Review of Martin Boyd, by Brenda Niall

Brenda Niall's bibliography of Martin Boyd is an example of enumcrative literary bibliography at its best. It not only accurately and lucidly lists the known work of. and about, a major author but it also significantly extends our knowledge of Boyd's output and of the range of his activities. It records the discovery (noted in ALS. May 1978. pp. 366-71 by Niall and Terence O'Neill) of a previously unsuspected novel by Boyd (under a previously unknown pseudonym. Walter Beckett). Dearest Idol: it provides a corrected genealogy of the various texts of The Madeleine Heritage / The Montforts for the first time (this is further discussed by Ms Niall in an article in the Bibliographical Society o f Australia and New Zealand Bulletin November 1978. pp. 153-57); it identifies a number of other unacknowledged revised editions (including those of Day of My Delight. Difficult Young Man. CardboardCrown,and LucindaBrayford):and it also cites for the first time many of Boyd's contributions of verse and stories as well as articles, reviews, and journalism to a number of magazines. The comprehensive coverage of reviews and other secondary references will give Boyd scholars new insights into the reception of his work. For very few Australian authors can it be said that there is only one source to which one need refer for bibliographical information. Thankfully it can now be said of Martin Boyd.