Madman's Island

Madman's Island is a 1927 novel by Ion Idriess set in northern Australia. It was Idriess' first novel and was semi-autobiographical, although he invented the love interest at the insistence of the publisher.[1]

Madman's Island
First edition cover design
AuthorIon Idriess
CountryAustralia
LanguageEnglish
Genrenovel
PublisherCornstalk Publishing
Publication date
1927

Plot

Jack Burnett decides to go prospecting on an uninhabited island in the Barrier Reef with a friend. The friend goes mad and tries to kill Jack. Jack discovers some opium stashed away by Japanese smugglers. Jack is rescued and sells the opium to a Chinese merchant in Cooktown. In Cairns, Jack runs into the Japanese smugglers, but manages to escape with the help of a woman he has fallen in love with.[2]

Background

The book was based on a true incident that happened to Idriess. In 1923 he was marooned on Howick Island in Queensland with a friend he had gone prospecting with. The friend had a war injury which sent him mad and he tried to kill Idriess.[3]

Idriess kept a diary of his time on the island and used it as the basis for the book. He sold it to a publisher in 1925.[1][4][5]

Idriess fictionalised the story, including a subplot about opium smuggling.

Reception

The book was not received particularly well.[6][7]

1938 Edition
Madman's Island
First edition cover design
AuthorIon Idriess
CountryAustralia
LanguageEnglish
Genrenon-fiction
PublisherAngus and Robertson
Publication date
1938

Idriess rewrote the book after he had achieved acclaim with his other writings. He removed the fictional elements and instead revised it as a memoir. It was republished in 1938 and was a large success, selling 70,000 copies.[1][8][9][10][11]

References
  1. Interview with Ion Idriess", ABC
  2. "NEW FICTION". The Sydney Morning Herald. No. 27, 898. New South Wales, Australia. 4 June 1927. p. 10. Retrieved 16 April 2016 – via National Library of Australia.
  3. "Marooned". The Telegraph. No. 15, 675. Queensland, Australia. 23 February 1923. p. 6. Retrieved 16 April 2016 – via National Library of Australia.
  4. "MADMAN'S ISLAND". Daily Examiner. Vol. 17, no. 2549. New South Wales, Australia. 4 September 1925. p. 7. Retrieved 16 April 2016 – via National Library of Australia.
  5. "Marooned on Madman's Island". Sunday Mail. No. 445. Queensland, Australia. 30 October 1938. p. 1 (MAGAZINE SECTION). Retrieved 16 April 2016 – via National Library of Australia.
  6. "NEW FICTION". The Sydney Morning Herald. National Library of Australia. 4 June 1927. p. 10. Retrieved 18 August 2013.
  7. "MADMANS ISLAND". The Cairns Post. Qld.: National Library of Australia. 20 June 1927. p. 9. Retrieved 18 August 2013.
  8. "Author of Twenty-two Books And Still Going Strong". The Sydney Morning Herald. No. 33, 223. New South Wales, Australia. 17 June 1944. p. 7. Retrieved 28 March 2016 – via National Library of Australia.
  9. "MADMAN'S ISLAND". Kapunda Herald (SA : 1878–1951). SA: National Library of Australia. 16 September 1938. p. 1. Retrieved 18 August 2013.
  10. "BOOK of the WEEK". The Chronicle. Adelaide: National Library of Australia. 29 September 1938. p. 55. Retrieved 18 August 2013.
  11. "AN AUSTRALIAN STORY". Geraldton Guardian and Express. WA: National Library of Australia. 4 October 1938. p. 1. Retrieved 18 August 2013.
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