Tuna
Shipping
Kenneth Cook’s 1967 first-edition hardcover Tuna delivers Australian drama in lean, muscular prose that fans of Wake in Fright will recognise. Set where the open sea meets small-town desperation, the novel follows a young deckhand whose summer on a tuna boat turns into a rite of passage far rougher than he bargained for. Cook’s trademark tension and outback grit make this a collectible slice of vintage Ozlit.
This first printing from F W Cheshire arrives in acceptable shape for a 55-year-old survivor. The dust jacket still brightens the shelf, though it carries light scuffing, a tiny edge tear, and a clipped corner; front inner board and the first few leaves show classic foxing, while the initial numbered pages bear thumb marks that speak of earlier eager readers.
A scarce title in Cook’s small but respected canon, Tuna appeals to collectors of Australian first editions and readers who like their coming-of-age tales salty with danger. Secure this hard-to-find drama before it disappears again.