The Forbidden River

New York: Frederick A. Stokes, 1936. First US edition. Octavo in title-stamped green cloth; vi, 345 pages; 20 cm Very good with minor wear and abrasion to board tips and edges, spine mildly sunned; binding tight; leaves clean. Small owner name and bookseller stamp to front free endpaper. `.

Uncommon. Adventure novel set in Africa. Bindloss (1866-1945) was a prolific English novelist who authored dozens of adventure stories primarily set in western Canada and occasionally Africa during the early 20th century. His straightforward narratives typically featured determined British protagonists who overcame frontier hardships through moral integrity and perseverance, with his works celebrated for their vivid descriptions of Canadian wilderness and pioneering life. Though following a fairly consistent formula—often involving a young Englishman seeking fortune abroad—Bindloss's novels like "Rancher's Legacy" and "The Gold Trail" were immensely popular during the Edwardian era, reflecting imperial attitudes of the time while simultaneously celebrating frontier independence and natural beauty, even as his once-considerable literary reputation has faded in contemporary times.