The Adventures of Reuben Davidger, James Greenwood -1865 First Edition

The Adventures of Reuben Davidger; Seventeen Years and Four Months Captive Among the Dyaks of Borneo, James Greenwood, S.O. Beeton, London., 1865. First edition. 8vo up to 9½” tall.  pp [xii], 356. Numerous engravings including 8 plates on tinted paper. Original burgundy leather boards with elaborate scrolled design front, back and spine with gilt design and titles front and spine; all edges gilt, grey endpapers. An occasional tiny foxing mark and otherwise contents in fine condition without marks, tears or folds.  Binding is tight and square. Very light rubbing to corner and spine edges with gilt remaining fine and bright. A beautiful copy.

James Greenwood (1832–1929) was a notable Victorian journalist, social commentator and novelist. Greenwood is regarded as one of the pioneers of investigative journalism and wrote several articles sympathetic to the plight of the working-class. From 1861 he began writing adventure stories which were published in Boy’s Own and followed this with several adventure books for boys. He also had several stories published in Beeton’s Boy’s Own Magazine. One of these stories, King Lion, was later credited as an influence by Rudyard Kipling. The Adventures of Reuben Davidger was immensely popular with 19 English editions published between 1865 and 1975.   002597