Jack Rivers And Me

First edition, first impression. SIGNED AND INSCRIBED BY PAUL RADLEY, IN BLUE PEN, ON VOGEL LITERARY PRIZE LABEL, ON FFEP 'Paul Radley Newcastle July '81'. Some slight edge wear to top and bottom of jacket and spine, spine and upper part of back jacket slightly faded, corners very slightly bruised, not price clipped (no published price), no other inscriptions, internally clean tight and square, overall a vg+ copy. 179pp. Supposedly the first of a trilogy, this book tells the story of five year old Peanut Delarue and his invisible best friend Jack. The publication and aftermath of this book is an odd story. In 1981 young Australian writer Paul Radley won the prestigious Australian/Vogel Literary Award for this book. After receiving the $10,000 prize, the book was published by Allen and Unwin sponsors of the prize. Following that the Literature Board of the Australia Council presented him with a writer's fellowship. This led to the publication of two more novels by Radley. He subsequently became also a writer in residence at St. Andrews University Scotland, where he received a fellowship from the Literature Board. In March 1996, Radley claimed that he had not had anything to do with the authorship of 'Jack Rivers and Me'. He claimed that his great uncle Jack Radley had written the manuscript, but had been too old to enter the competition. However, in May of that year, Jack Radley admitted to having assembled the manuscript from his own previously unpublished stories but argued that Paul Radley had made a significant contribution by taping conversations that were subsequently used in the manuscript. Jack Radley had asked his great nephew to enter the competition on his behalf. Very scarce signed.…