Category: Featured Book

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It’s Raining John Steinbeck

John Steinbeck is known as one of the greatest American writers of all time. A Pulitizer Prize and Nobel Prize winner, he’s best remembered for the Grapes of Wrath and Of Mice and Men. However, his Nobel Prize came with some controversy and years later when the Nobel archives were opened up, it was revealed that the selection for that year was not particularly outstanding, and that a compromise had been made. Steinbeck was reputedly very modest about his own writing and admired many others.

Wiki tells us that: ‘At his own first Nobel Prize press conference he was asked his favorite authors and works and replied: “Hemingway‘s short stories and nearly everything Faulkner wrote.”‘

Why don’t you decide for yourself! I was drawn to his short stories in The Red Pony, which remains one of my favourite collections.

In store now we have the following to choose from:

The Pearl – Reprint, 1951

The Winter of Our Discontent – First UK edition, 1961

The Wayward Bus – First US edition, 1947

Cannery Row – First UK edition, 1945

The Grapes of Wrath – Reprint, 1944

The Short Reign of Pippin IV – First UK edition, 1957

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We Never Get Tired of Wuthering Heights Editions!

Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte is one book we always keep in store – a timeless classic that keeps having new life breathed into it with each generation of readers. I particularly enjoy seeing different vintage editions in all their precious glory. Below are some of our current covers. There is always an affordbale, collectible copy of Wuthering Heights within easy reach.

Fun fact: did you know that Emily Bronte cauterised her own wound after being bitten by a rabid dog. She was also an ace rifle shooter.

This above edition of Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte was published by Russell Classics/ P.R Gawthorn in the 1940s. Lovely coloured frontispiece.

This rare Australian edition of Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte was published by Dymocks Book Arcade in 1950.

But if you’re in the mood for a timeless understated look, you can’t go past the Heron Edition. This edition (below) was published by Heron Books in the 1960s and features a lovely inked likeness of Emily on the title page.

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Patrick White First Editions

Currently in store, we have three nice first editions books by esteemed Australian author and Nobel Prize winner (1973), Patrick White.

Starting with The Vivisector, “a novel about a painter, Hurtle Duffield, who exploits human relationships for his art. After the novel was published in 1970, Sidney Nolan believed Duffield was based on him, but White denied this, stating that Duffield was a composite of his own character and the working life of the artists John Passmore and Godfrey Miller.” (Wiki)

Next is The Burnt Ones, a collection of short stories set in Australia and Greece. The Burnt Ones are “haunted by feelings of isolation, intense self-examination, and an acute awareness of how they are different from others.” (Wiki). Stories include:

  • Dead Roses
  • Willy-Wagtails by Moonlight
  • A Glass of Tea
  • Clay
  • The Evening at Sissy Kamara’s
  • A Cheery Soul
  • Being Kind to Titina
  • Miss Slattery and Her Demon Lover
  • The Letters
  • The Woman Who Wasn’t Allowed to Keep Cats
  • Down at the Dump

Lastly, we have a second story collection called The Cockatoos, which dives below the surface to deeper subjects. “Critics have seen in this collection a darkness, a loneliness, less playfulness than his previous pieces. Certainly there is repeated imagery of marriages and relationships driven dry by time or a lack of passion.” This is the first UK edition from 1974.

  • A Woman’s Hand
  • The Full Belly
  • The Night the Prowler
  • Five Twenty
  • Sicilian Vespers
  • The Cockatoos

All three copies are in good condition and highly collectible.

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The Magic of Elizabeth Goudge Books

Elizabeth Goudge wrote fiction and children’s books throughout the 1900s and still has an ardent fan base. Currently, in the store we have hardcover (no dust jacket’s) copies of Island Magic, The Heart of the Family (#3 Eliot books) and The City of Bells (#1 Torminster books).

The Elizabeth Goudge Society has penned a lovely biography that paints a picture of a different time and is a window into the writer’s life and how her upbringing impacted her work.

“Goudge’s books are notably Christian in outlook, covering sacrifice, conversion, discipline, healing, and growth through suffering. Her novels, whether realistic, fantasy or historical, weave in legend and myth and reflect a spirituality and love of England that generate its appeal, whether she wrote for adults or for children.” (Wiki)

I’m about to start with Island Magic, so I’ll get back to you on how I find it. In the mean time, if you’re a fan, I have some nice bargains for you to browse.

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The Death Rays of Ardilla by W.E. Johns – Rare Book Opportunity

The Biggles books are a well known childen’s adventure and aviation series of 30’s through to 70’s. My brother grew up on them. In fact, Biggles was an early catalogue item in the store from his old collection. However, W.e. Johns also wrote science fiction, and these are rarer and harder to find.

I came across the Death Rays of Ardilla (illustrated) in Perth, Western Australia, and despite it being an ex-library book (I generally don’t buy them, unless it’s a special and rare book like this), I added it to the list.

Here’s what we know about it:

The Death Rays of Ardilla is part of 10-volume science fiction series (1954–1963) that follows the interplanetary adventures of retired RAF Group Captain Timothy “Tiger” Clinton, his son Rex, scientist Professor Lucius Brane (who invents a spaceship powered by cosmic rays), and Brane’s resourceful butler, Judkins.

Synopsis: In their previous adventures, they encountered the planet Ardilla and its strange rays, which caused its inhabitants to develop thick skin in resistance. But reports are, the rays are getting stronger, and more deadly, and a mission to survey the planet has gone missing. The crew of the Tavona join the rescue mission – but what will they find? Meanwhile, a plucky young stowaway has hidden away on the ship, and finds himself seeing far more than he bargained for. It’s up to Tiger to get everyone home safely!

For a more detailed synopsis you can go to wejohns.com.

This copy is a baragin. Generally it sells for between $120 – 200 AUD, but I have priced it lower because it is ex-libris. If you’d like to see some of the other great John’s SciFi covers, then check these out.

You can grab this book now from the Livre Eclectica Etsy store! The illustrations are fabulous.

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The Secret Garden is in store!

It’s always a joy when a book comes into store that is a personal favourite. When I was a about eight years old, my darling sister read this entire book to me one summer holiday. She even assumed the Yorkshire accents to make it seem more entertaining. I still remember sitting in dad’s green armchair, one leg looped over the torn arm, rocking gently with my eyes closed, while she read chapter after chapter.

As I got older, I read and re-read this wonderful story of young people prevailing against odds and finding a place to belong, and the restorative power of nature. So when the book came into the shop last week, I revisited the story, and marvelled how Frances Hodgson Burnett had penned this in the very early 1900’s. Though there are now passages that are uncomfortable to read because they speak to racist and sexist beliefs of the time, and academics have dug deep into the problematic thematic elements of masculinty, femininity and the role of disability – the sweetness of the story still prevails, and it remains Top 100 as voted by Teachers. This 1956 edition is without a dust jacket, but it has some beautiful internal sketch illustrations.

The Secret Garden
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Pick the Best Cover of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde

Currently, we have two editions of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde in the store that are presented so differently. It’s always fascinating to see the incarnations of covers when a book stays in print a long time. It’s a source of great interest to collectors. This gothic novella is considered to be a defining story in the horror genre. First published in 1886 and tells the story of …

the lawyer Gabriel John Utterson as he investigates some disturbing incidents involving his old friend, the talented doctor Henry Jekyll, and his mysterious and sinister new companion, Edward Hyde. The lawyer is worried about his friend after he changes his will to include Hyde in case of his death or disappearance. Fearing that the doctor is being blackmailed by the stranger, the lawyer sets out to confront him. (Audible)

One of our store copies is a US edition of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde and Suicide Club and was published by Arco in 1964, with illustrations by Charles Mozely. It has a similar pink and brown cover to the UK edition published in 1961. Very attractive blue boards and line drawings on the dust jacket. The look has a distinctly “literary” feel, as though it would sit happily on your bookshelf next to the Brontes and Jane Austen.

The second copy in store was published by Platt and Munk in 1965. Platt and Munk were a publisher founded by E. Platt and F. Munk in the early 1900s and it was well-known for its high-quality and affordable books for young readers. This cover is more playful and the book itself is larger with thicker paper.

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The Best Daphne du Maurier Books for Collectors

It’s curious how some authors and titles stand the test of time, while others lose favour and quickly fade into book history. Occasionally, those that fade may resurrect on the strength of a connection to a movie or some other inter-textual event, then sink again.

But what makes classic literature? Classic is defined as “judged over a period of time to be of the highest quality and outstanding of its kind”. And there is no recipe for what elevates a story to that status.

Collectors of Daphne du Maurier believe that there is a special something about her writing that means it remains fresh and relevant today.  At one stage in the 1950’s she was considered the highest paid woman writer in the UK.

I had a reading period in my twenties that included du Maurier and many other dark romance, gothic writers such as Elizabeth Gaskell, Catherine Gaskin, Victoria Holt/Jean Plaidy, and Sergeanne Golon. It introduced me to a depth in characterisation and the mystery of relationships. I think back on that era with much nostalgia and pleasure – titles such as Mistress of Mellyn, File on Devlin, Angelique, Rebecca and many others.

Currently in the store, we have four collectible and affordable du Maurier editions (and some Gaskin and Golon!):

This first edition of The Flight of the Falcon by Daphne du Maurier was published by Gollancz in 1965.

This first book club edition of The Scapegoat by Daphne du Maurier was published by The Book Club in 1950.
This edition of Frenchman’s Creek by Daphne du Maurier was published by Gollancz in 1944. Eighth impression.
The first UK edition of The Glass Blowers by Daphne du Maurier was published by Gollancz in 1963
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The Most Beautiful Alice in Wonderlands

Alice is always a favourite for collectors. Below are some of the editions we’ve had or have. I get some interesting queries about these. Generally they relate to the illustrations. Collectors become quite specific about the artist and the kind of drawings. For instance, they might ask to see a particular edition’s illustration of when Alice’s neck elongates.

Though it’s not necessarily my most beloved book to read, I can’t help but feel drawn towards collecting Alice as well. When one of our edition’s sell, I always have mixed feelings, happy for someone to buy it, but sad to see it go. The edition immediately below is one of my most favourites. The illustrations are particularly magnificent. My other favourite was the edition with Charles Blackman’s illustrations. We had a copy of that in the store last year, but it sold fairly quickly. I collected my first Alice at the age of about ten years old and I still have it.

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Vintage Crime Treasure – Was it Montelli? by Leslie Cargill

This book is part of a series of classic crime novels by British author and journalist Leslie Cargill. This particular story is a romantic thriller with a gorgeous cover that’s in good condition for its age. You can read Cargill’s biography, straight from one of his grandchildren, on the Classic Crime Fiction page.

If you’re a vintage crime buff, this is highly collectible because it comes with (1947) dust jacket in tact. So far, I have not been able to find another one anywhere else online.

The jacket blurb goes like this:

Jerry Clitheroe – British – bears a strong resemblance to Tony Montelli – a notorious American racketeer.Warned the Montelli is crossing the Atlantic, the British police arrest Clitheroe by mistake. Even Montelli’s wife, who has a reputation of her own in the criminal world, is momentarily deceived. This has embarassing repercussions for Clitheroe who is in love with Elise Dallas.

A more menacing development is the arrival of Dago Manuel, who, having been double-crossed by Montellie in new York, has sworn vengeance. Sujperintendent C;ewthers takes a hand in the tangled situation and tries to make ingenious use of the resemblance.

How could you resist a case of mistaken identity!

Last year, I sold another great crime classic from an Australian author with an equally captivating cover, to a customer in the US. He was delighted with it.

Let us know which cover grabs you the most! Having recently been in Honolulu, we’re finding it a tight contest.