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Butcher, Margaret. Destiny on Demand: A Novel. London: Skeffington & Son, Ltd., [1938]. First edition, paperbound issue, or perhaps an advance reading copy. Octavo, pp. [1-4] 5-288. Plain stiff brown paper wrappers. The plain typographic jacket lacks both a list price and a publisher's imprint at base of spine, which suggests an advance reading copy. Some foxing to first and last leaves, one page a bit chewed up and torn but intact and readable, several others nicked at edges, a very good copy in very good printed dust jacket on yellow laid paper stock with wear at spine ends, a bit of foxing, and some age-darkening to spine panel. A scarce book. #783. $45. Bleiler (1978), p. 36. Reginald 02368. Hubin (1994), p. 122. The novel is of interest mainly for its structure, which shuffles together a realistic novel of contemporary rural England with three short fragments set in "the Celestial Enclosure" (i.e., heaven or some neighboring vicinity of it) -- these fragments use the typographical conventions of drama. The Dramatis Personae of these fragments -- a prologue, interlude and epilogue -- consist of The Inscrutable, An Ancient Being, A Helmeted Lady, A Lady of Scholastic Appearance, A Third Lady, A Clerk, A Number of Celestial Beings and Attendant Beings. This cheeky representation of heaven as a Georgian drawing room satire, is inherently amusing and contrasts sharply with the earnest tone of the main novel. The Celestial Beings are informed at the outset of some difficulties in the small English seaside town and are lobbied to interfere to help sort things out. Difficulties and dilemmas are raised and discussed. The story culminates with Grandma gently pushing a nasty wheelchair-bound female invalid off a cliff. One wishes the author had pushed her innovation a bit harder to more fully explore the philosophical implications of destiny, free will, and providence. Still, an interesting experiment, and certainly a scarce book. Seller Inventory # 783
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