Green Mansions: A Romance of the Tropical Forest - Classic Romantic Literature by W.H. Hudson | Perfect for Book Clubs, Literature Lovers & Tropical Adventure Enthusiasts

This is a facsimile of a 1931 reprint of the 1926 Duckworth edition, illustrated by Keith Henderson. It was promised two years ago, but publication was delayed, possibly because Margaret Atwood's introduction (new to this edition) wasn't ready. Though less informative than Ian Duncan's introduction to the Oxford World's Classics edition of twenty years ago (now, sadly, out of print), it may help to sell the book to 21st-century readers. The real attraction for those who have already read it, however, is the black-and-white Art Deco illustrations and solid cloth binding, making the book a physical pleasure to read. As a facsimile, of course, it reproduces the errors of the 1926/1931 text, the most confusing of which occurs on p. 89, where the eighth and ninth lines have been transposed. For some reason also the name "Oalava" was changed to "Oolava" in this version, and the inscription on the urn reads "Sin vos y siu dios y mi" (p. 307); it should read "Sin vos y sin dios y mi." Indeed, in her introduction, Atwood locates the main action of the story in "Guyana," whereas Hudson more properly uses "Guayana" throughout to designate the vast eastern and southern region of Venezuela. But these are quibbles.