By Jove, Biggles! : The Life of Captain W.E. Johns

W.H. Allen, London,first edition, 1981. Cloth, 8vo, 22 cm,. xii, 306 pp, [4] pp of plates. From the blurb: "This is the first biography of one of the most popular children's authors of the mid-twentieth century, who is probably best known for the creation of the character Biggles - loved by adults and children alike. Captain W. E. Johns (1893-1968) wrote 168 books, of which 98 were Biggles stories. Thèse have been translated into many languages - at one time, according to UNESCO statistics, Biggles was the most popular juvenile fiction hero in the world. ...Johns' many other books written for children include a series of science fiction novels. He also made a serious attempt to establish himself as a writer of adult thrillers and romances. His joumalistic output was equally prolific and varied. In addition to writing articles and editorials for Popular Flying and Flying magazines, he was a regular contributor to a gardening magazine. By Jove, Biggles ! looks at the long and active career of the man who has had a major influence on generations of children all over the world. It concentrâtes particularly on his wartime experiences, on which he based many of the early works, and tells how, after the First World War, Johns played a significant part in the enlisting of A/C Ross (Lawrence of Arabia) into the RAF. There is also a critical analysis of Johns' work, and a discussion of the attack on his books by librarians who objected to Johns' alleged use of racial stereotypes and his jingoistic attitudes. In addition the authors have compiled an extensive and invaluable bibliography of Johns' writings. A carefully documented and well-researched biography which brings to life not only the man but the years of conflict and change in which he played such an active part. Bookplate of the noted crime fiction expert Iwan Hedman (Iwan Morelius) on front pastedown endpaper, Very Good in Very Good dustwrapper.