The Beckoning Shore

The Beckoning Shore
First edition
AuthorE. V. Timms
LanguageEnglish
SeriesGreat South Land Saga
PublisherAngus and Robertson
Publication date
1950
Publication placeAustralia
Preceded byThe Pathway of the Sun 
Followed byThe Valleys Beyond 

The Beckoning Shore is a 1950 novel by E. V. Timms. It was the third in his Great South Land Saga of Australian historical novels, and shifts the action to New South Wales.

It was popular, selling 10,000 copies within its first year.[1][2]

Premise

"How the ship Pride of Liverpool became a derelict from which only two of the company were saved, one being the girl Elizabeth Holley, about whom the novel revolves."[3]

Reception

The Age said "The entertaining story swings along, a happy way to discuss the convict system and its various unsavory off- shoots and the efforts to control these evils. Occasionally, seeming to be steeped in history, the author halts the narrative to add a slab that holds up the movement for a short space."[4]

The Australian Woman's Mirror said "As ever, Mr. Timms sets his characters against an authentically historic background, in which convictism and its related sordid evils are contrasted with the high ideals of the visionaries and the gaiety of the society of that era. "[5]

The Bulletin said "Taken at its highest level, the book is a prettv thin story superimposed on pretty thick history; but its total effect is of a very lively picture of Sydney in the days of Governor Bourke."[6]

Radio adaptations

ABC Weekly 20 June 1953

The novel was serialised for radio in 1951, with Peter Woodruff reading out sections of the novel over fifteen minute episodes.[7]

The novel was dramatised again for radio in 1953.[8] These episodes went for one hour. The adaptation was done by Kathleen Carroll who had also adapted Timm's The Pathway of the Sun for radio.[9]

Cast of 1953 production

  • Queenie Ashton as Martha
  • Leonard Thiele as Simon
  • June Salter as Penelope
  • Marie Clark as Elizabeth Holley
  • Edwin Finn as Edward
  • Rosemary Miller as Sabina Perry
  • Neva Carr-Glyn as Liza Foll
  • Alan Herbert as Sweeney Foll

References

  1. ^ "Life and Letters". The West Australian. Perth: National Library of Australia. 30 August 1952. p. 24. Retrieved 15 October 2014.
  2. ^ "Not on the Jacket: Census on Literature", ABC Weekly, 16 (24 (12 June 1954), Sydney: ABC, nla.obj-1677799908, retrieved 10 March 2024 – via Trove
  3. ^ "Sydney History". The West Australian. Vol. 66, no. 20, 086. Western Australia. 2 December 1950. p. 16. Retrieved 10 March 2024 – via National Library of Australia.
  4. ^ "RECENT FICTION". The Age. No. 29, 905. Victoria, Australia. 3 March 1951. p. 9. Retrieved 10 March 2024 – via National Library of Australia.
  5. ^ "Let's Talk About Books", The Australian Woman's Mirror, 27 (6 (3 January 1951)), Sydney: The Bulletin Newspaper, nla.obj-564105102, retrieved 10 March 2024 – via Trove
  6. ^ "Historians in Costume.", The Bulletin, 72 (3700 (10 Jan 1951)), Sydney, N.S.W: John Haynes and J.F. Archibald, nla.obj-548705280, retrieved 10 March 2024 – via Trove
  7. ^ "NEW MORNING SERIAL", ABC Weekly, 13 (22 (2 June 1951)), Sydney: ABC, nla.obj-1445498666, retrieved 10 March 2024 – via Trove
  8. ^ "Four New Drama Serials on UZ". The Age. No. 30, 732. Victoria, Australia. 29 October 1953. p. 1 ("THE AGE" RADIO SUPPLEMENT). Retrieved 10 March 2024 – via National Library of Australia.
  9. ^ "The "Backroom" Girls of Radio", ABC Weekly, 15 (35 (29 August 1953)), Sydney: ABC, nla.obj-1549686391, retrieved 10 March 2024 – via Trove


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