America Reads The Stor
p. 20 · Read in the full issue
Of The Coastwatchers
• Eric Feldt’s best-selUng “The Coast Watchers”, long out of ) in Australia where it was published in 1946, has been published i United States in a paper-jacket edition. According to our t Francisco correspondent, it is now available in this form in every \ stall in the United States ; it will no doubt appear eventually ii ti cheap form in the S-W Pacific.
ON a quick run through the US paper-back edition which we received in early October, there are only two items in the two editions that are exactly similar — the author’s acknowledgement in the front, and his story of Ken Hay, who when he decided to come down off Gold Ridge in Guadalcanal, sent a note to the US commander that he was “knocked up”. He meant it in the Australian sense—that he was too weary to go on. The officer took it in the American sense— that Ken was pregnant, and couldn’t wait to go see for hims.lf if he were.
Rewritten
The entire paper-back, US edition has been re-written (repeat, re written, not just cut down), by Feldt and in the course of it, it has been reduced to about one third of the original. However (again on the quick-look method), it is still Feldt’s story, not re
slanted to appeal especisi Americans or to give them tM share of the story. It is sa story of the men of the SWV islands and others recruited J who did the behind-the-liii that, according to the late x “Bull” Halsey “saved Guao. and Guadalcanal saved thei Pacific”.
Most ex-Coastwatchersa residents of the South Pacififi prefer the original version i detail, and especially for cellent index (missing fr(n paper-back); but for a stress condensed, and telescoped ’
US edition seems to be a goe: stitute. The paper-back editti a foreword by General MacArthur, and is publish Ballantine Books, New York„2 for 50 cents in the US.
(See also “They Can Hear the the Coastwatchers”, page
REVOLUTIONARY LOOKING: This Italian plane, imported by Papuan Air Tranoport Ltd Moresby, for use on services in Papua, caused a lot of interest in the Eastern State tralia where it gave demonstration flights in September before going into service. It [?] Piaggio, and is the first Italian plane ever sold in Australia for airline use. The un[?] about it is its pusher-type propellers mounted at the rear of the upswept wings, whi[?] the appearance of a jet. It will carry 10 passengers and can cruise at 200 miles per[?]