Prisoner Plagiarised Novel; Won Award

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30895, 30 October 1965, Page 24

Prisoner Plagiarised Novel; Won Award

(N.Z. Press Assn.—Copyright) LONDON, Oct. 28. A book by a prisoner in a British gaol which won a special literary award has beep discovered to be a near copy of an obscure American novel, the “Guardian” reported tonight. Other newspapers also carried the story. The panel of judges which included J. B. Priestly, and Philip Toynbee described the book, “Young and Sensitive,” by a Dartmoor prisoner, Don Robson, as “of outstanding merit.” Robson was given the Arthur Koestler Literary Award and a prize of £25. Macmillan’s published the book, which had sold 3000 copies and arrangements had been made for it to be published as a Penguin book. Then a reader wrote to the publishers pointing out the similarity of “Young and Sensitive” with an American paperback, “Fires of Youth,” by Charles Williams. The “Guardian” said the American book was so obscure that Macmillans had still been unable to trace either the author or the publisher.

But a close study of the book revealed that “Young and Sensitive” was a near copy and Robson later admitted his action and returned the award money. Macmillan’s had withdrawn the book from sale.