''Harlequin'' (1974) is a novel by Australian writer
Morris West
Morris Langlo West (26 April 19169 October 1999) was an Australian novelist and playwright, best known for his novels '' The Devil's Advocate'' (1959), ''The Shoes of the Fisherman'' (1963) and ''The Clowns of God'' (1981). His books were publ ...
. It was originally published by
Collins
Collins may refer to:
People Surname
Given name
* Collins O. Bright (1917–?), Sierra Leonean diplomat
* Collins Chabane (1960–2015), South African Minister of Public Service and Administration
* Collins Cheboi (born 1987), Kenyan middle- ...
in England in 1974.
Synopsis
George Harlequin is the head of a prestigious Swiss bank. Then his bank is identified as the target of a hostile takeover by Basil Yanko, the CEO of a computer security company who uses the company's skills and expertise to set up other companies for attack.
Critical reception
Jonathan Dawson, writing in ''The Canberra Times'', noted that "''Harlequin'' is a thriller and a very fine one, certainly one of West's best works to date. It strikes deep into the heart of the capitalist system, the world of paper money that is now seen to be no longer impregnable."
In her literary study of West and his work, Maryanne Confoy noted: "In ''Harlequin'', written when he was in his late fifties, West once again investigated the theme of the divided self and he developed it in greater depth. But this time it was against the panorama of the battle between good and evil that is integral to the human condition. West was still stuggling with the moral universe in order to find personal peace."
[''Morris West: Literary Maverick'' by Maryanne Confoy, John Wiley & Sons, 2005, p291]
Publication history
After its original publication in 1974 in England by publishers
Collins
Collins may refer to:
People Surname
Given name
* Collins O. Bright (1917–?), Sierra Leonean diplomat
* Collins Chabane (1960–2015), South African Minister of Public Service and Administration
* Collins Cheboi (born 1987), Kenyan middle- ...
the novel was later published as follows:
*
William Morrow, USA, 1974
*
Pocket Books, USA, 1975
*
Allen & Unwin
George Allen & Unwin was a British publishing company formed in 1911 when Sir Stanley Unwin purchased a controlling interest in George Allen & Co. It went on to become one of the leading publishers of the twentieth century and to establish an ...
, Australia, 2017
and many other paperback editions.
The novel was also translated into Dutch,
Danish
and Norwegian
in 1974, and German
in 1978.
Notes
* Dedication: "For Sheila"
* Epigraph:
As if we were villains by necessity;
fools by heavenly compulsion.
Shakespeare, ''King Lear'', Act 1, Sc. 2
See also
*
1974 in Australian literature
This article presents a list of the historical events and publications of Australian literature during 1974.
Events
* The Patrick White Award is presented for the first time. White used his 1973 Nobel Prize in Literature award to establish a ...
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Harlequin
1974 Australian novels
Works by Morris West