The quintessential bushranging adventure tale.
'Robbery Under Arms' has been an Australian classic virtually since it first appeared in book form in 1888, and its continuing appeal and popularity has seen the tale frequently adapted for stage, radio, film and television.
However, over this time the novel's text has changed considerably. It lost some material in early editions, and these omissions were never repaired. It was later abridged by its author, but the publisher botched the job. And, as with any much-reprinted work, thousands of small changes gradually crept into the text.
This Academy Edition is the first full-scale critical edition of the novel and is particularly vital given the instability of the text. It presents the original text, including some 29,000 words cut from later editions.It allows contemporary readers and scholars for the first time to appreciate how the special qualities of the novel were partially flattened over time, and to know exactly what material was omitted.
