The Tale of the Land of Green Ginger

The Tale of The Land of Green Ginger written & illustrated by Noel Langley

A first edition hardcover published by Arthur Barker Linited of London in 1937

This is a SIGNED copy on the front flyleaf "To Perla With best love from Noel Langley, London 1952.

also included is a ink drawing by the author signed at the bottom,

Noel Langley was originally born in Durban South Africa

The Green cover boards are very faded & eaten in places, spine has been taped to the outside but internally it is fine, binding is tight & strong, inscription is on the front flyleaf, at the back of the book a newspaper article with Langleys head shot photo has been stuck on back endpaper. The internal content is clean & all pictures are present.

These first editions are very scarce & copies sell between US$600 to US$4000,

This copy can do with external restoration but has nice provenance coming from Durban with extra ink drawing included & signed by the author to a Dear friend in Durban.

Below is some history behind one of South Africas past Author/Illustrators lifework

Chosen by MGM to assist in adapting L. Frank Baum's 'The Wizard of Oz' for the 1939 film, Langley made what is considered by many to be the major contribution to the finished screenplay, and this book is the reason he was chosen. Langley continued as an author and screenwriter through the 1960s, and wrote a screenplay for a second Oz film (based on 'The Marvellous Land of Oz') which was never produced. The Land of Green Ginger was one of two children's books Langley wrote, and has remained in print most of the time since its first publication. It was rewritten for a new edition in 1966 and again in 1975. This original edition has Langley's wonderful full colour illustrations (a bit psychedelic and a bit Mad magazine).