Books

First edition of this novel, published in America under Henty's intended title, In the Days of the Mutiny, which Chatto & Windus rejected for fear it would lead it to be mistaken for one of Henty's children's books. This is one of only seven multi-volume titles by Henty. The story is set in the Indian "Mutiny", the widespread but unsuccessful rebellion against British rule in India in 1857-9. "In the 1890s, among the last three-deckers to appear in Britain, Chatto and Windus published four novels by Henty. The first, Rujub, the Juggler, was the most popular, 11,000 copies being sold, practically all within three years. It was the eighth of his eleven adult novels: though selling fewer copies than his best boys' books, the later titles were, contrary to often expressed belief, remarkably popular" (ODNB). Henty's novel has an unusual "wounded" hero, Ralph Bathurst, who suffers from a physiological aversion to gunfire. The exploration of more serious and nuanced themes such as trauma, shame, suicide, cowardice, and rape distinguish it from Henty's other historical adventure novels that glorify and reinforce the British Empire and British imperialism. The imminent demise of the triple-decker explains the lavishness of the cloth decoration here, a last attempt to justify the expense of the long-established publication format. By the end of the following year, the three-volume novel was effectively dead. Three volumes, octavo. Original blue morocco-grain cloth, titles to spines gilt, floral designs to boards in copper, pale brown-on-white floral endpapers. Housed in a dark blue cloth solander box by the Chelsea Bindery. A little very light rubbing to extremities, spines a touch sunned, minor spotting to edges. Otherwise an excellent set with the decorative cloth fresh and bright.

Rujub, the Juggler is a historical novel set during the Indian Rebellion of 1857. It tells the story of a British officer and his encounters with Rujub, an Indian mystic, during the tumultuous period.