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The Viking of Van Diemen's Land

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The Viking of Van Diemen's Land: the stormy life of Jorgen Jorgensen is a 1954 Australian book by Frank Clune and P.R. Stephensen about Jørgen Jørgensen.[1][2][3]

The book was originally written by P.R. Stephenson after extensive research; he was paid £1,000 for the job by Frank Clune. The originally manuscript ran to 400,000 words. Angus and Robertson refused to publish it until it was cut down and Frank Clune did the work. Stephenson was unhappy with the result.[4]

According to Clune's entry in the Australian Dictionary of Biography the book "was thought to have more in common with historical novels than history; Clune and... Stephensen were taken to task for passing off conjecture as fact in the life of Jorgen Jorgenson. The book had come from notes which Clune had made over eighteen years and from the work of researchers employed on contract, and was written up in a dramatic manner. With its impressive bibliography, it illustrates Clune's strengths and weaknesses: an ability to ferret out information, but a desire to embroider it."[5]

The Newcastle Herald said "Clune and Stephensen seem too ready to excuse Jorgensen many of his faults, but altogether they have written a fascinating book about a fascinating person."[6]

The Herald said "The book is written In a much more lucid and graceful style than one usually associates with Mr Clune."[7]

The Daily Mirror said the authors "seem to have a gift for history rather than literature and have managed to write an uninteresting book about a most interesting personality."[8]

Stephenson defended the book against critics.[9]

References

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  1. ^ "The News BOOK REVIEWS". News. Vol. 62, no. 9, 519. South Australia. 12 February 1954. p. 18. Retrieved 25 March 2024 – via National Library of Australia.
  2. ^ "Explorer, Felon Adventurer". The West Australian. Vol. 70, no. 21, 158. Western Australia. 15 May 1954. p. 22. Retrieved 25 March 2024 – via National Library of Australia.
  3. ^ "Viking of Van Diemen's Land MISFORTUNE WAS HIS FOE". The Argus (Melbourne). No. 33, 524. Victoria, Australia. 13 February 1954. p. 9. Retrieved 25 March 2024 – via National Library of Australia.
  4. ^ Munro, Craig (1984). Wild man of letters : the story of P.R. Stephensen. pp. 256–260.
  5. ^ Julian Croft, 'Clune, Francis Patrick (Frank) (1893–1971)', Australian Dictionary of Biography, National Centre of Biography, Australian National University, https://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/clune-francis-patrick-frank-9769/text17263, published first in hardcopy 1993, accessed online 25 March 2024.
  6. ^ "Jorgensen—Viking Of New World". Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners' Advocate. No. 24, 129. New South Wales, Australia. 6 February 1954. p. 5. Retrieved 25 March 2024 – via National Library of Australia.
  7. ^ "THIS DANE DID JUST ABOUT EVERYTHING". The Herald. No. 24, 050. Victoria, Australia. 26 June 1954. p. 18. Retrieved 25 March 2024 – via National Library of Australia.
  8. ^ "THE VAGABOND "VIKING" OF VAN DIEMEN'S LAND". Daily Mirror. No. 3992. New South Wales, Australia. 23 March 1954. p. 18 (Late Final Extra). Retrieved 25 March 2024 – via National Library of Australia.
  9. ^ Book Collectors' Society of Australia., "AN AUTHOR REPLIES TO A CRITIC", Biblionews (April 1955), [Sydney]: The Book Collectors' Society of Australia, nla.obj-2990683847, retrieved 25 March 2024 – via Trove
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