out more about him and his life if anyone has anything at all they would like to share (he was my Great Uncle on my fathers side) and between him and my Grandmother on mums side love for writing stories running through my veins it's what I wanted to be before I even knew about Ion as he passed 2 decades before I was born. I've got a few of his books but looking to add to my collection and with him having written so many (incredibly impressive) I am wondering what people think would be the "must haves" to read or their favourites?
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1889 - 1979
Dedicated to the Life and Works of
Ion Llewellyn (Jack) Idriess
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Rose - just googling Ion Idriess will give you many sites and articles to choose from - he was 'famous'.
We also have a sister-site that has articles about him and you can find those here www.idriess.com.au
From a collectors point of view, the original 1927 version of Madman's Island, Cyaniding For Gold, and the Guerilla Series are the rarest.
From a reading perspective, my favourites are Drums of Mer, Isles of Despair, and Men of the Jungle.
All the best
Clive
Hi Rose. Welcome to this Forum. If Ion was your Great Uncle on your father's side, then was your father Ion or Terence Morrison perhaps?
Ion, aka 'Jack' as he liked to be known, was the author of an astonishing amount and variety of books from 1927 to 1969, as well as numerous articles, even before this (his Bulletin articles were collected by Jim Bradly and published as Gouger of the Bulletin in 2 volumes). I only began collecting Idriess myself in 2020 when Covid came and I had time - and some money - on my hands. At the time I only had 2 of his books. Now I have all his books, mainly first editions. Ironically, I am writing this now as I am just getting over Covid again.
If you just want to get copies of Ion's books, they are not too hard to get - auctions, eBay, online, Gumtree, garage sales, this site! - and as he was a prolific autographer, signed copies are not too hard to get either. ETT Imprints are selling new reprints of many of his books. There are also collections of Idriess works such as Idriess' Greatest Stories and collected reprints such as the National Edition and the Frontier Edition.
But if you want to be a serious collector, then the aim is to get first editions (really first impressions of the first edition - but for Collectors that equals first editions - see discussion in this Forum). And not only first editions, but better quality first editions with original dust jackets where possible. Just remember Angus and Robertson were a bit lackadaisical with noting first editions - a number of Idriess books down as first editions online actually aren't - refer to the bibliography on this site to make sure - I do! There are even foreign translations of his works - I have a Dutch and a French edition - there were translations in other languages, too. Happy collecting! Feel free to ask question on this Forum.
If you want to know more about Ion and his life, then this site is a great start. The biography by Beverley Eley is also excellent. It's out of print, but copies come up online. But beware that this biography - and other material - reveals Ion warts and all. He had an interesting family life - if not eccentric and difficult. He was probably an alcoholic. His drinking was a concern and cause of strife. You wonder how he lived till nearly 90. And whether his drinking masked PTSD from the war. He was also, in common with many from his era, rather racist, ameliorated perhaps by an admiration for certain aboriginal people, skills and culture (The Red Chief is a favourite story; In Crocodile Land makes me squirm). Probably 20 or so of Idriess' books tell something of his own story and experiences and these are a good place to start if you want to understand Ion "from the horse's mouth" so to speak. Madman's Island, Men of the Jungle, The Desert Column, Over the Range, Lighning Ridge, My Mate Jack are some of these books. Happy reading!