Outback. Inscribed by Patrick White to his US publishers.
London: Methuen & Co Limited, 1962. First edition. Hardcover. "Best wishes from Patrick White Christmas 1962. I wonder whether the Viking would be interested in this? If so, she lives at 79 Deodar Road, London S.W. 15"
So does Patrick White seek to advance the art of his friend Cynthia Nolan, whose husband was the rising Australian painter, Sidney Nolan. "White felt as though he and (Sidney) Nolan were covering some of the same ground in their work and so their relationship began in 1957 when White asked Nolan to design the cover for his novel, Voss" (Louise Anemaat, Pictures Curator at the State Library of NSW.)" Their 20 year friendship included Nolan standing in for White when he received the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1973. White's dear friend Cynthia committed suicide in 1976, and when Sidney quickly remarried, White drew a line through the friendship. A public battle ensued, White writing stinging attacks about Nolan, and Nolan painting a portrait of White beside a dog's arse.
Cynthia's book recounts the story of she, her husband and and their 6 year old daughter's journey across the outback areas of Australia in 1948. They traveled from Sydney to Adelaide, Alice Springs to isolated cattle stations, lonely ghost and mining towns, to pearling harbors on the north west coast, to Perth and home across the Nullabor Plains. There is a significant section on the East Kimberleys, Derby and Broome in Western Australia. As is natural, Sidney designed the dust jacket for his wife's book as well.
Publishers reddish cloth with title outlined by vivid metallic turquoise, author and publisher in white on the spine. Dust jacket a little toned and rubbed at spine tips, price clipped. Patrick White's inscription is on the ffep, in his bold hand written with his characteristic fountain pen. An outstanding association copy. Very good in good+ dust jacket. Item #24626
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