Author Archives: rdavies

(Signed dj, Reynal & Hitchcock, 1948; translated by Samuel Putnam; indecipherable cover artist and unknown photographer for blurb photo) dj, McClelland & Stewart, 1950; translated to English by Mary Finch, no cover artist credited;  originally published in French by Belisle, … Continue reading →

Gage hb, jr. high history text, 1951; illustrations by Selwyn Dewdney Signed title page and letter to Greg Gatenby, Harbourfront Reading Series, 1991 (left) dj, University of Toronto Press, 1960; owned/signed by Elizabeth Brewster; (right) softcover US ed. Norton, 1966) (Flatsigned … Continue reading →

(dj, Hodder & Stoughton, UK ed., 1960; illustrations by Carl Burger) (Signed dj, Little, Brown and Co., 1960) Sheila (Philip Cochrane) Burnford (1918-1984) was born in Scotland and was a volunteer ambulance driver in World War II. In 1951, she married … Continue reading →

(softcover, McClelland & Stewart, 1965; inscription to a bookseller)   (dj, McClelland & Stewart, 1967; paintings: A. Y. Jackson–the famous Group of 7 artist (featured earlier in this blog); cover design:  Frank Newfeld (featured later in this blog) (left: dj, … Continue reading →

(dj, Longmans, 1966; signed title page by author and illustrator T.M. Shortt) (Charles) Fred(erick) Bodsworth (1918-2012) was born in Port Burwell, ON and eventually became a journalist, naturalist, and conservationist. He wrote for St. Thomas Times-Journal, the Toronto Sun, and … Continue reading →

(hb of dj’d Ryerson, 1955; uncredited design)   (dj, Ryerson, 1958; design: Allan Harrison) (softcover, Oxford U Press, 1972; cover painting by Philip Surrey) (softcover, Oxford U Press, 1981; inscribed for Dorothy Livesay (contained signed message card below); uncredited illustrator) … Continue reading →

(Ultra-rare dj, Macmillan, 1944; Page’s first book–a mystical romance novel published under a never-again-used pseudonym, Judith Cape) (First Canadian writer I ever met in person; first (charming) book of hers I encountered; left is dj, right is hb; uncredited P.K. … Continue reading →

(Signed softcover, Fiddlehead Poetry Books, 1980; cover by Alice van Wart) Fred (William) Cogswell (1917-2004) was a popular, prolific NB poet who was born in East Centreville, NB. He served as an English prof at UNB from 1952 to 1983. This … Continue reading →

(W.O. Mitchell was honored by Canada Post with a commemorative stamp) (Often called Canada’s great novel over the years, a Depression/prairies masterpiece; dj, Macmillan, 1947; design: William Easton, uncredited author pho on blurb; rare flatsigned) (left: the rare U.S. dj … Continue reading →

(Collins, 1952 dj, costing $3 originally; illustration uncredited; David Knight: photo) (Ryerson, 1963 dj;G-G Award–Fiction) (Ryerson, 1968 dj; 1st published in reduced 150 p. pb version in 1950; cover design: MC Healy? uncredited author photo) (Ryerson, 168 dj; uncredited cover … Continue reading →