The Boy in the Bush

Two first editions of the co-authored tale by Australian author Mollie Skinner and the infamous British author D.H. Lawrence. Published in 1924, the First American edition’s original dust wrapper was illustrated, a contrast to the simple, classic English design bearing only the title and authors. While both copies from the Salisbury House collection show signs of use, the English copy appears the most well-read with tears to the original paper wrapper and traces of past readers’ hands staining the cover.

The novel follows Jack Grant, an English teen transplanted to Western Australia in 1882 and grows up amongst adventure and misfortune in the Australian bush among distant relatives. The British Lawrence was already an infamous author at the time of co-authorship and met Mollie Skinner on a visit to Australia in the 1920s when he and wife Freida stayed at her convalescent home and guest house in Perth. Born in Western Australia, educated in Britain and returning in the 1900s, Mollie was a relatively unknown author; during this first visit, she showed Lawrence the draft of a story that would become this novel. Together they co-authored the novel with Lawrence contributing to Jack’s inner monologue, spiritualism, and desire known in his works scaffolded with Skinner’s story and existing characters.

With parallels to Carl Weeks early life on the prairie and transplanting to live with relatives as a young man, did Carl see himself in Jack’s story? When he purchased these copies is not clear, but the American first edition passed through Harry F. Marks, a bookseller friend of Weeks whose silver sticker is visible on the back board of the American first edition.