To celebrate ‘Ekka Day’ in Brisbane on Wednesday all the books mentioned today have an Australian connection.

Having heard from Ray down under  regarding a variant of a ‘Dam Busters’ cover he emailed again to let me know of another ‘Young Lions’ a later edition which so far I’ve only found for certain on Gumtree in South Africa. Many sellers list an edition as 1981 but then say something like they have 5 copies available so it’s always pot luck. Thankfully Ray sent me a scan so I’ve included that at the moment. I think it’s interesting how the title and author have switched, the former becoming subservient to the latter (Still wondering what happened to the soldier on the left?)

While asking about Corris titles Stuart sent me his cover scans plus a list of other PAN titles published in Australia from the back of ‘White Meat’ I’ve decided my challenge is to get them all and so far the total is three. I have to say I had real trouble trying to even find an image of ‘Coins for the Ferryman’ just to put on as a place holder but then struck lucky and got a copy from S.A. What a disappointment, no wonder nobody bother to scan it before!

As I mentioned last week we have been out and about in the camper dropping off books at NT second hand book shops but that didn’t preclude me buying  a few, the rule is no more than we leave. I managed to pick up a couple of Arthur Upfields I hadn’t got and it turned out they were the Australian printings with covers by Marinella Bonini. I have found a lady of that name in Italy so I think an email is called for.

Last but by no means least I am still rescanning the whole collection and am now up to ……… PAN 13, well these things can’t be rushed. I have three different editions and it was while just checking for the printer I noticed my 1948 edition has a booksellers stamp in it. This is form “Dymock’s Book Arcade, George Steet, Sidney’ which I’m pleased to see has been there since 1879, and is still there, 139 years later.