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THE MEMBER FOR THE MARSH
by Willam Mayne Illustrated by Lynton Lamb London: Geoffrey Cumberlege/Oxford University Press, 1956. First edition, first printing. William Mayne was one of the most highly regarded writers of the postwar "golden age"
of children's literature. His output was huge – well over 100 titles,
encompassing novels and latterly picture books, rich in a sense of place
and feel for the magical, and beautifully written. He wrote several
books a year in a career that spanned more than half a century and won
him the Carnegie medal and the Guardian Children's Fiction Prize. He was considered a master of setting. In this, his fourth book, the trademark setting is excelled, with a marvelous sense of place, this time the Yorkshire Dales, and the search
for something mysterious and elusive from the past which can affect and
shape the present. A recurrent theme of Mayne's stories was how children could see and accept magic and magical explanations, while the adults around them create rational stories to explain the same outcome. The children in this tale find all sorts of fascinating things (dragons, monsters, foreign enemies, fossils, etc) in the marsh with imaginative ideas about their circumstances. This early title garnered numerous praise reviews. Charmingly enhanced with a bounty of detailed pen-and-ink illustrations by Lynton Lamb. Tiny inked "10" to front cover, spine area faded, else about very good in lightly soiled green linen with silver titles to the spine; lacking a dust jacket. Internally clean, and sound. A fairly tight, internally clean, vintage first edition. FREE SHIPPING TO THE USA PLEASE VIEW OUR STORE FOR MORE GREAT FIRST EDITION BOOKS THANKS! |