Digit Dick in Black Swan Land

Signed by Author (inscription). [27] p. : col. ill. ; 29 cm. SCARCE Children’s book set in Western Australia.

George Leslie Clarke Rees AM (28 December 1905 – 17 August 2000) was an Australian author and writer for children who was born and raised in Perth, Western Australia.^[1]

He attended Perth Modern School and then the University of Western Australia, where he edited the student magazine, Black Swan. He then worked for The West Australian as a journalist before travelling to London to study at University College on a scholarship. It was while there that he married fellow West Australian, Coralie Clarke, who had been a sub-editor during his time on the Black Swan.^[1]

Rees returned to Australia in 1936 to become the Australian Broadcasting Commission‘s first federal drama editor in Sydney. He was also President of PEN (Sydney) for a number of years.

As a writer Rees is best known as a prolific author of children’s books as well as written travel books, plays and an autobiography.

He died in Sydney on 17 August 2000.^[1]