William Grayden (7 results)

Hardcover. Condition: Very Good. No Jacket. Book condition for a 1957 copy, First Edition 1957. Interesting book. Book condition is very good for it age. Book boards front has light mark on the top-right hand corner, and the back board is clean & unmarked. Spine intact, Text body is clean and unmarked throughout the book. Book block is light brown colour due to being 69 years old. This a rare book due to its limited initial print run and its specialized subject matter. Online searches show that copies are occasionally listed on platforms such as antiquarian booksellers Listings often note first edition copies, sometimes with worn or missing dust jacket. "Adam and Atoms" is a rare 1957 book by Australian politician William Grayden documenting his investigation into the welfare of Indigenous Australians in Western Australia. Overview: Author: William Grayden (1920-2026), a Western Australian MP notable for his advocacy for Indigenous welfare and involvement in the Warburton Ranges. Format: Hardcover, 174 pages, including a map and photographic plates. The book combines social and political commentary with personal narrative, documenting Grayden's 1949 journey to the Warburton Ranges, where he witnessed dire conditions among Aboriginal communities. It also addresses questions about the potential effects of atomic bomb testing at Maralinga, South Australia, on Central Australian nomadic Aborigines. Historical Significance: "Adam and Atoms" is considered a controversial and historically important text in Indigenous rights discourse in Australia. Grayden's work helped bring public attention to the plight of Aboriginal peoples in remote areas and contributed to wider national discussions on Aboriginal welfare policy. Availability Physical copies of the book are rare but can occasionally be found from Australian and international booksellers.is based on Grayden's work as a Member of the Legislative Council of Western Australia, particularly his leadership of the state Select Committee appointed to inquire into Native Welfare Conditions in the Laverton-Warburton Range area. The book presents a detailed account of Aboriginal life in remote Western Australia, highlighting dire living conditions, the social neglect faced by Indigenous communities, and the insufficient official response to their welfare. The narrative blends personal observations, photographic documentation, and political analysis. Grayden recounts his 1949 journey to the Warburton Ranges, visiting Aboriginal settlements in the Laverton-Warburton area. He documents not only material deprivation but also the broader challenges of Aboriginal health, education, and social status in a rapidly changing post-war Australia. A significant focus of the book is the investigation into the potential effects of British nuclear tests at Maralinga, South Australia, on Central Australian nomadic Aboriginal groups. Grayden raises questions about radiation exposure, the disruption to traditional lifestyles, and the long-term consequences for Indigenous populations, positioning the work as both an activist commentary and an investigative report. The book's historical significance lies in its early advocacy on behalf of Aboriginal peoples, bringing attention to government inaction and social inequality. Grayden's work contributed to wider discussions on Aboriginal welfare and human rights, and it provided documentation that influenced both public opinion and policy debates. In summary, Adam and Atoms offers a first-hand, historically significant account of Aboriginal welfare in Western Australia, framed by Grayden's observations, political advocacy, and concerns over nuclear testing, making it a unique resource for understanding mid-20th-century Indigenous affairs in Australia. For more information you can contact directly via e-mail or by mobile. See photos above for the quality of the book. .

Hardcover. Condition: Good. Dust Jacket Condition: None. 1st Edition. Covers & Spine: both front and back boards are undamaged with only minor wear along the edges and corners, spine is intact with bumping at ends. Binding: firm throughout, both hinges strong. Pages & Markings: unstained, no markings, clean throughout, crease-lines across bottom right corner of first 6 pages then fine throughout. Dust Jacket is missing. PLEASE NOTE: Due to this item weighing less than 500g, postage cost for international orders (i.e. not Australian) will be less than what is shown here. Please email me if you would like a quote. All items are protectively packaged, and a postal tracking number will be sent to all customers whose current email address is registered with AbeBooks.

paperback in good condition; 188 pages, colour and b/w photos.

Hardcover. Condition: Very Good. No Jacket. 1st Edition. 174pp incl frontis map showing the Warburton Reserve and other areas of interest to the book. Plus 16 pages of b&w plates. Prologue: "This book tells the story of a Parliamentary investigation into the plight of natives in the inland of Western Australia, and of what happened to the report which the Select Committee presented. As the story unfolds, the facts reveal an adamant refusal by official after official to accept the aborigines as human beings and measure their plight by human standards. The facts indicate a complete lack of integrity in persons of high official and public office and also in sections of 'The Western Australian' and Eastern States Press. Most important, the facts disclose the plight of the inland natives in Western Australia." Orange cloth with black lettering to the spine. The pages and edges of the text block are age-tanned. In otherwise very good condition.

Hardcover. Condition: Very Good. Dust Jacket Condition: Very Good. 1st Edition. Dust jacket is in good condition. Has some pieces missing from top of front cover, spine and rear cover. Chipping to bottom of spine. Front flap detached, but complete. Rear flap has two holes in fold of flap. Tears to fold of spine. Toning internally to dust jacket. Book is bright orange cloth. Bumping to top and bottom spine of book. Book sellers sticker on front paste done. Toning to edges and throughout, and to FFE and rear end paper. Otherwise a solid copy.

Hardcover. Condition: Very Good. First Edition. Perth, [The Author], 1957. Octavo, xii, 174 pages with a map plus 16 pages of plates (from photographs). Cloth very slightly marked and rubbed; minimal insect damage to the pastedowns; an excellent copy. An account of the effects of British nuclear bomb testing at Maralinga on the Aboriginal peoples of central Australia, in particular those of the Warburton reserve. The author was a Member of the Legislative Council of Western Australia, who led the state Select Committee Appointed to Inquire into Native Welfare Conditions in the Laverton-Warburton Range Area (1956).

Hardback, 14.5x21cm, 174pp. Good condition (general wear; foxed page edges; offset at endpapers) in fair dustwrapper (general wear and scuff marks; waterstained; worn, chipped edges, with numerous 1-2cm tears, with some associated creases and loss; nibbled at back flap bottom edge).