The Gold Robbers by Celeste de Chabrillan

The Gold Robbers

Australia’s weirdest literary curiosity – 19^th century lust, rape & murder

by Celeste de Chabrillan

Translated by Lucy & Caroline Moorehead

Sun Books, 1970, ISBN 725101024, lightly illustrated with black and white illustrations in text, paperback

Good Condition, a little edge and shelf wear, a little rubbing to edges and corners, a little rubbing and foxing to covers, loosening introductory pages, age toned pages, old price on front cover (see photographs)

“Never before translated into English, this outraged expose of Australian depravity at the time of the Victorian gold rush was written by the Countess de Chabrillan, wife of the French Consul to Melbourne.  Unfortunately, she was also the most notorious courtesan in France, under the name of Mogador, and copies of her autobiography reached Melbourne before she dud.  Shunned by the best society, she took revenge with The Gold Robbers.
No great shakes as literature, The Gold Robbers is nevertheless great fun to read, and historically important as the first novel about the Australian gold rush.  With murders, rapes and a public execution, Victoria is hardly the place for a nice girl.  But Celeste de Chabrillan was not a nice girl at all, though she died back in France many years later as a famous and grand old lady.”