Madman's Island

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Madman's Island
MadmansIsland1927.jpg
First edition cover design
AuthorIon Idriess
CountryAustralia
LanguageEnglish
Genrenovel
PublisherCornstalk Publishing
Publication date
1927

Madman's Island is a 1927 novel by Ion Idriess set in northern Australia. It was Idriess' first novel and was semi-autobiographical, although he invented the love interest at the insistence of the publisher.[1]

Plot[]

Jack Burnett decides to go prospecting on an uninhabited island in the Barrier Reef with a friend. The friend goes mad and tries to kill Jack. Jack discovers some opium stashed away by Japanese smugglers. Jack is rescued and sells the opium to a Chinese merchant in Cooktown. In Cairns, Jack runs into the Japanese smugglers, but manages to escape with the help of a woman he has fallen in love with.[2]

Background[]

The book was based on a true incident that happened to Idriess. In 1923 he was marooned on Howick Island in Queensland with a friend he had gone prospecting with. The friend had a war injury which sent him mad and he tried to kill Idriess.[3]

Idriess kept a diary of his time on the island and used it as the basis for the book. He sold it to a publisher in 1925.[1][4][5]

Idriess fictionalised the story, including a subplot about opium smuggling.

Reception[]

The book was not received particularly well.[6][7]

1938 Edition[]

Madman's Island
MadmansIsland1938.jpg
First edition cover design
AuthorIon Idriess
CountryAustralia
LanguageEnglish
Genrenon-fiction
PublisherAngus and Robertson
Publication date
1938

Idriess rewrote the book after he had achieved acclaim with his other writings. He removed the fictional elements and instead revised it as a memoir. It was republished in 1938 and was a large success, selling 70,000 copies.[1][8][9][10][11]

References[]

  1. ^ a b c Interview with Ion Idriess", ABC
  2. ^ "NEW FICTION". The Sydney Morning Herald. No. 27, 898. New South Wales, Australia. 4 June 1927. p. 10. Retrieved 16 April 2016 – via National Library of Australia.
  3. ^ "Marooned". The Telegraph. No. 15, 675. Queensland, Australia. 23 February 1923. p. 6. Retrieved 16 April 2016 – via National Library of Australia.
  4. ^ "MADMAN'S ISLAND". Daily Examiner. Vol. 17, no. 2549. New South Wales, Australia. 4 September 1925. p. 7. Retrieved 16 April 2016 – via National Library of Australia.
  5. ^ "Marooned on Madman's Island". Sunday Mail. No. 445. Queensland, Australia. 30 October 1938. p. 1 (MAGAZINE SECTION). Retrieved 16 April 2016 – via National Library of Australia.
  6. ^ "NEW FICTION". The Sydney Morning Herald. National Library of Australia. 4 June 1927. p. 10. Retrieved 18 August 2013.
  7. ^ "MADMANS ISLAND". The Cairns Post. Qld.: National Library of Australia. 20 June 1927. p. 9. Retrieved 18 August 2013.
  8. ^ "Author of Twenty-two Books And Still Going Strong". The Sydney Morning Herald. No. 33, 223. New South Wales, Australia. 17 June 1944. p. 7. Retrieved 28 March 2016 – via National Library of Australia.
  9. ^ "MADMAN'S ISLAND". Kapunda Herald (SA : 1878–1951). SA: National Library of Australia. 16 September 1938. p. 1. Retrieved 18 August 2013.
  10. ^ "BOOK of the WEEK". The Chronicle. Adelaide: National Library of Australia. 29 September 1938. p. 55. Retrieved 18 August 2013.
  11. ^ "AN AUSTRALIAN STORY". Geraldton Guardian and Express. WA: National Library of Australia. 4 October 1938. p. 1. Retrieved 18 August 2013.


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