Jock of the Bushveld by Sir Percy FitzPatrick
Jock of the Bushveld (Abridged Kestrel Edition with Colour Plates, in Dust Jacket)
The Much-Loved South African Classic of a Transport Rider and His Bull Terrier, in an Illustrated Abridged Edition
Bibliographic Specifications
- Title: Jock of the Bushveld
- Author: Sir Percy FitzPatrick
- Editor: Dolores Fleischer (abridged by)
- Publisher: Kestrel Books, Harmondsworth, Middlesex, England
- Publication Date: 1976
- ISBN-10: 0722652380
- Edition Details: New abridged edition, 1975; edition with colour plates, 1976. Abridged by Dolores Fleischer.
- Binding: Olive-green cloth boards with yellow lettering to the spine, in an illustrated dust jacket.
- Physical Format: Large, roughly quarto-sized hardcover, with colour plates.
- Language: English
Official Condition Report
- The Book: Very Good (VG)
- Exterior / Boards: Olive-green cloth boards with yellow spine lettering. The binding is protected by the dust jacket, so the corners and board edges are not described here. The spine of the jacket shows some creasing and wear near the upper and lower edges.
- Interior: The title page and copyright page are clean and unmarked. No inscriptions, stamps or bookplates.
- The Dust Jacket: Present. The glossy, laminated illustrated jacket shows a man with a lantern and a dog. It has light rubbing and wear to the spine, a few small marks and scratches to the back panel, and minor scuffs. Protected in a Mylar sleeve.
Synopsis & Historical Value
Jock of the Bushveld is Sir Percy FitzPatrick's celebrated tale of his Staffordshire bull terrier, Jock, and of his own life as a transport rider during the Transvaal gold-rush era. First published in 1907, it has become a South African classic and has been translated into many languages, including Afrikaans, Dutch, French, Xhosa and Zulu.
This Kestrel Books edition, issued from Harmondsworth, is an abridged text with new illustrations and colour plates, making the story accessible to a wide readership. It is a collectible used copy in its illustrated dust jacket, and a pleasing way to own a much-loved piece of South African literature and Lowveld history.
Author Profile: Sir Percy FitzPatrick
Sir James Percy FitzPatrick (1862–1931) was a South African author, politician, mining financier and pioneer of the fruit industry. Born in King William's Town, he died at Amanzi, near Uitenhage. He was one of the leaders of Johannesburg's Reform Committee, which conspired to overthrow Paul Kruger's Transvaal government in 1895–1896, and he later served in the Union Parliament.
His books include Through Mashonaland with Pick and Pen (1892), The Outspan (1897) and The Transvaal from Within (1899), but he is best remembered for Jock of the Bushveld. He is also credited with the creation of the two-minute silence observed on Armistice Day.
Jock of the Bushveld Kestrel edition · Jock of the Bushveld illustrated colour plates · Percy FitzPatrick Jock of the Bushveld 1976 · South African classic dog story · Jock of the Bushveld dust jacket · Staffordshire bull terrier Transvaal gold rush book
