Saturday, June 20, 2015

RARE BOOK FIND IN NORTH QUEENSLAND


Magnetic Island journalist  and author Ian Mackay has  discovered  an  unusual copy of Frank  Hardy’s  explosive   Australian political   novel   Power Without  Glory  which  saw  him charged  with  criminal  defamation.

The   book   contains  a  sticker  stating it was  bound in  leather at the  Johore  Area  Rehabilitation  Area (JARO) ,  on the Malaysian  southern peninsula, just across  the causeway to  Singapore. JARO specialises  in   selling  handmade items  by  people with  disabilities.   Its  current  website  does not mention bookbinding ;  basketry offered  is   limited  because of cane  shortage  due  to  deforestation.
 
 
 
Mackay  recently  found  the  1975 Panther  edition of  the book, with an  introduction by  Jack Lindsay  that  mentions Hardy's time  in  the Northern Territory  in  WWll, which  has  gilt  lettering on  the  raised  spine , in a  Port  Douglas  bookshop . It  is not known what  the  letters  F.M.M. at the  foot  of  the spine  signify...the  book's owner?, the binder ?, Federation of Malaysian Manufacturers?

Little Darwin recently ran a post dealing with  the close relationship between the late Hardy and  Greek  singer  Nana  Mouskouri , a former member of the European Union Parliament and UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador,   who recently visited  Australia.   Radio National also replayed   an item on Recollections about Frank Hardy approaching folksinger Gary Shearson  at  The Troubadour , Sydney ,with a    calypso tune , Sydney Town , which ended up in the top 10.    

UPCOMING : An  unforgettable  evening  with   Frank  Hardy .