BIGGLES TAKES A HOLIDAY

Book First Published June 1949* - 191 pages

* W. E. Johns was sent his six presentation copies of this book with a covering letter dated 29th June 1949.  This information is taken from a letter from A. P. Watt & Son to W. E. Johns in my collection

I believe this Biggles book was never serialised elsewhere.  If anybody knows differently then please E-MAIL ME

 

The first edition dust jacket showing the original price of 6 shillings – the spine is very prone to fading from the sun.

(NB – The second edition dust jacket is virtually identical – but it has ‘Biggles Breaks the Silence’ after ‘Biggles Hunts Big Game’ on the rear flap – a point worth checking to ensure correct DJ!)

 

CHAPTERS

Click on any chapter for a summary of the events in that chapter or see the general story summary below

I – A MESSAGE FROM OVER THE SEA

II – FIRST OBJECTIVE

III – PARADISE VALLEY

IV – STRANGE ENCOUNTER

V – SECTION TWENTY-THREE

VI – TRAGIC NEWS

VII – DOWN THE RIVER

VIII – DISTURBING DEVELOPMENTS

IX – BIGGLES TURNS THE TIDE

X – THE RIVER OF DOUBT

XI – BIGGLES SPEAKS HIS MIND

XII – THE COMING OF ALGY

XIII – A STAGGERING ANNOUNCEMENT

XIV – NATURE TAKES A HAND

XV – THE MAILED FIST

XVI – THE GATHERING OF THE CLANS

XVII – BIGGLES CALLS THE TUNE

 

Biggles, Algy, Ginger and Bertie go to the South American Rain Forest in order to rescue their old comrade, Angus Mackail. He, and a number of other people, have been conned into "farming" in the jungle, where in reality they are just slave labour. Unable to escape because of the remoteness of the area, no one knows of their plight until a man named Linton defies the odds and manages to bring word to Biggles. The area, named 'Paradise Valley', is run by a Doctor Liebgarten, but is really a front for ex-Nazi's who are carrying out various experiments and building a secret weapon. Also present is a certain Erich von Stalhein. Biggles and Ginger meet with Doctor Liebgarten but are not fooled by his charm. Biggles is bitten by a tarantula, but recovers sufficiently to organise a revolt by the "farmers" and save the day. The jacket dust cover shows Biggles on a pony, with his arm in a sling as a result of the said bite, leading the farmers in the revolt.

 

Click here to see the story illustrations from this book

 

Biggles Takes a Holiday

Publication Details - published by Hodder and Stoughton

 

Frontispiece

Click on the above to see it in more detail

 

The “Hampton Library” reprint – click on the above picture to find out more details

 

The “Children’s Book Club” edition reprint – click on the above picture to find out more details

 

The French edition of the book – “Biggles en Permission” – Biggles on Leave

 

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