Nat Gould

Novels

Nat Gould wrote about one hundred and thirty published books and millions of copies were sold. Most of them were novels. They were immensely popular, not least among the soldiers of World War I. They are very readable and deserve to be better known today.

He was pre-eminently a writer of thrilling stories set in the exciting world of horse racing. But not exclusively so. One of his best novels Horse or Blacksmith? is set in a Derbyshire village (which he himself admitted was really his beloved Bradbourne) and in the seedy Victorian world of London theatre. Nor is horse racing invariably the theme. A Lad of Mettle concerns cricket. However the “Sport of Kings” forms the background to most of his stories.

In literary terms, he did not take himself or his work too seriously. He just told stories with flair, based on personal experience, and his readers avidly bought each book as published. His success stemmed from his ability to blend sport with mystery and romance. Each of his heroes and heroines overcame all obstacles placed in their way to win through in a thrilling finish. His hope was that “even such a life as mine may not prove devoid of instruction and encouragement to many who are fighting manfully their battles in the world”.

He never received a penny in royalties, preferring to sell his stories outright to his publisher, well knowing that there were plenty more to come as long as he lived. Consequently, although well written and still eminently readable today, his books were inexpensive. They were produced for the popular market, and not intended for careful preservation. So it is hardly surprising that few copies survived, and those that have done so are eagerly sought by discerning collectors.

He had written stories from his childhood, composing yarns for his schoolboy friends to be told at night in the dormitory. Then he was writing to gain attention and prestige among the other schoolboys. But his real career as a storyteller writing for money began while he was living in Australia. While working as a journalist in Sydney he wrote a horse racing story called Blue and White which was serialised in the Sydney Referee in 1888.

Later when employed on a Bathurst newspaper the editor commissioned another racing serial. Nat called it With the Tide, but the title was changed to The Double Event: A Tale of the Melbourne Cup before it appeared in book form. In 1891 the story was published in London by George Routledge & Sons Ltd, the first of his publishers. It was an immediate success both in England and Australia (1).

However from the time of the appearance of his first published book, Nat Gould attracted hostile critics) (2), far outnumbered by enthusiastic admirers (3). Two more novels were accepted even before they were completed, and Nat Gould wrote nine books altogether while living in Sydney, all being published by George Routledge & Sons Ltd.

Later his books were published by R.A. Everett & Co. (4) and later by John Long Ltd (5).

His earliest books appeared as “yellowbacks”. Yellowback was the nickname given to cheap editions that first appeared on railway bookstalls in 1853 (6).

Nat Gould returned to England in 1895, and started work on writing novels as fast as his publishers would accept them. He went on to write a total of 130 books and over 200 separate stories, some being published in Annuals.

By 1920 seven novels had been adapted as films (7).

Full list of Books.

(1) Nat Gould: The Biography by Tom Askey (2017) page 102.
(2) ibid pages 137-138.
(3) ibid pages 138-142.
(4) ibid pages 107-112.
(5) ibid pages 113-120.
(6) ibid pages 105-106, 109 and 114.
(7) ibid pages 134-136.