Authors, Editors, Publishers: Katharine Susannah Prichard and W. W. Norton

Abstract

P.R. Stephensen observed that: ‘Americans are interested in us’ and instances of this interest on the part of writers, readers and publishers abound, stretching as far back as the nineteenth century, but little attention has been paid to it and a London-centric view of Australian literary production has prevailed. Laurie Hergenhan, in 1995, referred to ‘an area that has been little studied - American editions of Australian works’ which he noted ‘were more extensive than has been realised.’ A particular example of Stephensen’s ‘real kinship’ is to be found in W.W. Norton’s relationship with Australian authors - Henry Handel Richardson, the Palmers, and Katharine Susannah Prichard. Norton visited Australia and later established personal relationships with the Palmers and, through them, with Prichard. His edition of Haxby’s Circus restored the novel’s original title Fay’s Circus and re-instated some of the material reluctantly cut by Prichard from the 1930 English edition. This paper explores the relationship between Norton and Prichard and dicusses the American edition of one of Prichard’s most highly regarded novels.