Penguin First Editions :: Early First Edition Penguin Books

Australians have imported Penguins from the very beginning of publication, and even after the opening of the Australia office in 1947 books continued to come from Britain until March 1963, when Penguin Books Australia printed their own series, starting with AU1. However, during the war years the supply chain was difficult and, much like the springing up of the Egyptian series, books were published in Australia between 1940-46.

On this page we list the second set of Penguin Books in Australia, those with the pre-fix 'AU', which began in March 1963 with the publication in Australia of AU1 To the Islands by Randolph Stow. After the publication of AU28, Australian editions were catalogued under the appropriate Penguin series marked 'Aust. Ed. only'. Most of the books were printed in Australia, the earlier ones bear a price in shillings, the later ones in cents, or dollars and cents. The Australian books have the phrase 'Printed in Australia for Penguin Books Pty Ltd' printed above the name of the printer on the back of the title page.

Most of the books carry the 'Australianised' Penguin colophon with a 'Penguin' (or Puffin or Pelican) depicted under an archway made of two boomerangs.

Information on the early Penguins in Australia (1940-46) is provided on a separate page 'AUS' or PENGUINS IN AUSTRALIA
.

Information and cover photographs of Australian Penguins

AU1	Series No.: AU1 Title: TO THE ISLANDS Author: Randolph Stow Cover illustration: from a painting by Robert Juniper Date Published: March 1963 [printed date: 1962] Pages: 208pp. Printer: The Griffin Press, Adelaide Price: 3/6d.
AU2	Series No.: AU2 Title: KANGAROO TALES A Collection of Australian Stories for Children. [An Australian Puffin] Edited: by Rosemary Wighton Illustrated: by Donald Friend Date Published: March 1963 Pages: 224pp. Printer: The Griffin Press, Adelaide Price: 4/-
AU3	Series No.: AU3 Title: *THREE AUSTRALIAN PLAYS: THE ONE DAY OF THE YEAR* (Alan Seymour); NED KELLY (Douglas Stewart); THE TOWER (Hal Porter) [Penguin Plays] Introduction: by H. G. Kippax Date Published: March 1963 (U.K. 25th July 1963) Pages: 320pp. Printer: The Griffin Press, Adelaide Price: 5/-**
AU4	Series No.: AU4 Title: THE PENGUIN AUSTRALIAN SONG BOOK Compiled: by John Manifold Cover design: drawings by J. S. Ostoja-Kotowski Date Published: October 1964 Pages: 180pp. Printer: The Griffin Press, Adelaide Price: 9/6d.
AU5	Series No.: AU5 Title: THE AUNT'S STORY Author: Patrick White Cover design: illustration by Sidney Nolan Date Published: December 1963 Pages: 304pp. Printer: The Griffin Press, Adelaide Price: 4/6d. The second image shows a later edition of this book with the Australian Penguin colophon.
AU6	Series No.: AU6 Title: THE AUSTRALIAN UGLINESS [An Australian Pelican Book] Author: Robin Boyd Illustration: by the author Date Published: December 1963 Pages: 256pp. Printer: The Griffin Press, Adelaide Price: 8/6d.
AU7	Series No.: AU7 Title: THE ART OF AUSTRALIA: A Critical Survey [A Pelican Original] Author: Robert Hughes Illustration: 8 pages of colour photographs and 144 photos in text Date Published: February 1966 Pages: 316pp. + 8pp. Printer: The Griffin Press, Adelaide Price: $2.25
AU8	Series No.: AU8 Title: THE LITERATURE OF AUSTRALIA [A Pelican Original] Edited: by Geoffrey Dutton Cover design: painting by J. S. Ostoja-Kotowski Date Published: October 1964 Pages: 528pp. Printer: The Griffin Press, Adelaide Price: 15/6d.
AU9	Series No.: AU9 Title: THE PENGUIN BOOK OF AUSTRALIAN BALLADS Edited: and introduced by Russel Ward Date Published: October 1964 Pages: 304pp. Printer: The Griffin Press, Adelaide Price: 6/-
AU10	Series No.: AU10 Title: THE CARDBOARD CROWN Author: Martin Boyd Cover design: drawing by John Brack Date Published: September 1964 Pages: 176pp. Printer: The Griffin Press, Adelaide Price: 6/- The second image shows a printing for distribution in UK and overseas priced at 3/6d. Second image courtesy of James Hardy
AU11	Series No.: AU11 Title: RIDERS IN THE CHARIOT Author: Patrick White Cover illustration: from painting by Sidney Nolan Date Published: January 1964 Pages: 496pp. Printer: Hazell, Watson and Viney Ltd (G.B.) Price: 10/6d.
AU12	Series No.: AU12 Title: THE LUCKY COUNTRY Australia in the Sixties Author: Donald Horne Cover design: painting by Albert Tucker Date Published: December 1964 Pages: 258pp. Printer: The Griffin Press, Adelaide Price: 8/6d.
AU13	Series No.: AU13 Title: INVESTMENT IN AUSTRALIA [A Penguin Handbook] Author: D. H. Merry and G. Bruns Cover design: by Robin Wallace-Crabbe Date Published: February 1965 [printed date: 1963] Pages: 224pp. Printer: The Griffin Press, Adelaide Price: 8/6d.
AU14	Series No.: AU14 Title: GARDENING FOR AUSTRALIANS [A Penguin Handbook] Author: R. T. M. Pescott Illustration: 32 pages with 59 black-and-white photographs Cover design: by Robin Wallace-Crabbe Date Published: July 1965 Pages: 234pp. + 32pp. Printer: The Griffin Press, Adelaide Price: 12/6d.
AU15	Series No.: AU15 Title: TOURMALINE Author: Randolph Stow Cover design: painting by Robert Juniper Date Published: May 1966 [printed date: 1965 Pages: 176pp. Printer: The Griffin Press, Adelaide Price: 4/-
AU16	Series No.: AU16 Title: THE PINK AND THE BROWN A novel Author: Hugh Atkinson Cover photo: by Roger Wood Date Published: June 1967 [printed date: 1965] Pages: 160pp. Printer: The Griffin Press, Adelaide Price: 65c
AU17	Series No.: AU17 Title: WILD CAT FALLING Author: Colin Johnson Cover photograph: Angove Barnaby's Date Published: February 1967 [printed date:1965] Pages: 128pp. Printer: C. Nicholls and Co Ltd Price: 65c
AU18	Series No.: AU18 Title: THE SKY BEYOND Author: Sir Gordon Taylor Cover photo: by Qantas Airways Date Published: February 1967 [printed date: 1966] Pages: 368pp. Printer: C. Nicholls and Co Ltd (G.B.) Price: 7/6d.
AU19	Series No.: AU19 Title: INDONESIA [A Penguin Special] Author: Bruce Grant Cover design: by Don Mason Date Published: March 1967 Pages: 252pp. Printer: Wilke and Company Ltd, Melbourne Price: 85c
AU20	Series No.: AU20 Title: THE MERRY-GO-ROUND IN THE SEA Author: Randolph Stow Cover illustration: by Barry Tutt Date Published: July 1968 Pages: 276pp. Printer: Wilke and Company Ltd, Melbourne Price: 85¢ 5/-
AU21	Series No.: AU21 Title: AUSTRALIA'S HOME [An Australian Pelican Book] Author: Robin Boyd Cover design: by Barry Tutt Cover illustration: photographs 'Colonial Porch' by Max Dupain; House of Architect R. Van Rompaey by Mark Strizic Date Published: July 1968 Pages: 316pp. Printer: Wilke and Company Ltd, Melbourne Price: $1.75
AU22	Series No.: AU22 Title: THE AUSTRALIAN-AMERICAN ALLIANCE - Costs and Benefits [An Australian Pelican] Author: H. G. Gelber Cover design: by Ian Escott Date Published: October 1968 Pages: 160pp. Printer: Hazell, Watson and Viney Ltd (G.B.) Price: 85c
AU23	Series No.: AU23 Title: NEW DIRECTIONS IN AUSTRALIAN FOREIGN POLICY - Ally, Satellite or Neutral? [An Australian Pelican] Edited: by Max Teichmann Cover design: by Robert Hollingsworth Date Published: April 1969 Pages: 212pp. Printer: Hazell, Watson and Viney Ltd (G.B.) Price: $1.00
	Series No.: AU24 THIS NUMBER (AU 24) WAS NOT USED. The book was originally intended to be The Case for Conservation, edited by A. B. Costin. It was later published in 1971 as a Pelican Conservation and edited by A. B. Costin and H. J. Firth; price $2.20.
AU25	Series No.: AU25 Title: TIDES AND EDDIES Author: Maie Casey Cover design: by Barry Tutt Date Published: May 1969 Pages: 216pp. Printer: The Griffin Press, Adelaide Price: 90c Enhanced image courtesy of Christopher Holland
AU26	Series No.: AU26 Title: THE LETTERS OF RACHEL HENNING Edited: by David Adams Foreword: by Norman Lindsay Illustrated: with pen drawings by Norman Lindsay Cover design: by Barry Tutt Date Published: May 1969 Pages: 292pp. Printer: The Griffin Press, Adelaide Price: $1.50
AU27	Series No.: AU27 Title: AFTERNOON LIGHT - some memories of men and events Author: Sir Robert Gordon Menzies Cover design: by Alison Forbes (photograph courtesy of 'Fine Age') Date Published: July 1969 Pages: 390pp. Printer: The Griffin Press, Adelaide Price: $1.45
AU28	Series No.: AU28 Title: POLICE KILLINGS IN AUSTRALIA [A Penguin Special] Author: R. W. Harding Illustration: 8 pages of black-and-white photographic plates Cover design: by David Wire Date Published: 1969 [printed date: 1970] Pages: 272pp. + 8pp. Printer: The Dominion Press, Blackburn, Victoria Price: $1.20 "Future Australian editions will appear under the appropriate series marked (Aust. Ed. only)"
AU29	Series No.: AU29 Title: PORTNOY'S COMPLAINT Author: Philip Roth Cover: design by Bentley/Farrell/Burnett Date Published: September 1970 Pages: 274pp. Printer: Halstead Press, Sydney Price: $1.35 Image and additional data courtesy of Christopher Holland Philip Roth's Portnoy's Complaint became the 'Lady Chatterley' of Australia. It was one of 8 books published domestically in Australia to get around the import ban by the Customs Department. Indeed, even the Penguin Special (UK, S192) book of The Trial of Lady Chatterley's Lover edited by C. H. Rolph import was was banned and thus published in Australia by A. W. Sheppard. Portnoy's Complaint was banned by the National Literature Board of Review in June 1969. However Penguin Australia printed 75,000 copies in Melbourne for distribution at end of August 1970. The Victorian Vice Squad (not 'Victorian' in era, but in the Australian State of,) raided Penguin's Melbourne office and took 300-400 copies. It is rumoured that most were kept in unmarked trucks. After various prosecutions in States failed or had 'hung' jury verdicts the ban became impractical and the NLBR removed the ban on 16 June 1971. for a full account see: Nicole Moore (2012) The Censor's Library, University of Queensland Press

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