. Bound quarter black cloth over lightly marbled paper covered boards. Design, partly in gilt to front with titles, gilt titles to spine. A little rubbed at the corners and a slight stain to one of the rear blanks otherwise a very good copy.

Frederick Carter (1885-1967) knew D.H. Lawrence very well … Lawrence would stay with Carter at his house in Shropshire. There they would share and develop their views on humanity. It was a time in Lawrence’s life that he was concerned with his health and the English cold and damp. He craved warmer climes. One of his favourite if not most favourite places was Mexico where he saw something unusual and special in the people.

Fine and worthwhile book on D.H. Lawrence by a man who knew him well.

$80.00

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An Egyptian Journal – William Golding

A first US edition by Nobel Prize winning William Golding, published by Faber and Faber in 1985.

Golding’s first novel “Lord of the Flies” a Voyager favourite … strange because originally rejected by Faber and, despite his first, surely significantly .behind his Nobel award … which arrived in 1983 just before the publication of this adventure in Egypt. Aussies will know his Rites of Passage and the other parts of what was a superb trilogy … made into a classic screenplay with Benedict Cumberbatch as the protagonist.

An unusual and interesting book, a no nonsense account … Golding only needed to please one person … himself. So we quite like his honest views of everything Egyptian on the tour … not done in grand style but in the fashion of any honest adventurer.

Larger octavo, 207 pages, illustrated with interesting titling .. a very good copy.

A very different Egypt travel account by the talented irascible sarcastic observant Golding

$20.00

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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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The Hard Way [the Writing and Publication of Power Without Glory] – Frank Hardy.

This is the re-issue published by Rigby, Adelaide in 1976.

Octavo, 255 pages, original brown cloth covered boards, illustrations from relevant photographs. A near fine copy in a very good dust jacket which features a painting by fellow communist and artistic activist Noel Counihan.

This is Frank Hardy’s account of the writing and publishing of his classic novel the Power Without Glory. It was published original in 1961 by which time he had had nearly ten years to reflect on the goings on … including some time in the Courts.

Frank Hardy and the tale of the making of Power Without Glory

$35.00

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Two Letters of Norman Lindsay – Richard Pennigton Private Press – Signed Number 5 of a Limitation of 75 Copies

Extended title … Two Letters from Norman Lindsay to Francis and Betty Crossle here printed for Members of the Christopher Brennan Society.

Privately printed signed and numbered by Richard Pennington, limited to only 75 copies this number 5.

The letters, in the possession of Richard Pennington printed for the first time – he received the permission of Janet Glad, Norman Lindsay’s daughter.

Octavo, 24 pages, limitations page, bound in decorative string bound wrappers. Printed in Stephenson Blake’s Perpetua type on Barcham Green hand-made “Tovil’ paper by Richard Pennington at Presse de l’Abricotier Abatuu Blanzac France in September 1980.

Richard Pennington was born at Rugby, England but spent a large part of his adult working life in Australia. He was Librarian at the University of Queensland for eighteen years from 1946. He retired to France where he purchased a hand printing set-up and operated first in Normandy then later in Blanzac. Ten years before this work he was involved in the printing of a special memoir on the Australian poet Christopher Brennan. Lindsay did a portrait sketch of Brennan for the memoir .. so you can begin to understand the connection.

Pennington provides a lovely six page introduction. Pennington knew the recipients, who had introduced him to Brennan’s poetry. He describes the recipients interest in the arts and their rather metaphysical view of life and the world … something they had in common with Lindsay. Good content regarding their conversations about Lindsay and how Pennington came to receive the letters from Betty.

The letters are most interesting a particularly that to Francis which runs to over 1,200 words. Lindsay clearly respects Francis as a Doctor and close friend .. as a consequence the content is extremely personal .. allowing one to understand this genius of man better. Lindsay struggles with over-reaching in his work and finds that whenever he tries to control this “problem” he usually turns to some other form of “work’. In the evenings he listens to classical music but that does not help as it stimulates his mind into thinking of many new elements of work yet to be done. Many rather complex metaphysical views are shared which seem to stem from deeper anxieties. He references Newman’s book .. the best revelation of the critical mind that I have come across, but read it with considerable disgust also. Critic Newman’s book on criticism was published in 1925 .. so dates the letter better than Pennington’s suggestion of the year before [Pennington references the wrong book].

The letter to Betty is less wordy … just over 500 words … but perhaps more intimate. Lindsay obviously does not like Rousseau .. one of the most evil minds that ever appeared on earth in the disguise of a Good man. Lindsay adores Beethoven, Turner and Byron. He is close to finishing his novel Madame Life’s Lovers … which he will send shortly.

Special Very Limited Private Press Lindsay Item – with an interesting series of connections

$140.00

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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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D.H. Lawrence and the Body Mystical – Frederick Carter – First Edition 1932

An Egyptian Journal – William Golding

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

The Hard Way [the Writing and Publication of Power Without Glory] – Frank Hardy.

Two Letters of Norman Lindsay – Richard Pennigton Private Press – Signed Number 5 of a Limitation of 75 Copies

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

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