USED BOOK. MAY CONTAIN MARK-UP

By Captain W. E. Johns

FROPM THE COVER: “While the Battle of Britain is still at its height Squadron Leader Bigglesworth, D.S.O., D.F.C., is appointed to Number 666 Fighter Squadron. He soon finds that his new Com- mand is likely to be something of a handful, for the Squadron has been formed for the special purpose of accommodating a collection of bril- liant but unstable types whose capacities as fighter pilots are in inverse ratio to their amenity to discipline and the normal routine of a station.”

Oxford University Press. 1951. 252p.

By Captain W. E. Johns

FROM THE COVER: Wherever there is trouble brewing in this much-troubled world it is safe to predict that Biggles and his companions will sooner or later be on the spot. In this story they ar- rive, quite casually, in the capitalof British Honduras, to find Car- ruthers, the resident magistrate, in a very perturbed state on account of the activities of a so-called King of the Forest--a man who has established himself somewhere in the interior and is stirring up strife among the Indians; he is suspected, moreover, of collecting chickle-an important product of the colony-and smuggling it over the border and into the United States.

Melbourne. Geoffrey Cumberlege Oxford University Press. 1951. 196p. USED BOOK. CONTAINS MARK-UP.

By Captain W. E. Johns

From Chapter 2: “….taking photographs of our defences”

A frown creased Biggles's forehead. 'But that's a scandalous state ofaffairs,' he declared indignantly. 'Do you mean to say that you allow the air force of another power to fly over your country without permission?'

A sad smile crossed the old man's face. He raised his hands, palms outwards. 'Alow? Do you think that we should allow them to do that i f we could stop them? Now perhaps you understand why I've come to you.'

Melbourne. Oxford University Press. 1950. 257p. USED BOOK

By Cape. W. E. Johns

Another in the Biggles series glorifying war and vilifying enemies. . “In which Air Detective-Inspector Bigglesworth takes leave from the Special Air Section Scotland Yard to join the Foreign Legion, and has an adventure involving an old friend, an even older enemy and a near fatal trip to the desolate Valley of the Tartars in Kurdistan.”

London. Hodder and Stoughton. 1954. 198p. USED BOOOK

By J. F. C. Westerman

FROM THE COVER: When JohnWentleyunder- took to fly a British Secret Service agent to a forbidden part he little imagined what would result from his escapade. How he foiled an attempt by a dangerous and un- scrupulous enemy to steal the plans of his recently invented aero engine, took part in two thrilling aerial ducls, and fought against terrific odds to regain the safety of the Swiss border--with secrets in his possession on which de-pended the very existence of the British Empireis excitingly told by one of the foremost writers of boys' adventure stories.

London. The Children's Press. 1930s. 211p. USED BOOK

By Captain W. E. Johns. Illustrated By Alfred Sindall

A boys’ book from the classic series heralding World War 2, and highlighting the excitement and attractiveness of war..

FROM CHAPTER 1: “ PETER FORTYMORE RECEIVES BAD NEWS. THERE was a pensive, almost wistful, expression on the face of the Honourable Peter Fortymore as, with his chin cupped in his hands, he sat at his study window and stared out across the deserted, moonlit playing-fields of Rundell School, where for five years he had been a pupil. The door be- hind him opened, but he did not turn, for he knew from the heavy, deliberate footsteps that the new- comer washis friend and room-mate, Dick Ripley, known throughout the upper school as Rip…”

London. Geoffrey Cumberlege Oxford University Press. 1950. 245p

By Captain W. E. Johns

The classic boys’ books trumpeting the attraction and excitement of war, especially World War 2.

FROM CHAPTER 1: ““Air-Commodore Raymond, Chief of the Air Section of Scotland Yard, greeted his operational staff from behind a paper-littered desk, as, in obedience to his invitation, they filed into his office.

" Pull up some chairs," he requested. "This is only in the nature of a conference, and, strangely enough, for once there's nothing urgent about it. Help yourselves to cigarettes-we may be some time." He pushed the box forward.

London. Holder and Stoughton. 1954. 162p. USED BOOK

By Charles Dickens

From Wikipedia: “Like nearly all of Dickens's novels, Martin Chuzzlewit was first published in monthly instalments. Early sales of the monthly parts were lower than those of previous works, so Dickens changed the plot to send the title character to the United States.[3] Dickens had visited America in 1842 in part as a failed attempt to get the US publishers to honour international copyright laws. He satirized the country as a place filled with self-promoting hucksters, eager to sell land sight unseen. In later editions, and in his second visit 24 years later to a much-changed US, he made clear it was satire and not a balanced image of the nation in a speech and then included that speech in all future editions. The main theme of the novel, according to Dickens's preface, is selfishness, portrayed in a satirical fashion using all the members of the Chuzzlewit family. The novel is also notable for two of Dickens's great villains, Seth Pecksniff and Jonas Chuzzlewit. Dickens introduced the first private detective character in this novel.”

By Jock Serong

"Preservation" is a historical fiction novel by Australian author Jock Serong, first published in 2018. The novel is based on the true story of the wreck of the Sydney Cove, a British merchant ship that was carrying a cargo of spirits and supplies from Calcutta to the fledgling colony of Sydney in 1797.

The novel tells the story of the survivors of the wreck, who find themselves stranded on the coast of present-day Victoria, Australia. The group includes the ship's captain, a pair of American sailors, an Irish convict, and a group of Chinese traders. They are forced to endure hunger, thirst, and the harsh Australian wilderness as they try to make their way back to civilization.

The novel is a vivid and atmospheric portrayal of early colonial life in Australia, and is notable for its detailed research and historical accuracy. Serong draws on a range of historical sources to create a nuanced and complex picture of the social, political, and economic forces at play in colonial Australia, as well as the experiences of the different groups of people who were involved in the colony's development.

Melbourne Aust. Text Publishing. 2018. 364.p

By Stephen Crane

"The Red Badge of Courage" is a novel by American author Stephen Crane, first published in 1895. The story is set during the American Civil War and follows the experiences of a young soldier named Henry Fleming.

At the beginning of the novel, Henry is eager to enlist in the Union Army and fight in the war, believing that it will be a grand adventure. However, as he experiences the realities of battle and witnesses the horrors of war, his idealism begins to crumble and he becomes consumed by fear and doubt.

Throughout the novel, Henry struggles with feelings of cowardice and shame, as he witnesses other soldiers being wounded and killed in battle. However, he eventually finds the courage to face his fears and fight alongside his comrades.

The novel is known for its vivid portrayal of the psychological effects of war on soldiers, as well as its realistic depiction of the chaos and brutality of battle. It also explores themes of courage, honor, and the nature of heroism.

Mineola. NY. Dover Thrift Editions. 1990. 101p.

By Daphne Du Maurier

From Amazon: This "highly personalized adventure, ultra-romantic" story from the author of Rebecca tells the tale of a woman looking for adventure, only to find it in the arms a rebellious criminal (New York Times). Bored and restless in London's Restoration Court, Lady Dona escapes into the British countryside with her restlessness and thirst for adventure as her only guides. Eventually Dona lands in remote Navron, looking for peace of mind in its solitary woods and hidden creeks. She finds the passion her spirit craves in the love of a daring French pirate who is being hunted by all of Cornwall. Together, they embark upon a quest rife with danger and glory, one which bestows upon Dona the ultimate choice: sacrifice her lover to certain death or risk her own life to save him.

U.K. Gollancz. 1941. 208p.