E. V. Timms - letter received from Arthur Upfield, 13 Aug. 1956

MLMSS 7092

fonds

13 Aug. 1956

414115

Microfilm : CY 4194, frames 133-141 (MLMSS 7092)

1 folder - 0.01 Meters
Textual Records - (typescript)

E.V. Timms (1895-1960), author, was born at Charters Towers, Queensland. He wrote historical romances, some set in Australia and others in Europe. After World War II he began an historical saga of nineteenth century Australia, writing ten volumes prior to his death in 1960. The eleventh volume of his saga, The big country (1962) was finished after his death by Alma Timms. E.V. Timms also published short stories, plays, novels for young readers and scripts for cinema and radio. Under the pseudonym David Roseler he published a biography Lawrence, prince of Mecca (1927).
Arthur Upfield (1890-1964), author and bushman, was born at Gosport, Hampshire England, son of draper James Upfield and his wife Annie. He was sent to Australia by his father, arriving at Adelaide in 1910. He travelled throughout the outback areas of New South Wales and Queensland before enlisting in the Australian Imperial Force in 1914. Upfield served in the Middle East and Gallipoli returning to Australia in 1920. Upfield's first novel featuring the part Aboriginal detective Napoleon Boneparte known as 'Bony', The Barrakee mystery, was published in 1929. 'Bony' was the main character in twenty-nine of Upfield's crime novels. Upfield's crime fiction gained him international recognition, particularly in America where he became the first foreigner to be admitted as a full member of the Mystery Writers of America. Upfield wrote full time after 1931 while travelling around Australia with his long time companion Jessica Hawke, who was the author of his biography Follow my dust: a biography of Arthur Upfield (1957). Upfield had done most of the jobs he wrote about in his novels and acquired considerable knowledge about aspects of Aboriginal life and lore. Upfield's irritation at literary circles, who refused to acknowledge his creative ability, inspired him to write the novel An author bites the dust (1948) in which a pillar of the literary establishment is brought down.

1956; Letter received from Arthur Upfield, 13 Aug. 1956, being autographed ts. letter, 2 pp. Upfield discusses his forthcoming biography, Follow my dust, and proposed alternative titles; mentions irritation in literary circles caused by his work An author bites the dust; refers to his next 'Bony' book; sympathises with Timms concerning his recent ill health. (Call No.: MLMSS 7092/1: Issue microfilm copy at CY 4194, frames 133-141)

Copied onto preservation microfilm, Apr. 2002.